Native forbs for northeastern Pennsylvania

Actaea pachypoda

Dolls-eyes - rich, open upland woods and thickets. Grows 12-30 inches, with white flowers in late spring; part shade to shade in moist sandy humusy loam, pH 5-6; commonly available.

Actaea racemosa

Black snakeroot - rich moist woods, wooded slopes, ravines, along riverbanks and thickets. Grows 3-8 feet with white flowers on tall racemes in early summer; part shade to shade in moist rich humus, pH 5-7; commonly available.

Actaea rubra

Red baneberry - usually upland hardwood and mixed-wood forest habitats on fresh or moist, fine-textured mineral soils. Grows 12-30 inches with white flowers in late spring; part sun to open shade in moist humus rich loam, pH 5-6; commonly available.

Agastache nepetoides

Yellow giant-hyssop - generally upland moist, rich, open woodland areas, thickets and woodland borders, FACU. Grows 3-5 feet with greenish-yellow flowers in late summer; full sun in moist rich loam; commonly available.

Agastache scrophulariifolia

Purple giant-hyssop - moist woods and thickets. Grows 3-5 feet with purple flowers in late summer; sun to part shade in moist rich humus, pH 6-7. Shade tolerant, but prefers sun; commonly available.

Agrimonia parviflora

Southern agrimony - moist to wet woods and thickets, FAC. Grows up to 45 inches with yellow flowers in late summer; part shade to shade in moist sandy loam; very few sources.

Agrimonia striata

Roadside agrimony - moist upland woods and thickets, FACU-. Grows up to 36 inches with yellow flowers in late summer; part shade to shade in moist sandy loam, pH 5-6; very few sources.

Alisma subcordatum

Broad-leaved water-plantain - aquatic; shallow ponds, stream margins, marshes, and ditches, OBL. Grows 12-36 inches with pink to white flowers in summer; sun to part sun in silty loam in ponds and pond edges; several sources.

Allium canadense

Wild onion - upland glades, bluffs, open woods, prairies and disturbed sites, FACU. Grows 8-12 inches with pink to white flowers in early summer; full sun to part shade in moist rich loam, pH 6.5 to 7; several sources.

Allium tricoccum

Ramp - moist ground in rich upland woods, depressions, streamside bluffs, and colluvial slopes, FACU+. Grows up to 20 inches with white flowers in spring; deciduous shade (needs sun in early spring) in rich moist mesic loam. pH 6.8 to 7.2; commonly available.

Anaphalis margaritacea

Pearly everlasting - dry , sandy or gravelly soil of fields, woods, edges and roadsides. Grows 1 to 3 feet with white flowers in late summer; average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Prefers full sun and somewhat dry, sandy conditions; commonly available.

Anemone quinquefolia

Wood anemone - moist upland open woods and thickets, banks and shady roadsides, FACU. Grows 4-8 inches with white flowers in spring; part shade to shade in damp to moist rich loam, pH 5 to 6; very few sources.

Anemone virginiana

Virginia anemone - upland rocky and dry open woods, slopes, thickets and prairies. Grows up to 12 inches with greenish-white flowers in early summer, followed by attractive seed pods that persist into fall; sun to part shade in dry to moist sandy loam; commonly available.

Angelica atropurpurea

Purple-stemmed angelica - swamps, moist meadows, stream banks and wet woods, OBL. Grows 3-10 feet with white flowers in summer; full sun to dappled shade in medium to wet soils; commonly available.

Angelica venenosa

Hairy angelica - dry open woods, roadsides, banks, serpentine barrens and old fields. Grows up to 6 feet with white flowers in mid-summer; full sun to part shade in dry, sandy to gravelly soil; very few sources.

Antennaria neglecta

Overlooked pussytoe - mesic to dry prairies, slopes of upland open woodlands, dry meadows in woodland areas, savannahs, shale glades, eroded clay banks, pastures, abandoned fields, and roadsides. Grows up to 6 inches with brown/gray flowers in spring; sun to part sun in dry to moist clay loam, pH 5.5 to 7.5; very few sources.

Antennaria parlinii

Parlins pussytoe - open woods and fields. Grows up to 8 inches with white flowers in spring; sun to part sun in dry, sandy, well drained loam; very few sources.

Antennaria plantaginifolia

Plantain-leaved pussytoe - dry open woods, pastures, fields, rocky barrens. Grows up to about 10 inches with white flowers in spring; sun to part sun in dry, sandy, well drained loam, pH 4 to 7; several sources.

Aplectrum hyemale

Puttyroot - rich moist woods and bottomlands, FAC. Grows 12-24 inches with purple flowers in early summer; part shade to shade in moist rich humus. Listed as rare in Pennsylvania; several sources.

Apocynum androsaemifolium

Pink dogbane - well-drained upland forest sites, open hillsides and ridges, especially on dry, fresh, sandy and coarse loamy soils. Also found in clearings and fields, along forest margins, on roadsides and disturbed ground. Grows 8 to 32 inches with pink flowers in early summer; sun to part shade in dry, sandy loam, pH 5-6; very few sources.

Apocynum cannabinum

Indian hemp - upland open woods, pastures, waste ground, disturbed sites, wooded slopes, on roadsides and along railroads, FACU. Grows up to 5 feet, with pink flowers in early summer; sun to part sun in dry to moist sandy loam; several sources.

Aquilegia canadensis

Wild columbine or American columbine - open, steep, rocky wooded bluffs of streams, stream banks, wooded slopes of deep ravines, limestone bluffs and ledges, borders and clearings in deciduous or mixed woods or thickets, FAC. Grows up to 32 inches with yellow and red flowers in late spring; sun to part shade in average well-drained soil, pH 5 to 7. Prefers rich, moist soils in light to moderate shade, with pH of 6 to 7; commonly available.

Arabis glabra

Towercress - fields, open woods, ledges, usually in dry soil. Grows 16-40 inches with greenish-white flowers in late spring; part sun to shade in dry to moist rocky clay loam; very few sources.

Aralia nudicaulis

Wild sarsaparilla - dry, upland open woods and thickets with thin soil, FACU. Grows 12-36 inches with greenish flowers in spring; part sun to shade in dry to moist rich humus, pH 5-7; several sources.

Aralia racemosa

Spikenard - rich wooded slopes, ravines, moist ledges and bluffs. Grows up to 6 feet with greenish flowers in early summer; part sun to part shade in moist rich humus; commonly available.

Arisaema triphyllum

Jack-in-the-pulpit - moist low woods, swamps, bogs and floodplains, FACW-. Grows up to 36 inches, with the familiar greenish flowers in spring; part shade to full shade in constantly moist soil rich in organic matter, pH 5-6; commonly available.

Aristolochia serpentaria

Virginia snakeroot - rich, rocky upland woods, thickets, ravines and slopes, UPL. Grows up to 20 inches with greenish-white flowers in spring; part shade to shade in dry to moist sandy loam; very few sources.

