BREC's Wildflower Park Guide

Kudzu (/ˈkʊdzuː/, also called Japanese arrowroot,) is a group of plants in the genus Pueraria, in the pea family Fabaceae, subfamily Faboideae. They are climbing, coiling, and trailing vines native to much of eastern Asia, southeast Asia, and some Pacific Islands. The name comes from the Japanese name for the plants, kuzu (クズ or 葛?), which was written "kudzu" in historical romanizations. Where these plants are naturalized, they can be invasive, and are considered noxious weeds.... less ↑

Tephrosia virginiana, also known as Goat-rue or Goat's Rue, is a perennial dicot in familia Fabaceae. This subshrub has alternate compound leaves. Its leaves are imparipinnate, with relatively wide pinnae. All parts of the plant are pubescent giving it a silvery, hoary appearance. The terminal, compact racemes of cream and deep pink flowers bloom May to August. This plant prefers acidic soils, in part to full sun. It grows throughout the Midwest, New England and southeastern... less ↑

Erythrina herbacea, commonly known as the Coral Bean, Cherokee Bean, Red Cardinal or Cardinal Spear, is a flowering shrub or small tree found throughout the southeastern United States and northeastern Mexico; it has also been reported from parts of Central America and, as an introduced species, from Pakistan. Various other systematic names have been used for this plant in the past, including Erythrina arborea, Erythrina hederifolia, Erythrina humilis, Erythrina rubicunda, Corallodendron herbaceum and Xyphanthus hederifolius. less ↑

Indigofera suffruticosa, commonly known as Añil, Guatemalan indigo, Small-leaved indigo (Sierra Leone), West Indian indigo, and Wild indigo, is a flowering plant in the pea family, Fabaceae. In Hawaiian it is known as either ʻInikō/Inikoa, or Kolū; in Fijian it is called Vaivai, the Samoans call it Laʻau mageso, on Guam it is called Aniles, and in Tonga it is referred to as ʻakauveli (itchy plant). less ↑

Aronia, the chokeberries, are deciduous shrubs in the family Rosaceae, native to eastern North America and most commonly found in wet woods and swamps. The genus is usually considered to contain two or three species, one of which is naturalized in Europe. A fourth form that has long been cultivated under the name Aronia is now considered to be an intergeneric hybrid, Sorbaronia mitschurinii. less ↑

Prunus angustifolia pronounced (PROO-nus an-gus-tih-FOLE-ee-uh), known commonly as Chickasaw Plum, Cherokee plum, Florida sand plum, sandhill plum, or sand plum, is a plum bearing tree native to North America. It was originally cultivated by Native Americans before the arrival of Europeans. While Prunus is the classical name for European plums, angustifolia refers to its narrow leaves. It is listed by the USDA as an endangered species in the state of New Jersey. less ↑

Prunus caroliniana, known as the Carolina Cherry Laurel, with syns. Cherry Laurel, Carolina Cherry, Laurelcherry or Wild Mock Orange, is a flowering tree native to the Southeastern United States, from North Carolina south to Florida and westward to eastern Texas. It was once classified as Laurocerasus caroliniana. It is not to be confused with its European relative Prunus laurocerasus, which is also called Cherry Laurel, though mainly known as English Laurel in the U.S. less ↑

Prunus serotina, commonly called black cherry, wild black cherry, rum cherry, or mountain black cherry, is a woody plant species belonging to the genus Prunus. This cherry is native to eastern North America: from eastern Canada through southern Quebec and Ontario; south through the eastern United States to Texas and central Florida; with disjunct populations in Arizona and New Mexico; and in the mountains of Mexico and Guatemala. less ↑

The Virginia strawberry, wild strawberry, or common strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) is one of two species of strawberry that were hybridized to create the modern domesticated garden strawberry. Its natural range is confined to North America, in the United States (including Alaska) and Canada, although a popular variety called "Little Scarlet" is grown only in Great Britain, having been imported from the United States in the early 1900s. less ↑

Ceanothus americanus is a species of shrub native to North America. Common names include New Jersey tea, Jersey tea ceanothus, variations of red root (red-root; redroot), mountain sweet (mountain-sweet; mountainsweet), and wild snowball.New Jersey Tea was a name coined during the American Revolution, because its leaves were used as a substitute for imported tea. less ↑

