Wildflowers of the Eastern WoodlandsDeciduous forests cover much of the eastern United States, gradually giving way to coniferous forests farther north and grasslands to the west. Dominated by deciduous trees, eastern forests typically have several vertical layers of vegetation, including a dense, upper canopy of mature trees; a subcanopy of smaller or immature trees; and an understory of shrubs and low-growing herbaceous plants. Many woodland wildflowers, called spring ephemerals, bloom before the trees have leafed out; other species, which can tolerate partial or complete shade, flower later. The species in this collection comprise some of the most common spring wildflowers in eastern deciduous forests. |
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Scientific Name | Common Name | Duration | Habit | Sun | Water |
Actaea rubra | Red Baneberry | Perennial | Herb | Sun, Shade, Part-shade | Moist |
Anemone quinquefolia | Wood Anemone, Nightcaps, Windflower | Perennial | Herb | Shade, Part-shade | Moist |
Aquilegia canadensis | Eastern Red Columbine, Wild Red Columbine | Perennial | Herb | Shade, Part-shade | Moist, Dry |
Aralia nudicaulis | Wild Sarsaparilla | Perennial | Subshrub | Sun, Shade | Moist |
Arisaema triphyllum | Jack In The Pulpit, Indian Jack In The Pulpit, Jack-in-the-pulpit | Perennial | Herb | Sun, Shade | Wet, Moist |
Caltha palustris | Yellow Marsh Marigold, Cowslip | Perennial | Herb | Shade, Part-shade | Wet, Moist |
Claytonia caroliniana | Carolina Springbeauty | Perennial | Herb | Part-shade | Wet, Moist |
Clintonia borealis | Bluebead, Yellow Bluebead-lily, Clintonia, Blue-bead Lily | Perennial | Herb | Shade | Moist |
Cornus canadensis | Bunchberry Dogwood, Canadian Bunchberry | Perennial | Herb | Sun, Shade, Part-shade | Moist |
Cypripedium acaule | Moccasin Flower, Pink Lady's Slipper | Perennial | Herb | Shade, Part-shade | Moist, Dry |
Cypripedium parviflorum | Yellow Lady's-slipper Orchid, Lesser Yellow Lady's Slipper | Perennial | Herb | Part-shade | Wet, Moist |
Cypripedium reginae | Showy Lady's Slipper | Perennial | Herb | Moist | |
Dicentra cucullaria | Dutchman's Breeches | Perennial | Herb | Sun, Shade, Part-shade | Moist |
Erythronium americanum | Yellow Trout-lily, American Trout-lily, Eastern Trout-lily, Yellow Dogtooth Violet, Adder's Tongue | Perennial | Herb | Part-shade | Moist |
Geranium maculatum | Spotted Geranium, Wild Geranium, Cranesbill | Perennial | Herb | Shade, Part-shade | Moist |
Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa | Roundlobe Hepatica, Round-lobed Hepatica, Liverleaf | Perennial | Herb | Shade, Part-shade | Moist, Dry |
Linnaea borealis | Twinflower, American Twinflower | Perennial | Herb | Sun, Shade, Part-shade | Wet, Moist |
Maianthemum canadense | Canada Mayflower, False Lily-of-the-valley | Perennial | Herb | Shade, Part-shade | Wet, Moist |
Maianthemum racemosum | Feathery False Lily Of The Valley, False Solomon's Seal, Feathery False Solomon's Seal, False Spikenard, Solomon's Plume, Smilacina | Perennial | Herb | ||
Podophyllum peltatum | Mayapple, Indian Apple, Wild Mandrake, Pomme De Mai, Podophylle Pelt | Perennial | Herb | Shade, Part-shade | Moist |
Polygala paucifolia | Gaywings, Fringed Polygala, Flowering Wintergreen | Perennial | Herb | Moist | |
Sanguinaria canadensis | Bloodroot | Perennial | Herb | Shade, Part-shade | Wet, Moist |
Silene virginica | Fire Pink, Scarlet Catchfly | Perennial | Herb | Part-shade | Moist, Dry |
Tiarella cordifolia | Heartleaf Foamflower, Heart-leaf Foamflower | Perennial | Herb | Shade | Moist |
Trientalis borealis | Starflower | Perennial | Herb | Shade | Moist |
Trillium cernuum | Whip-poor-will Flower, Nodding Trillium, Nodding Wakerobin | Perennial | Herb | Shade | Moist |
Trillium erectum | Red Trillium, Red Wakerobin, Stinking Benjamin, Wet Dog Trillium, Wet Dog Wakerobin, Purple Trillium, Purple Wakerobin | Perennial | Herb | Part-shade | Moist |
Trillium grandiflorum | White Wake-robin, White Trillium, Large-flower Wake-robin, Large-flower Trillium, Large-flowered Wake-robin, Large-flowered Trillium | Perennial | Herb | Sun, Shade, Part-shade | Moist |
Trillium undulatum | Painted Trillium, Painted Wakerobin | Perennial | Herb | Sun, Shade | Moist |
Uvularia grandiflora | Largeflower Bellwort, Large-flower Bellwort, Merrybells | Perennial | Herb | Shade | Moist |