Asarum canadense

Wild ginger - the understory of upland deciduous forests (rarely coniferous). Grows 6-12 inches with brownish-purple flowers in early spring; part shade to full shade in moist humus, pH 4 to 7. Not related to the culinary spice, but has been used as a substitute, hence the name; commonly available. Slowly spreads by rhizomes to form large colonies.

Asclepias amplexicaulis

Blunt-leaved milkweed - dry fields and upland open woods, usually in sandy soil. Grows 12-36 inches with greenish-pink flowers in summer; sun to part sun in dry, sandy loam; very few sources.

Asclepias exaltata

Poke milkweed - rich upland woods and woods edges, FACU. Grows 12 to 32 inches with greenish-purple flowers in early summer; part shade to shade in dry to moist sandy loam, pH 5.5 to 7; very few sources.

Asclepias incarnata

Swamp milkweed - floodplains and wet meadows, OBL. Grows up to 5 feet with pink-rose flowers in early summer; full to part sun in constantly moist rich loam; commonly available.

Asclepias purpurascens

Purple milkweed - sparse in low, dry areas of shady upland woods, FACU. Grows up to 3 feet with purple flowers in early summer; sun to part shade in dry sandy loam; several sources.

Asclepias syriaca

Common milkweed - dry, upland woods edges fields and prairies. Grows 3 to 6 feet with very fragrant purple-whitish flowers in early summer; sun to part sun in dry sandy loam, pH 4 to 7; commonly available. Host species for monarch butterflies.

Asclepias tuberosa

Butterfly weed - dry fields, roadsides and shale barrens. Grows 12-30 inches with orange-yellow flowers in early summer; sun to part shade in dry to medium wet, well drained sandy loam, pH 4.5 to 6.8; commonly available and a magnet for butterflies.

Asclepias variegata

White milkweed - upland dry or rocky woods, sandy open ground, ravine bottoms, low woods, slopes, ridges and along roadsides, FACU. Grows up to 36 inches with white to pinkish flowers in early summer; sun to part shade in dry sandy loam. Listed as endangered in Pennsylvania; very few sources.

Asclepias verticillata

Whorled milkweed - open woods, dry slopes, barrens on dry rocky sandy soil. Grows 8 to 20 inches with white-greenish flowers in summer; sun to part sun in sandy loam, pH 4.8 to 6.8; commonly available.

Asclepias viridiflora

Green milkweed - dry rocky slopes, serpentine barrens, rocky prairies, glades. Grows 12 to 32 inches with greenish flowers in summer; sun to part sun in dry sandy loam; very few sources.

Astragalus canadensis

Milk-vetch - rocky roadsides, shale barrens, limestone ledges and banks, FAC. Grows up to 5 feet with white flowers in early summer; sun to part shade in mesic to moist sandy loam; commonly available.

Aureolaria virginica

Downy false-foxglove - dry open deciduous woods. Grows 20 to 60 inches with yellow flowers in late summer; part shade to shade in dry sandy loam, pH 4 to 6; very few sources.

Baptisia tinctoria

Wild indigo - dry, open woods and clearings in sandy soil. Grows up to 36 inches with yellow flowers in summer; sun to part shade in dry to moist sandy loam. pH 5 to 7, but prefers acidic soils; several sources.

Brasenia schreberi

Purple wendock - aquatic; ponds, lakes, and sluggish streams, with pink to yellow flowers in summer; ponds with intermediate to low nutrient values, OBL. Grow in full sun to part shade in still to slow moving standing water; very few sources.

Cacalia atriplicifolia

Pale Indian plantain - open woods, fields and on moist banks. Grows up to 9 feet, with yellow flowers in late summer and early fall; sun to part shade in dry to moist sandy loam, pH 4 to 5.5; several sources.

Calopogon tuberosus

Grass-pink - bogs, fens and wet meadows, pine and oak savannahs, grasslands and swales, FACW+. Grows 12-30 inches with pink-purple and yellow flowers in summer; sun to part sun in wet, rich sandy acidic loam; very few sources.

Caltha palustris

Marsh marigold - soaking wet woods, stream banks, muddy meadows, OBL. Grows up to about 15 inches with yellow to white flowers in spring and early summer; sun to part shade in wet, muddy humus rich loam; commonly available.

Campanula americana

Tall bellflower - moist upland woods, on rocky wooded slopes and stream banks, FAC. Grows up to 6 feet with blue to white flowers in summer; part shade to shade in moist silty loam; several sources.

Campanula rotundifolia

Harebell - dry, rocky upland slopes, bluffs and cliffs, FACU. Grows up to 6 feet, with blue flowers in summer; sun to shade in dry rocky sandy loam, pH 5-7; several sources.

Cardamine diphylla

Crinkleroot toothwort - rich woods and floodplains, FACU. Grows up to 12 inches with white flowers in spring; sun to part shade in moist to wet humus-rich loam; very few sources.

Cardamine pratensis

Cuckoo-flower - swamps, wet meadows and alluvial woods, OBL. Grows 8 to 20 inches with white to pink flowers in spring; full sun to part shade in cool, moist soils; very few sources.

Caulophyllum thalictroides

Blue cohosh - moist rich deciduous and mixed forests. Grows 12-30 inches with greenish yellow/purple flowers in early spring; shady woodland areas in rich, moist, soils that do not dry out; pH 4 to 7; commonly available.

Ceratophyllum demersum

Coontail - aquatic; quiet waters of lakes and ponds, rivers, streams, swamps, generally submerged, sometimes free floating, OBL. Flowers early summer, fruit in late summer; silty garden ponds ranging from fresh to slightly brackish; several sources.

Chamaelirium luteum

Devil's bit or Fairywand - dry-wet open woods, clearings, barrens in humus-rich soil; FAC. Grows to 40 inches with white to yellow flowers in late spring; sun to part shade in dry, rich sandy loam, pH 5 to 7; several sources.

Chamerion angustifolium ssp. circumvagum

Fireweed - mesic woods edges and recent clearings in open sandy ground; usually a pioneer species after forest fires, FAC. Grows 3-12 feet with purple-pink flowers in summer; disturbed sandy loam in full sun to part shade; forms dense clumps and spreads aggressively; commonly available.

Chelone glabra

White turtlehead - wet open woods, swamps and stream banks, OBL. Grows 20-30 inches with white to pinkish flowers in summer; sun to part shade in moist rich loam, but prefers full sun, pH 5.5 to 7; commonly available.

Cicuta maculata var. maculata

Beaver-poison or water hemlock - swamps, marshes, wet meadows, stream banks and ditches, OBL. Grows up to 8 inches with white flowers in summer; moist to wet silty organic loam in sun to part sun. All parts highly toxic and may be fatal if eaten; very few sources.