Sarracenia alata, also known as the Pale pitcher plant or Pale trumpet, is a carnivorous plant in the genus Sarracenia. Like all the Sarracenia, it is native to the New World and grows in permanently wet and open wetlands typically classified as longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) savannas. The Pale pitcher plant's habitat is split into two geographically separate areas: an eastern range from eastern Louisiana across southern Mississippi and into western Alabama and a western range... less ↑

Sarracenia purpurea, commonly known as the purple pitcher plant, northern pitcher plant, or side-saddle flower, is a carnivorous plant in the family Sarraceniaceae. Its range includes almost the entire eastern seaboard of the United States, the Great Lakes, and south eastern Canada, making it the most common and broadly distributed pitcher plant, as well as the only member of the genus that inhabits cold temperate climates. The species is the floral emblem of the Canadian province... less ↑

Cyrilla racemiflora, the sole species in the genus Cyrilla, is a flowering plant in the family Cyrillaceae, native to warm temperate to tropical regions of the Americas, from the southeastern United States (coastal areas from southeastern Texas east to southeastern Virginia), south through the Caribbean, Mexico (Oaxaca only) and Central America to northern Brazil and Colombia in South America. Common names include swamp cyrilla, swamp titi,red titi,black titi,white titi,leatherwood,ironwood,he huckleberry, and myrtle. less ↑

Gordonia lasianthus, loblolly-bay, holly-bay, gordonia, or bay, is a small to medium-sized evergreen tree or shrub found in acid, swampy soils of pinelands and bays on the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains. It is a member of the Tea or Theaceae family. It is slow growing with soft, light-colored(Varies in color from Cream to Carmine), fine-grained wood of little commercial value, although loblolly-bay could be managed as a source of pulpwood. When older specimens are cut,... less ↑

Hydrangea quercifolia, commonly known by its translation oakleaf hydrangea or oak-leaved hydrangea, is a species of flowering plant native to the Southeastern United States, in woodland habitats from North Carolina west to Tennessee, and south to Florida and Louisiana. A deciduous shrub with white showy flower heads, it is a commonly grown garden plant. Numerous cultivars are available commercially. less ↑

Fire pink (Silene virginica) is a wildflower in the pink family, Caryophyllaceae. It is known for its distinct brilliant red flowers. Each flower is approximately five centimeters in diameter and composed of five notched, brilliant red petals which extend into a long tube. It is a small (20-80 cm tall), short-lived perennial (2-3 years), with lance shaped leaves. Its stems, and the bases of the flowers, are covered in short sticky hairs. Fire Pink begins blooming... less ↑

Tamarix gallica, the French Tamarisk, is a deciduous, herbaceous, twiggy shrub or small tree reaching up to about 5 meters high. It is indigenous to Saudi Arabia and the Sinai Peninsula, and very common around the Mediterranean region. It is present in many other areas as an invasive introduced species, often becoming a noxious weed. It was first described for botanical classification by the taxonomist Carolus Linnaeus in 1753, but had already been in cultivation since... less ↑

Drosera brevifolia (the dwarf, small or red sundew), is a carnivorous plant of the family Droseraceae and is the smallest sundew species native to the United States. This species differs considerably from the pink sundew, Drosera capillaris, by its wedge-shaped leaves, and distinctly deeper red to reddish purple color, noticeable when side by side with D. capillaris. less ↑

Parthenium hysterophorus is a species of flowering plant in the aster family, Asteraceae, that is native to the American tropics. Common names include Santa Maria Feverfew and Whitetop Weed. It is a common invasive species in India, Australia, and parts of Africa. P. hysterophorus invades all disturbed land, including farms pastures, and roadsides. In some areas, outbreaks have been of almo In India, it is locally known as Congress Grass or Gajar Ghans. It was first less ↑

Geranium carolinianum is a species of geranium known by the common name Carolina cranesbill, or Carolina geranium. It is native to North America, where it is widespread and grows in many types of habitat. This is an annual herb reaching just over half a meter in maximum height. It has erect stems covered in spiky hairs. The palmate leaves are several centimeters wide and divided into usually five segments which are each subdivided into elegantly pointed... less ↑

Oxalis stricta, called the common yellow woodsorrel (or simply yellow woodsorrel), common yellow oxalis, upright yellow-sorrel, lemon clover, or more ambiguously and informally "sourgrass" or "pickle plant", is an herbaceous plant native to North America, parts of Eurasia, and has a rare introduction in Britain. It tends to grow in woodlands, meadows, and in disturbed areas as both a perennial and annual. Erect when young, this plant later becomes decumbent as it lies down, and branches less ↑

