SPRING EPHEMERALS SPRING EARLY SUMMER SUMMER AUTUMN
There are hundreds of species of plants in the Catskills. As early as the mid-eighteenth century botanists and horticulturalists found and catalogued some of these plants. John Bartram collected seeds and plant specimens for study and export, introducing North American plants to Europe where they were sought by wealthy estate owners and botanical gardens. Similarly, immigrants brought many non-native plants to the Catskills that have become naturalized.
We have listed with photographs many of the wildflowers commonly found in the Catskills. They are arranged by season and then color: green – white; yellow – orange; red – pink; and purple – blue. Seasonal categories reflect earlier appearances, but many plants bloom for many weeks.
While it was not our intent to create a comprehensive list, it has grown to over 160 species. All pictures were taken by members of the CMC. Many thanks to Linda Kukol and to Howard Raab for their numerous photo contributions. Also, special thanks to Dr. Mike Kudish and to Molly Marquand of the Catskill Native Plant Society for helping us get plant identifications right. Contributions of photos taken in the Catskills of unlisted wildflowers are greatly appreciated.
For detailed information on any plant simply copy the scientific name, visit the Natural Resources Conservation Service website or a similar one and paste the name into the search field.
NOTE: As you explore the Catskills, you will come across several different non-native plants. Though not all non-native plants are aggressive, those that are pose a serious threat to native species. As such, they have been targeted for monitoring and control. Take a look at the “Terrestrial Plants” link on the New York Invasive Species Information website for more about the plants and the work being done. If you would like to help, check out the Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership (CRISP) website. You can learn how to report invasives that you find on your hikes and other forays into the woods using iMapInvasives.
-Edited by Wendell George
NOTE: It is illegal to harvest or remove plants from the Catskill Forest Preserve. In addition, many plants are classified as threatened or endangered and are protected wherever they may be found. The CMC endorses Leave No Trace principles.
Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)
Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)
Dutchman’s Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria)
Dwarf Ginseng (Panax trifolium)
Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia)
Round-lobed Hepatica (Hepatica americana)
Rue Anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides)
Squirrel Corn (Dicentra canadensis)
Starflower (Trientalis borealis)
Small White Violet or Smooth White Violet (Viola Macloskeyi)
Wild Oats or Sessile-leaved Bellwort (Uvularia sessilifolia)
Wood Anemone (Anemone quinquefolia)
Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara)
Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum)
Yellow Clintonia or Bluebead Lily (Clintonia borealis)
Downy Yellow Violet (Viola pubescens)
Roundleaf Violet (Viola rotundifolia)
Yellow Wood Sorrel (Oxalis stricta)
Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum)
Red Trillium (Trillium erectum)
Painted Trillium (Trillium undulatum)
Spring Beauties (Claytonia caroliniana)
Two-leaf Toothwort or Crinkleroot (Cardamine diphylla)
Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides)
Blue Violet (Viola sororia and/or Viola cucullata)
Marsh Blue Violet (Viola cucullata)
Ground Ivy or Gill-over-the-ground (Glechoma hederacea)
Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) – toxic to eat
from NPS – locally taken image welcomed
False Hellebore (Veratrum viride) – highly toxic
Ramps (Wild Leeks) (Allium tricoccum)
Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense)
Aniseroot or Long-styled Sweet Cicely (Osmorhiza longistylis)
Red Baneberry (Actaea rubra)
White Baneberry or Doll’s Eyes (Actaea pachypoda)
Canada Mayflower (Maianthemum canadense)
Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)
Downy Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea)
Early Saxifrage (Saxifraga virginiensis)
False Solomon’s Seal (Smilacina racemosa)
Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida)
Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
Hobblebush (Viburnum lantanoides)
Smooth Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum biflorum)
Twoleaf Miterwort or Bishop’s Cap (Mitella diphylla)
White (Canada) Violet (Viola canadensis)
Wild Sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis)
Barren Strawberry (Waldsteinia fragarioides)
Canadian Dwarf Cinquefoil (Potentilla canadensis)
Common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Common Winter Cress or Yellow Rocket (Barbarea vulgaris)
Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea)
Golden Ragwort (Senecio aureus)
Hooked Buttercup or Hooked Crowfoot (Ranunculus recurvatus)
Marsh Marigold or Cowslip (Caltha palustris)
Mayapple or Mandrake (Podophyllum peltatum)
Rough-fruited Cinquefoil (Potentilla recta)
Eastern Red Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
Fringed Polygala or Gaywings (Polygala paucifolia)
Pink Lady’s Slipper (Cypripedium acaule)
Ragged Robin (Lychnis flos-cuculi)
Rosy Twisted-stalk (Streptopus roseus)
Wild Geranium or Spotted Geranium (Geranium maculatum)
Bird’s-eye Speedwell (Veronica Chamaedrys)
Bluets (Houstonia caerulea)
Robin’s Plantain (Erigeron pulchellus)
Wild Blue Phlox or Wild Sweet William (Phlox divaricata)
Black Raspberry (Rubus occidentalis)
Bladder Campion (Silene vulgaris)
Common Blackberry (Rubus allegheniensis)
Common Chickweed (Stellaria media)
Indian Cucumber Root (Medeola virginiana)
Lowbush Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium)
Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia)
Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora)
Northern Dewberry (Rubus flagellaris or Rubus hispidus)
Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens)
Red Raspberry (Rubus strigosus)
Tall Meadow Rue (Thalictrum polygamum)
Virginia Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum)
Greater Celandine (Chelidonium majus)
Moneywort or Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia)
Yellow Sweet Clover (Melilotus officinalis)
Musk Mallow (Malva moschata)
Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
Common Wild Rose or Virginia Rose (Rosa virginiana)
Dame’s Rocket (Hesperis matronalis)
Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum)
Pinxter (Rhododendron prinophyllum)
Purple-Flowered Raspberry (Rubus odoratus)
Red Clover (Trifolium pratense)
Common Wood Sorrel (Oxalis montana)
Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium)
Blue Flag (Iris versicolor)
Heal-all (Prunella vulgaris)
Viper’s Bugloss (Echium vulgare)
Arrow-leaved Tearthumb (Polygonum sagittatum)
Bouncing Bet (Saponaria officinalis)
Daisy Fleabane (Erigeron annuus)
Indian Pipe (Monotropa uniflora)
Ox-eye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)
Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea)
Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota)
Turtlehead (Chelone glabra)
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Virgin’s Bower or Devil’s Darning Needles (Clematis virginiana)
Agrimony (Agrimonia gryposepala)
Birdsfoot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