Cirsium muticum

Swamp thistle - swamps, bogs, stream banks and wet meadows, OBL. Grows 3 to 6 feet with purple flowers in summer; sun to part sun in moist to wet rich loam; very few sources.

Claytonia caroliniana

Carolina spring beauty - moist, rocky upland wooded slopes, open woods and thickets, FACU. Grows 6 to 12 inches with white to pinkish flowers in spring; part sun to part shade in moist to wet rich loams, pH 5 to 6; very few sources.

Claytonia virginica

Spring beauty - moist woods and meadows, often on alluvial soils, FACU. Grows 6 to 12 inches with white to pinkish flowers in spring; sun to part shade in moist loam, pH 5 to 7; commonly available.

Clintonia borealis

Blue bead lily - shady, cool moist woods and thickets, mostly in the mountains, FAC. Grows up to 16 inches. Yellow flowers in late spring, fruit a blue berry in summer; part shade to shade in moist humusy loam, pH 4 to 6; very few sources.

Collinsonia canadensis

Horse balm - moist rich woods and on wooded floodplains and ravines, often on limestone substrates, FAC+. Grows to 48 inches, yellow flowers in summer; part shade to shade in dry to moist organic loam, pH 6 to 7; very few sources.

Comarum palustre

Marsh cinquefoil - emergent aquatic; swamps, bogs and peaty lake margins, OBL. Grows 8 to 24 inches with red-purple flowers in summer; full sun in mucky, peaty soil along pond edges; very few sources.

Conopholis americana

Squaw-root - rich oak or beech woods, where it is parasitic on oaks. Grows up to 6 inches with pale brown to yellowish flowers in late spring; part shade to shade in dry to moist sandy loam, pH 4 to 6; very few sources.

Coptis trifolia ssp groelandica

Goldthread - rich, damp, mossy woods bogs and swamps, often associated with hemlock and mosses, FACW. Grows 6 to 8 inches with white flowers in early spring; shade in moist, acidic, humusy loam, pH 4 to 5; very few sources.

Cornus canadensis

Bunchberry - cool, damp woods, bogs and swamp edges, FAC-. Grows 4 to 8 inches with white flowers late spring and fruit in late summer; part shade to shade in moist, rich humus, pH 4 to 5; commonly available.

Corydalis sempervirens

Rock harlequin - dry rocky woods, woodland outcrops and open areas on poor gravelly soil. Grows 12 to 30 inches with pinkish-white to purple flowers in late spring to early fall; sun to part shade in dry sandy loam, pH 5 to 6; several sources.

Cryptotaenia canadensis

Honewort - moist woods, wooded stream banks, seeps; FAC. Grows 10 to 30 inches, white flowers late spring to early summer; part shade in moist, sandy loam; several sources.

Cunila origanoides

Common dittany - dry open woods, shaly slopes, and serpentine barrens. Grows 8 to 16 inches with purple to white flowers in late summer; part sun to part shade in dry, sandy rocky loam; very few sources.

Cypripedium acaule

Pink lady's slipper - well mulched, dry to wet acidic upland forests, bogs, and brushy barrens; FACU. Grows 6 to 16 inches with pink flowers late spring; part shade to shade in dry to moist sandy acidic loam, pH 4 to 5. Very difficult to transplant because of long, thin root system and soil preferences; several sources.

Cypripedium parviflorum var pubescens

Large yellow lady's slipper - moist, rich, rocky woods and slopes, bogs and swamps, FAC+. Grows 8 to 30 inches with yellow flowers, spring; sun to part shade in moist to wet silty loam, pH 5 to 7, but prefers 6.5 to 7. Listed as endangered in Pennsylvania; several sources.

Cypripedium parviflorum var. parviflorum

Lesser yellow lady's-slipper - dry deciduous and deciduous-hemlock forests, usually on slopes, FAC+. Grows 8 to 30 inches, yellow flowers in spring; part shade to shade in rich dry to moist acidic sandy loam. Listed as endangered in Pennsylvania; very few sources.

Desmodium canadense

Showy tick-trefoil - dry open woods and fields, FAC. Grows 20-40 inches with blue to violet flowers late summer; sun to part shade in dry to moist sandy loam; commonly available.

Desmodium glutinosum

Sticky tick-clover - dry to moist rich woods. Grows 12-36 inches, with pink to purple flowers in summer; part shade to shade in moist, rich loam; very few sources.

Desmodium paniculatum

Tick-trefoil - clearings and edges of moist or dry upland woods, UPL. Grows 12-36 inches with violet to purple flowers, late summer; sun to part shade in dry to moist sandy loam. pH 6 to 7; very few sources.

Dicentra canadensis

Squirrel corn - deciduous woods, often among rock outcrops, in rich loam soils. Grows up to 10 inches with white flowers in early spring; part shade to shade in moist, rich sandy loam, pH 6 to 7; several sources.

Dicentra cucullaria

Dutchman's breeches - deciduous woods and clearings, in rich loam soils. Grows to 10 inches with white flowers in early spring; part shade to shade in dry to moist, rich sandy loam, pH 6 to 7; commonly available.

Dicentra eximia

Wild bleeding heart, fringed bleeding heart - rich woods and on cliffs; prefers damp woods with oak mulch. Grows 10-15 inches with pink to purple flowers in early spring; part shade to shade in dry to moist rich loam. pH 4 to 7 but prefers 4.5 to 5.5. Listed as endangered in Pennsylvania; commonly available.

Doellingeria umbellata

Flat topped white aster - moist woods, fields and floodplains, FACW. Grows 3 to 6 feet with white flowers in late summer to early fall; sun to part shade in moist to wet sandy loam, pH 5 to 6; commonly available.

Drosera intermedia

Spatulate-leaved sundew - aquatic; open peat and along edges of bogs and glacial lakes, OBL. Grows 1 to 10 inches, with white flowers; full sun in pond margins in moist to wet rich peaty loam; very few sources.

Drosera rotundifolia

Round leaved sundew - sphagnum bogs and peaty edges of bogs, OBL. Grows 3-10 inches with white to pink flowers. Aquatic; grow in full sun in pond margins in moist to wet rich peaty loam; very few sources.

Elodea canadensis

Ditch-moss - Aquatic, free floating in shallow, mostly calcareous waters of ponds, lakes, creeks and rivers, OBL. Flowers in summer; grow in neutral soil at the base of shallow ponds; several sources.

Epilobium coloratum

Purple-leaved willow-herb - moist fields, shores and floodplains, OBL. Grows up to 3 feet with pink to white flowers in late summer; sun to part sun in rich, moist sandy loam; very few sources.

Erigeron philadelphicus

Daisy fleabane - openings and margins of upland woods, marsh and stream edges, fields, roadsides, lawns, and other open, disturbed sites, FACU. Grows 8 to 40 inches, with white-pale lavender flowers in early summer; part sun in mesic to dry sandy loam; very few sources.