Toxicodendron pubescens, commonly known as Atlantic poison oak (syn. Rhus pubescens), is an upright shrub that can grow to 1 m (3 ft) tall. Its leaves are 15 cm (6 in) long, alternate, with three leaflets on each. The leaflets are usually hairy and are variable in size and shape, but most often resemble white oak leaves; they usually turn yellow or orange in autumn. The fruit is small, round, and yellowish or greenish. It is... less ↑

Toxicodendron vernix, commonly known as Poison sumac, is a woody shrub or small tree growing to 9 m (30 ft) tall. It was previously known as Rhus vernix. All parts of the plant contain a resin called urushiol that causes skin and mucous membrane irritation to humans. When burned, inhalation of the smoke may cause the rash to appear on the lining of the lungs, causing extreme pain and possibly fatal respiratory difficulty. less ↑

Quercus nigra, the water oak, is an oak in the red oak group (Quercus sect. Lobatae), native to the southeastern United States, from southern Delaware and south to the coastal areas of Maryland, Virginia, the piedmont of North Carolina, all of South Carolina, most of Georgia (with the exception of the Appalachian Mountains), all of Alabama, Mississippi, central Florida, and westward to Louisiana and eastern Texas. From there, northward to southeastern Missouri including Arkansas, eastern Oklahoma,... less ↑

Fagus grandifolia, commonly known as American Beech or North American beech, is a species of beech tree. This is Latin for: Fagus, Beech; grandi, great; folia, leaves. It is native to eastern North America, from Nova Scotia west to southern Ontario in southeastern Canada, west to Wisconsin and south to eastern Texas and northern Florida in the United States. Trees in the southern half of the range are sometimes distinguished as a variety, F. grandifolia var.... less ↑

Salvia coccinea (Texas sage, scarlet sage, tropical sage, blood sage) is a herbaceous perennial in the Lamiaceae family that is widespread throughout the Southeastern United States, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South America (Colombia, Peru, and Brazil). At one time Brazil was considered to be where it originated, but its diploid chromosome count now points to Mexico as its place of origin. less ↑

Lantana camara is a species of flowering plant in the verbena family, Verbenaceae, that is native to the American tropics. It has been introduced into other parts of the world as an ornamental plant and is considered an invasive species in many tropical and sub-tropical areas. Common names include largeleaf lantana,common lantana, kamara lantana, wild sage,red sage, yellow sage, white sage, and shrub verbena. less ↑

Argemone albiflora, the white prickly poppy, also known as the bluestem prickly poppy or the Texas prickly poppy, is a small erect plant with a decorative white flower with a yellow latex. It is deeply rooted with yellow or red stamens. The plant is known for the sharp prickles on its stem and leaves. The sepals fall off as the flower of this plant grows bigger. It grows in the arid regions of the southern Midwest... less ↑

Ranunculus muricatus is a species of buttercup known by the common name spinyfruit buttercup. It is native to Europe, but it can be found in many other places in the world, including parts of Africa, Australia, and the western and eastern United States, as an introduced species and agricultural and roadside weed. It grows in wet habitats, such as irrigation ditches. It is an annual or sometimes biennial herb producing a mostly hairless stem up to... less ↑

Clematis virginiana (also known as Devil's Darning Needles, Devil's Hair, Love Vine, Traveller's Joy, Virgin's Bower, Virginia Virgin's Bower, Wild Hops, and Woodbine; syn. Clematis virginiana L. var. missouriensis (Rydb.) Palmer & Steyermark ) is a vine of the Ranunculaceae family native to the United States. The rationale for some of the common names is unclear, as they include examples normally applied to unrelated plants, including twining parasites (e.g. "devil's hair" for Cuscuta). The name "Love less ↑

Anemone caroliniana (Carolina Anemone) is a herbaceous plant species in the genus Anemone and family Ranunculaceae. Plants grow (7)10 to 40 cm tall, from short tuber-like rhizomes that are 10-30 mm long. Stem leaves without petioles. Plants flowering early to mid spring with the flowers composed of 10 to 20 sepals (sometimes called tepals) normally white or soft rose colored but also purple, one flower per stem, the sepals are 10 to 22 mm long and... less ↑