Erigeron pulchellus

Robin's-plantain - bottomland, especially along creeks; ravines, swamp edges, dry to moist woods, slopes and woodland edges, prairies and meadows, FACU. Grows to 8 feet with blue to pink-white flowers from late spring through summer; part shade in moist, rich, sandy loams; very few sources.

Erythronium americanum

Yellow trout lily - open deciduous moist woods and rich slopes with deep humus-rich loam. Grows up to 8 inches with yellow flowers in spring; part shade in dry to moist sandy loam, pH 5 to 7; commonly available.

Eupatorium fistulosum

Trumpet weed - mesic to moist fields, meadows and thickets, FACW. Grows up to 10 feet with pink-purple flowers in late summer and fall; sun to part sun in moist, rich sandy loam, pH 5.5 to 7; commonly available.

Eupatorium maculatum

Spotted joe-pye-weed - floodplains, thickets and swamps, FACW. Grows up to 6 feet with purple flowers late summer; sun to part sun in moist silty clay loam, pH 5.5 to 7; commonly available.

Eupatorium perfoliatum

Boneset - flood plains, bogs, swamps and wet meadows, FACW+. Grows up to 5 feet with white flowers in late summer and fall; sun to part sun in moist to wet rich loam; commonly available.

Eupatorium purpureum

Joe-pye-weed - mesic to moist open woods and fields, FAC. Grows up to 6 feet with pink to purple flowers in late summer and fall; sun to part shade in moist to wet rich sandy loam; commonly available.

Eupatorium rugosum

White snakeroot - rich rocky woods, at the base of cliffs and rock outcrops, and in thickets and fields, FACU-. Grows 12-60 inches with white flowers in summer and fall; average, medium to wet, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Prefers part shade in moist, humusy soils, pH 6-7. AKA Ageratina altissima; commonly available.

Eupatorium sessilifolium

Upland eupatorium - dry wooded slopes and roadsides. Grows 24-60 inches with white flowers in summer and fall; sun to part shade in dry, rocky sandy loam; very few sources.

Euphorbia corollata

Flowering spurge - dry open woods and shale barrens, fields and sandy waste ground. Grows up to 3 feet with white flowers in late summer; full sun in dry to mesic sandy loam; several sources.

Eurybia divaricata

White wood aster - dry to mesic, deciduous and mixed deciduous woods, edges and clearings. Grows 10 to 35 inches, with white flowers in autumn; part shade to shade in dry to moist, sandy loam, pH 5 to 7; commonly available.

Eurybia macrophylla

Bigleaf aster - moist, often rocky upland woodlands. Grows 10 to 35 inches with white flowers in autumn; sun to part shade in dry to moist sandy loam, pH 6 to 7; commonly available.

Euthamia graminifolia

Grass-leaved goldenrod - moist fields, roadsides, ditches and shores, FACU+. Two varieties are found locally - graminifolia and nuttalli.. Grows up to 5 feet with yellow flowers in late summer and fall; sun to part sun in dry to moist sandy loam; several sources.

Filipendula rubra

Queen-of-the-prairie - moist meadows, thickets and roadsides, FACW. Grows 3 to 6 feet with pink flowers in early summer; average, medium to wet, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Prefers consistently moist, fertile, humusy soils; commonly available.

Fragaria vesca spp americana

Woodland strawberry - deciduous woods and wooded slopes. Grows 6 to 8 inches with white flowers in spring and fruit in early summer; part shade to shade in moist sandy loam; commonly available.

Fragaria virginiana spp virginiana

Wild strawberry - dry to moist open woodlands and clearings, typically in disturbed areas, FACU. Grows 6 to 8 inches with white flowers in spring and fruit in early summer; part sun to part shade in dry to moist sandy loam; commonly available.

Galearis spectabilis

Showy orchis - moist, calcareous woodlands, thickets, and old fields. Grows 4 to 8 inches with pink to purple flowers in spring; part shade to shade in moist rich loam. pH 5-6; very few sources.

Galium boreale

Northern bedstraw - upland rocky woods, slopes, wet fields, fens, roadside banks, FACU. Grows 1 to 3 feet with white flowers in late summer; average, medium, well-drained soils in part shade. Prefers moist soils where it will often spread by creeping roots and self-seeding; several sources.

Gentiana andrewsii var andrewsii

Bottle gentian - wet fields and moist, open woods, FACW. Grows up to 3 feet with blue flowers in late summer; sun to part shade in moist to wet sandy humusy loam; commonly available.

Gentiana clausa

Meadow closed gentian - moist meadows, stream banks, and open woods in moist acidic soil, FACW. Grows up to 3 feet with blue flowers in late summer; sun to part shade in moist to wet rich acidic loam, pH 4 to 5; very few sources.

Geranium maculatum

Wood geranium - rich open upland woods, shaded roadsides and areas of fields, FACU. Grows 18 to 24 inches, with pink-purple flowers in spring; part sun to part shade in moist humusy loam, pH 5 to 7; commonly available.

Geum canadense

White avens - upland dry to mesic open woodlands, woodland edges and openings and thickets, FACU. Grows 16-40 inches with white flowers in early summer; sun to part shade in dry to moist sandy loam; very few sources.

Geum laciniatum

Herb-bennet - mesic savannahs, thickets and woodland borders and moist meadows, FAC+. Grows 16-40 inches, with white flowers in summer; sun to part shade in moist, rich loam, pH 4 to 6; very few sources.

Geum rivale

Water avens - bogs, peaty meadows and calcareous marshes, OBL. Grows 6-24 inches, flowers are yellowish with purple veins in early summer; full sun in wet, silty, rich circumneutral loam; very few sources.

Gillenia trifoliata

Bowman's-root - dry to moist, upland woods and rocky banks. Grows 24 to 36 inches with white flowers in late spring and early summer; part shade to shade in moist, slightly acidic rich, rocky soil. AKA Porteranthus trifoliatus; commonly available.

Goodyera pubescens

Downy rattlesnake plantain - dry to moist warm, deciduous or coniferous forests, FACU-. Grows 8 to 16 inches, with white flowers in summer; part shade to shade in dry to moist silty-sandy loam, pH 5 to 6; commonly available.

Helenium autumnale

Common sneezeweed - meadows, moist riverbanks, wet fields, alluvial thickets and swamps, FACW+. Grows 3 to 5 feet with yellow flowers in late summer to fall; sun to part sun in moist to wet rich loam, pH 5.5 to 7; commonly available.

Helianthemum bicknellii

Bicknell's hoary rose is found on sandy, dry rocky slopes, open woods and prairies. Grows 8 to 24 inches, with yellow flowers in summer; sun to part shade in dry, sandy soil loam. Listed as endangered in Pennsylvania; very few sources.

Helianthemum canadense

Frostweed - dry sandy or rocky ground, open woods and barrens. Grows 6 to 12 inches with yellow flowers in early summer; sun to part shade in dry, gravelly loam; very few sources.

Helianthus decapetalus

Thin leaved sunflower - open woodlands, woodland edges, savannahs, meadows, thickets and lightly shaded areas along rivers, FACU. Grows 2 to 5 feet with yellow flowers in late summer; part sun to part, especially dappled, shade in moist sandy loam. Can be aggressive; very few sources.

Helianthus divaricatus

Woodland sunflower - dry open woods and wooded slopes, thickets, shale barrens and roadsides. Grows up to 5 feet with yellow flowers in late summer; part sun to part shade in dry to mesic sandy loam, pH 5-7. Aggressive spreader; several sources.

Helianthus giganteus

Swamp sunflower - wet fields, swamps and ditches, FACW. Grows 6 to 10 feet with yellow flowers in late summer and fall; sun to part sun in moist, rich silty loam; very few sources.

Helianthus strumosus

Rough-leaved sunflower - fields, dry, open, upland woods and woodland edges. Grows up to 7 feet with yellow flowers in summer. Possibly hybridizing with Helianthus divaricatus; sun to part shade in dry, sandy loam, pH 5.5 to 7; several sources.

Heliopsis helianthoides

Ox-eye - open and sometimes rocky woods, thickets, prairies, stream banks. Grows up to 5 feet, with yellow flowers in late summer; full sun to part shade (may require support) in dry to moist sandy loam, pH 5.6 to 6.8; commonly available.

Hepatica nobilis

Liverleaf - rich woods and dry rocky upland slopes. Two varieties - obtusa and acuta (sharp and round lobed leaves, respectively). Grows 6 to 8 inches with lavender to purple flowers in early spring; part shade to shade in dry sandy loam. pH 4 to 7, but prefers pH 4.5 to 6. Also known as Hepatica americana; very few sources.

Heuchera americana

Alum-root - rich woods, rocky slopes, shaly cliffs on rich, well-drained humus, FACU-. Grows 12 to 30 inches with greenish-white to pink flowers in spring; part sun to part shade in dry, sandy well-drained humusy loam. pH 5 to 7; commonly available.

Hieracium kalmii

Canada hawkweed - clearings, roadsides and in prairies. Grows 6 to 48 inches with yellow-orange flowers in late summer; sun to part sun in dry to moist sandy loam; very few sources.

Hieracium scabrum

Rough hawkweed - open fields, clearings, woods edges. Grows 8 to 48 inches with yellow-orange flowers, late summer and fall; sun to part sun in dry sandy loam; very few sources.

Hieracium venosum

Rattlesnake weed - dry upland woods including slopes and edges. Grows up to 32 inches with orange-yellow flowers, summer; part shade to shade in dry to moist organic clay sandy loam; very few sources.

Houstonia caerulea

Bluets or Quaker ladies - dry to mesic meadows, fields, upland open woods, and woods edges, FACU. Grows up to 16 inches with blue flowers with yellow centers in spring; sun to part shade in moist rich sandy loam, pH 5.5 to 7; very few sources.

Hydrocotyle americana

Marsh pennywort - swampy thickets, boggy fields, wet woods and lake margins, OBL. Low creeping habit with white flowers in summer; sun to part shade in moist to wet marshy soils; very few sources.

Hydrophyllum canadense

Canadian waterleaf - rocky upland wooded slopes, ravines and moist woods, FACU. Grows 12 to 20 inches with white-pink to purple flowers in summer; part shade to shade in moist humusy soil; very few sources.

Hydrophyllum virginianum

Virginia waterleaf - mesic wooded slopes and stream banks and in thickets, FAC. Grows 12 to 30 inches with white flowers in spring; part shade to shade in moist humusy loam, pH 6 to 7; very few sources.

Hypericum punctatum

Spotted St. John's-wort - floodplains, thickets, moist fields and along roadsides, FAC-. Grows 20 to 40 inches with yellow flowers in summer; sun to part sun in dry to moist sandy loam; very few sources.

Hypericum pyramidatum

Great St. John's-wort - alluvial shores and in moist to mesic fields, rocky banks, and swamps, FAC. Grows 30-60 inches with yellow flowers in summer; sun to part sun in dry to moist rich sandy loam, pH 5 to 6. AKA Hypericum ascyron.; commonly available.

Hypoxis hirsuta

Yellow star grass - dry to mesic meadows, fields, clearings, barrens and dry woods, FAC. Grows up to 15 inches with yellow flowers in spring to summer; sun to part shade in dry to wet sandy loam; pH 4.5 to 7; several sources.

Ionactis linariifolius

Stiff-leaved aster - dry rocky woods and edges; typically in acidic soils in pine-oak or pine-hickory woods, ridgetops, upland slopes and glades. Grows 12 to 24 inches with violet flowers in late summer to fall; average, dry to medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Prefers acidic, sandy soils; pH 4-7; very few sources.

Iris versicolor

Northern blue flag iris - marshes, bogs and wet meadows, OBL. Grows 24 to 60 inches with blue-violet flowers in late spring or early summer; sun to part sun in moist to wet rich silty loam, especially in pond margins; commonly available.

Justicia americana

Water-willow - emergent aquatic; shallow water along shorelines of lakes and rivers and muddy shore edges, OBL. Grows 20 to 40 inches with pale violet flowers in summer; shallow water or adjacent muddy soils; colonizes via rhizomes; very few sources.

Krigia biflora

Dwarf dandelion - moist fields and meadows, FACU. Grows 4 to 24 inches, yellow flowers from late spring into fall; sun to part sun in dry to moist sandy loam; very few sources.

Laportea canadensis

Wood-nettle - rich moist deciduous forests, often along seepages and streams, FACW. Grows 20 to 40 inches with tiny white flowers in spring; part shade to shade in moist, humusy loam. Stinging hairs on all parts causes brief burning or itching; very few sources.

Lathyrus palustris

Marsh pea - moist meadows, sand plains, swamps and thickets, FACW+. Grows up to 3 feet with red-purple flowers in early summer; moist to wet rich loam in full to part sun. Endangered in Pennsylvania; very few sources.

Lemna minor

Duckweed - aquatic; still water of nutrient-average to nutrient-rich lakes and ponds, and in streams, swamps and ditches, OBL. Grow in shallow ponds and water features with slow-moving to still water; several sources.

Lemna trisulca

Star duckweed - cool-temperate aquatic; nutrient-average, quiet waters rich in calcium, forms tangled colonies in lakes, ponds, bogs, marshes, streams, OBL. Grow in shallow ponds and water features with slow-moving to still water; very few sources.

Lespedeza capitata

Round-headed bush clover - upland woods, thickets, prairies, glades and along streams, FACU-. Grows 20-60 inches with yellow-white flowers, late summer; sun to part sun in dry to moist sandy loam; commonly available.