Podophyllum peltatum, commonly called Mayapple, or May Apple, (or hogapple, Indian apple, mayflower, umbrella plant, wild lemon (flavor of the fruit), wild mandrake, American mandrake (shape of rhizomes) or "devil's apple" (used for Solanum linnaeanum elsewhere)), is a herbaceous perennial plant in the family Berberidaceae, native to deciduous forests in of eastern North America. Like many other spring ephemerals, it emerges from below ground before the canopy of the forest opens, and then slowly withers later... less ↑

Cocculus carolinus, (also Carolina Coralbead, Redberry Moonseed, Carolina snailseed, Carolina Moonseed) is a perennial vine of the genus Cocculus. It is indigenous to several states in the United States along the south to midwest. It gets its name from the bright red color of the marble-like berry that protrudes from the leaves of the plant. The plant can be very invasive and difficult to control. less ↑

Okra (US /ˈoʊkrə/ or UK /ˈɒkrə/; Abelmoschus esculentus Moench), known in many English-speaking countries as lady's fingers, bhindi or gumbo, is a flowering plant in the mallow family. It is valued for its edible green seed pods. The geographical origin of okra is disputed, with supporters of South Asian, Ethiopian and West African origins. The plant is cultivated in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate regions around the world. less ↑

Modiola is a monotypic genus of plants in the mallow family containing the single species Modiola caroliniana, which is known by several common names, including Carolina bristlemallow, babosilla, and redflower mallow. It is a creeping perennial which is probably native to South America but which is widely naturalized throughout the tropical and warmer temperate world. less ↑

Leafy Mistletoe, Phoradendron tomentosum is a plant parasite. It is characterized by its larger leaves and smaller berries than dwarf mistletoe. Leafy mistletoe seldom kill but they do rob their hosts of moisture and some minerals, causing stress during drought and reducing crop productions on fruit and nut trees. Leafy mistletoe has the ability to photosynthesize on its own but it relies on other plants in order to obtain its nutrients. It attaches itself to a... less ↑

Asimina triloba, the pawpaw, paw paw, paw-paw, or common pawpaw, is a species of Asimina (the pawpaw genus) in the same plant family (the Annonaceae) as the custard-apple, cherimoya, sweetsop, ylang-ylang and soursop. The pawpaw is native to the Eastern, Southern, and Midwestern United States and adjacent southernmost Ontario, Canada, from New York west to southeastern Nebraska, and south to northern Florida and eastern Texas. The pawpaw is a patch-forming (clonal) understory tree found in well-drained,... less ↑

Liriodendron tulipifera — known as the tulip tree, American tulip tree, tuliptree, tulip poplar, whitewood, fiddle-tree, and yellow poplar — is the Western Hemisphere representative of the two-species genus Liriodendron, and the tallest eastern hardwood. It is native to eastern North America from Southern Ontario and Illinois eastward across southern New England and south to central Florida and Louisiana. It can grow to more than 50 m (165 feet) in virgin cove forests of the Appalachian Mountains,... less ↑

Magnolia acuminata, commonly called the cucumber tree (often spelled as a single word "cucumbertree"), cucumber magnolia or blue magnolia, is one of the largest magnolias, and one of the cold-hardiest. It is a large forest tree of the Eastern United States and Southern Ontario Canada. It is a tree that tends to occur singly as scattered specimens, rather than in groves. less ↑

Magnolia grandiflora, commonly known as the southern magnolia or bull bay, is a tree of the family Magnoliaceae native to the southeastern United States, from Virginia south to central Florida, and west to eastern Texas and Oklahoma. Reaching 27.5 m (90 ft) in height, it is a large striking evergreen tree with large dark green leaves and large white fragrant flowers. Widely cultivated around the world, over a hundred cultivars have been bred and marketed commercially. The timber... less ↑

Magnolia virginiana, most commonly known as sweetbay magnolia, or merely sweetbay (also swampbay, swamp magnolia, whitebay, or beaver tree), is a member of the magnolia family, Magnoliaceae. It was the first magnolia to be scientifically described under modern rules of botanical nomenclature, and is the type species of the genus Magnolia; as Magnolia is also the type genus of all flowering plants (magnoliophytes), this species in a sense typifies all flowering plants. less ↑

Nymphaea mexicana is a species of aquatic plant that is native to the Southern United States and Mexico as far south as Michoacán. Common names include Yellow Waterlily, Mexican Waterlily and Banana Waterlily. It is perhaps best known as a noxious weed in wetlands outside of its native range, such as California. It can easily invade similar aquatic ecosystems when it is introduced. The plant is attractive and has been introduced to new habitats for ornamental... less ↑