Lespedeza hirta

Bush-clover - dry prairies, savannahs, fields, meadows. Grows 24-48 inches with yellow flowers in summer; sun to part shade in dry sandy loams; very few sources.

Lespedeza violacea

Slender bush clover - dry upland woods, thickets and openings. Grows 12-30 inches with violet-purple flowers in late summer; part sun to part shade in dry sandy loam; very few sources.

Lespedeza virginica

Slender bush clover - dry fields, stony banks, rocky woods. Grows 12-40 inches with violet-purple flowers in summer; sun to part shade in dry sandy loam; very few sources.

Liatris spicata

Blazing-star - moist fields, meadows and swamps, usually over limestone, FAC+. Grows up to 6 feet with blue-purple flowers in late summer; sun to part sun in moist rich sandy loam. pH 5.5 to 7; commonly available.

Lilium canadense

Canada lily - wet meadows, moist rich woods especially edges, stream sides and river alluvia, bogs, marshes and swamps, FAC+. Grows up to 6 feet with yellow or red flowers in early summer; sun to part sun in moist to wet organic loam. pH 4 to 7; several sources; several sources.

Lilium philadelphicum

Wood lily - open dry woods, borders and clearings on well-drained soil, FACU+. Grows up to 3 feet with orange-red flowers in early summer; part sun to part shade in dry to moist sandy loam. pH 5 to 7; several sources.

Linum striatum

Ridged yellow flax - moist meadows, wet open ground and wet open woods, FACW. Grows 12 to 36 inches with yellow flowers in summer; sun to part shade in moist rich loam; very few sources.

Lobelia cardinalis

Cardinal flower - wet meadows, swamps, riverbanks and lake shores, FACW+. Grows 20 to 36 inches, with red flowers in late summer; sun to part sun in moist to wet, humus rich, sandy loam, pH 5.5 to 7; commonly available.

Lobelia inflata

Indian-tobacco - upland dry to mesic woods, old fields, meadows and along roadsides, FACU. Grows up to 36 inches with blue to white flowers in late summer; sun to part sun in dry to moist sandy loam; commonly available.

Lobelia siphilitica

Great blue lobelia - swamps, moist meadows, stream banks and ditches, FACW+. Grows up to 5 feet with blue flowers in summer; sun to part sun in moist to wet silty loam; commonly available.

Lobelia spicata var spicata

Spiked lobelia - dry to mesic fields and open woodlands, FAC-. Grows up to 36 inches, with pale blue to white flowers in summer; sun to part shade in dry to moist sandy loam; several sources.

Ludwigia alternifolia

Seedbox - swampy fields, wet woods, and the borders of streams and pond and lake shores, FACW+. Grows 16 to 48 inches, yellow flowers in early summer; sun to part shade in moist sandy loam. Common name comes from box-like seed pods; several sources.

Ludwigia palustris

Marsh-purslane - swamps, wet meadows, muddy shores, stream banks, ditches, OBL. Prostrate, creeping, floating stems; full sun in moist to wet mucky soils, including shallow water; very few sources.

Lupinus perennis

Blue lupine - dry fields, woods edges and along roadsides in sandy acidic soil. Grows 8 to 24 inches with blue flowers in spring and early summer; sun to part sun in dry to moist acidic sandy loam, pH 5.5 to 7. Listed as rare in Pennsylvania; commonly available.

Lycopus americanus

Water-horehound - mesic to moist hillsides and fields, moist thickets, wet ditches and swamps, OBL. Grows 6 to 24 inches with small white flowers in summer; sun to part shade in moist to wet rich, mucky soils; several sources.

Lysimachia ciliata

Fringed loosestrife - low moist ground and old fields, in floodplains and on stream banks, FACW. Grows 16 to 48 inches with yellow flowers in early summer; sun to part sun in moist sandy rich loam; very few sources.

Lysimachia hybrida

Lance-leaved loosestrife - swamps, wet meadows, fens and pond margins, OBL. Grows up to 5 feet with yellow flowers in early summer; full to part sun in mesic to moist organic, clay to sandy/rocky loam. Listed as threatened in Pennsylvania; very few sources.

Lysimachia quadrifolia

Whorled loosestrife - dry to mesic hardwood forests, lowlands, fens, moist clearings, roadsides, and fields, rocky thickets and slopes, FACU-. Grows up to 3 feet with yellow flowers in early summer; full sun to part shade in a wide range of moist soils; very few sources.

Lysimachia terrestris

Swamp-candles - swamps, flood plains, fens, bogs, stream banks, pond and lake margins and wet ditches, OBL. Grows 16 to 30 inches with yellow flowers in early summer; sun to part sun in moist rich loam; very few sources.

Lysimachia thyrsiflora

Tufted loosestrife - bogs, swamps, marshes and wet woods, OBL. Grows 12 to 30 inches with yellow flowers in early summer; sun to part shade in moist to wet rich loam; very few sources.

Maianthemum canadense

Canada mayflower - dry to moist woods, rich and often sandy clearings, FAC-. Grows 6-8 inches with white flowers in late spring; part shade to shade in dry to moist sandy acidic loam, pH 4-5; several sources.

Maianthemum racemosum

False Solomon's-seal, feathery false lily of the valley - dry to moist deciduous woodlands, FACU-. Grows up to 3 feet, with white flowers in late spring; part shade to shade in dry to moist humusy loam, pH 4 to 6; commonly available.

Maianthemum stellatum

Starry false lily of the valley - moist to wet woods, marginal woodlands, oak openings and on stream banks, FACW. Grows up to 24 inches with white flowers in spring; part shade to shade in moist to wet rich loam. pH 4 to 5; several sources.

Maianthemum trifolium

Threeleaf false lily of the valley - often dense clonal patches in sphagnum bogs, and wet forests, OBL. Grows up to 8 inches with white flowers in spring; part shade to shade in moist to wet rich loam; very few sources.

Medeola virginiana

Indian cucumber root - mesic woods and moist slopes. Grows 12 to 24 inches with greenish-yellow flowers in late spring; moist to wet soils in part shade to full shade, pH 4-6; several sources.

Melanthium virginicum

Bunchflower - bogs, marshes, wet woods, savannahs, meadows and damp clearings, FACW+. Grows up to 7 feet with white flowers in early summer; full sun to part shade in moist to wet sandy to clayey loam; very few sources.

Mentha arvensis

Field mint - swamps, wet meadows and moist banks, FACW. Grows 12-24 inches with blue-lavender flowers in fall; part shade in mesic to moist rich loam; very few sources.

Menyanthes trifoliata

Bogbean or Buckbean - aquatic; bogs, sphagnum swamps and shallow water of ponds and lakes, OBL. White flowers in late spring; grow in water gardens in mud or containers submerged in shallow water (3 inches over rhizome) in full sun to part shade. Best in acidic, peaty soils; several sources.

Mimulus moschatus

Muskflower - wet shores, seeps and spring-fed swales, OBL. Creeping habit, with yellow flowers in summer; muddy moist to wet margins of garden water features in full sun to part shade; very few sources.

Mimulus ringens

Allegheny monkey flower - sunny pond edges, swamps and wet meadows, OBL. Grows up to 6 inches with blue flowers in summer; sun to part sun in moist to wet rich loam; commonly available.

Mitchella repens

Partridgeberry - dry to moist upland woods and sandy bogs, FACU. Trailing stems to 12 inches. White flowers in late spring, with long-lasting red fruits following; part shade to shade in moist rich humus. pH 4 to 5; commonly available.

Mitella diphylla

Bishops cap - rich, cool shaded sites in moist open woods and along stream banks, FACU. Grows 4 to 16 inches with white flowers in early spring; part shade to shade in moist rich sandy loam. pH 5 to 7, but prefers 6.0; commonly available.

Mitella nuda

Naked mitrewort - cool, mossy, mixed woods and cedar swamps, FACW-. Grows 2-4 inches with greenish-yellow flowers in late spring; part shade to shade in moist rich organic loam. Listed as endangered in Pennsylvania; very few sources.

Moehringia lateriflora

Blunt-leaved sandwort - moist to dry woodlands and moist to mesic meadows, gravelly shores, swales, and low woods, FAC. Grows up to 24 inches with white flowers in late spring; mesic to moist sandy loams in full sun to part shade; very few sources.

Monarda clinopodia

White bergamot - moist woods, fields and floodplains. Grows up to 36 inches with white-yellow flowers in summer; sun to part shade in dry, rocky, sandy loam; very few sources.

Monarda didyma

Bee balm - rich moist fields, meadows; bottomlands, thickets, woods and especially stream banks, FAC+. Grows 2 to 4 feet with red flowers in late summer; sun to part sun in, medium to wet, moisture-retentive soils in full sun to part shade. Prefers rich, humusy soils in full sun, pH 5.5 to 7; commonly available.

Monarda fistulosa var. mollis

Horsemint - moist to wet prairies and upland open woods. Grows 20 to 48 inches with lavender flowers in late summer; sun to part sun in dry to moist sandy loam, pH 5.5 to 7. UPL; commonly available.

Monarda media

Bee balm - rich moist acidic soil on stream banks, thickets, low woods and ditches. Grows up to 36 inches with purple flowers in summer; part shade in moist rich loam; very few sources.

Nuphar lutea

Spatterdock, or yellow pond lily - aquatic; lake margins, ponds, slow moving streams, swamps and tidal marshes, OBL. Grows in 1 to 3 feet of water in full sun to part shade. Can be grown in containers for water gardens; for natural ponds, plant rhizomes directly in the muddy bottom of poor sandy soil; very few sources.

Nymphaea odorata

Fragrant water-lily - aquatic; quiet waters of acidic or alkaline ponds, lakes, sluggish streams and rivers, pools in marshes, ditches, canals, or sloughs, OBL. White flowers from late spring to early fall; shallow ponds in silty to sandy soil; several sources.

Oenothera biennis

Evening-primrose - dry fields, waste ground, and along roadsides, FACU-. Grows 20 to 60 inches with yellow flowers in late summer to fall; sun to part sun in dry to moist sandy loam; commonly available.

Oenothera fruticosa

Sundrops - mesic meadows, fields and along roadsides, FAC. Grows 8 to 30 inches with yellow flowers, early summer. Two local subspecies, fruticosa and glauca; sun to part shade in dry to moist sandy loam, pH 5.5 to 7; several sources.

Oenothera perennis

Sundrops - mesic pastures, shale slopes and along roadsides, FAC. Grows 4 to 24 inches with yellow flowers in early summer; sun to part sun in dry to moist sandy loam; very few sources.

Opuntia humifusa

Eastern prickly-pear cactus - sandy habitats, especially openings on dry sometimes wooded hillsides. Spreading, prostrate habit with yellow flowers in summer; sun to part sun in dry sandy loam, pH 5.5 to 7. Listed as rare in Pennsylvania; commonly available.

Orontium aquaticum

Goldenclub - aquatic;, shallow water of bogs, marshes, swamps, and streams, OBL. Grow in water gardens in containers submerged in 6 to 18 inches of water in full sun. Leaves tend to emerge in water 6 to 9 inches deep, but mostly float in water 12 to 18 inches deep. Listed as rare in Pennsylvania; several sources.

Osmorhiza claytonii

Sweet-cicely - rich upland woods and wooded slopes, FACU. Grows 15 to 30 inches with white flowers in early summer; part shade to shade in moist rich loam; several sources.

Osmorhiza longistylis

Anise-root - upland dry to mesic wooded areas, shaded slopes and ravines, FACU. Grows 15 to 30 inches with white flowers in early summer; part sun to part shade in moist rich loam; very few sources.

Oxalis stricta

Common yellow wood-sorrel - dry to mesic fields, lawns, gardens in shallow sandy loams to loamy tills, UPL. Prostrate to 20 inches with yellow flowers in summer; sun to part sun in dry to moist sandy loamy till, pH 4-6; very few sources.

Oxalis violacea

Violet wood-sorrel - dryish, acidic soils in glades, rocky open woods, fields and prairies, stream banks. Grows 6 to 9 inches with violet flowers in spring; part sun to part shade in dry to moist sandy loam; pH 4 to 7 but prefers 6 to 6.5; very few sources.

Oxypolis rigidior

Cowbane - swamps, bogs, meadows, and moist sandy shores, OBL. Grows 4 to 5 feet with white flowers in late summer; sun to part shade in wet, sandy or clay loam; very few sources.

Panax quinquefolius

Ginseng - cool, moist, rich mesic woods, often on north-facing slopes. Grows up to 24 inches with greenish flowers in spring, red fruit in fall; moist, fertile, organically rich, medium moisture soils in part shade to full shade; pH 4 to 7 but prefers 4.5 to 6. Listed as vulnerable in Pennsylvania because of harvesting for herbal use; commonly available.

Parnassia glauca

Grass-of-parnassus - boggy meadows or seeps on calcareous soils, OBL. Grows 10 to 20 inches with white flowers in late summer; moist to wet organic loams in full sun to part shade. Listed as endangered in Pennsylvania; very few sources.

Pedicularis canadensis

Forest lousewort - open dry upland woods, old fields, woods edges and mesic grasslands, FACU. Grows 6 to 16 inches with yellow to purple flowers in spring; sun to part shade in dry sandy loam; very few sources.

Peltandra sagittifolia

White arrow-arum - emergent aquatic; bogs, swamps and ditches, and edges of ponds, lakes, and rivers, OBL. Grows 2 to 3 feet with green flowers in spring; water garden, bog, or pond areas in part shade, muddy soil in shallow water; very few sources.

Penstemon digitalis

Beards tongue, Talus slope penstemon - old fields, meadows, prairies and mesic open woods and margins, FAC. Grows up to 60 inches with white flowers in summer; average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun to part sun; commonly available.

Penstemon hirsutus

Northern beard-tongue - dry to mesic, open rocky slopes, fields, and roadside banks. Grows 15 to 32 inches with violet to purple flowers in early summer; sun to part sun in dry rocky sandy loam; pH 5.5 to 6.5; several sources.

Phlox divaricata

Woodland phlox - humus-rich soil in open upland deciduous woods, FACU. Grows up to 12 inches with pale blue to white flowers in spring; humusy, medium moisture, well-drained soil in part shade to full shade. Prefers rich, moist, organic soils, pH 5-7; commonly available.

Phlox maculata ssp. maculata

Wild sweet-william - wet meadows, abandoned fields and thickets, low moist woods and riverbanks, FACW. Grows 12 to 32 inches. Pink-rose to purple flowers in early summer; moderately fertile, medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun to light shade. Prefers moist, organically rich soils in full sun; several sources.

Phlox paniculata

Summer phlox, Fall phlox - meadows, thickets and along stream banks, often on calcareous substrate, FACU. Grows up to 6 feet with pink flowers in early summer; sun to part sun in moist to wet sandy rich loam, pH 5 to 7; commonly available.

Phlox stolonifera

Creeping phlox - rich open woods and stream banks. Grows 4 to 6 inches with violet to rose purple flowers in spring; part shade to shade in dry to moist rich loam, pH 6 to 7; commonly available.

Phlox subulata

Moss pink - dry rocky ledges, slopes, clearings and fields. Grows to about 6 inches with pink, purple or white flowers in spring; sun to part sun in dry sandy loam, pH 5.7 to 7.5. Listed as endangered in Pennsylvania; several sources.

Phryma leptostachya

Lopseed - rich woods, rocky limestone slopes and swamps, UPL. Grows 1 to 3 feet with purple flowers in summer; part sun to part shade in moist, rich circumneutral loam; very few sources.

Physalis heterophylla

Ground cherry - fields, sandy or cindery open ground and cultivated areas. Grows 8 to 36 inches with yellow flowers in late summer; sun to part sun in dry, sandy loam; very few sources.

Physostegia virginiana

False dragonhead is found on stream banks and along moist shorelines. Grows up to 36 inches with pinkish-purple flowers in late summer; part sun to part shade in moist rich loam, pH 5 to 6.5; commonly available.

Phytolacca americana

Pokeweed - moist to mesic thickets, clearings and forest openings, open ground and along roadsides. FACU+. Grows up to 10 feet, with greenish-white flowers in summer to fall; part sun to part shade in dry to moist sandy loam, pH 5 to 6; several sources.

Platanthera ciliaris

Yellow fringed-orchid - bogs, moist meadows, and moist to wet woods, FACW. Grows 15-40 inches with orange-yellow flowers in summer; sun to part shade in moist, rich loam. Listed as threatened in Pennsylvania; very few sources.

Platanthera clavellata

Clubspur orchid - bogs, shores, moists woods, thickets, sunny openings, in damp deep humus; FACW+. Grows 5 to 15 inches with white flowers in late summer; sun to part sun in moist to wet sandy rich loam, pH 5-6; very few sources.

Podophyllum peltatum

Mayapple - medium wet, well-drained soil in mesic woods, especially maple woods and clearings, FACU. Grows 12-18 inches with white flowers in spring followed by green fruits that yellow when ripe. Spreads by rhizomes to form huge colonies and appears to be ignored by deer; part shade to shade in dry to moist humusy loam, pH 4 to 7; commonly available.

Pogonia ophioglossoides

Rose pogonia - sphagnum bogs, fens, moist acidic sandy meadows and prairies, open wet woods, pine savannahs, sandy-peaty stream banks, and seepage slopes, OBL. Grows 4 to 16 inches with pink flowers in summer; full to part sun in moist to wet acidic humusy loam; very few sources.

Polemonium reptans

Spreading Jacobs ladder, Greek valerian - low moist woods, wooded floodplains, thickets at the base of cliffs and moist ground near streams, FACU. Grows 6-20 inches with light blue flowers in spring; part shade to shade in moist, rich sandy loam, pH 5 to 7. Spreads by free-seeding, not rhizomes; commonly available.

Polemonium vanbruntiae

Jacob's-ladder - sphagnum glades, swamps, and marshes, FACW. Grows up to 36 inches with blue flowers in summer; moist rich humusy soils in sun to part shade. Listed as endangered in Pennsylvania. AKA Polemonium caeruleum ssp. van-bruntiae; very few sources.

Polygala paucifolia

Bird-on-the-wing - rich dry to mesic rocky upland woods and wooded slopes, FACU. Grows 3 to 6 inches with rose-purple flowers in spring; part shade to shade in moist rich loam, pH 4 to 6; very few sources.

Polygonatum biflorum

Smooth Solomon's seal - dry to moist woods in fertile, loamy soil; robust plants are known as var. commutatum, FACU. Grows up to 6 feet, but more typically around 3 feet, with white-greenish flowers in spring and dark purple fruits following; part shade to shade in dry to moist rich loam. pH 4 to 6 but prefers 5 to 6.5; commonly available.

Polygonatum pubescens

Hairy Solomon's seal - fertile, humus-rich moisture retentive well-drained soil in cool, shaded, dry to moist woods, wooded slopes and coves. Grows up to 36 inches with white-greenish flowers in spring; part shade to shade in dry to moist humusy sandy loam; pH 4 to 6 but prefers 5 to 6.5; commonly available.

Polygonum amphibium

Water smartweed or Water knotweed - aquatic, found in very wet prairies and along shorelines, in swamps, ponds, and quiet streams, in mud or floating on still fresh water, OBL. Two varieties; emersum (leaves don't float) and stipulaceum (leaves float); full sun to part sun in wet mucky soil or in water gardens. Not to be confused with the invasive Polygonum cuspidatum (Japanese knotweed); very few sources.

Polygonum hydropiperoides var. hydropiperoides

Mild water-pepper - wet banks and clearings, shallow water, marshes, moist prairies, ditches, OBL. Grow in full sun in mucky soil, standing water; very few sources.

Polygonum virginianum

Jumpseed - rich deciduous forests, floodplain forests, dry to moist woodlands and thickets, FAC. Grows 15 to 40 inches with white flowers in spring; sun to part shade in rich sandy loam. Also known as Persicaria virginiana; several sources.

Pontederia cordata

Pickerel-weed - emergent aquatic; pond and lake margins and swampy edges of lakes and streams, OBL. Grows 2 to 4 feet above water with light blue flowers in late summer to fall; full sun in mud at the margins of a pond or in containers of rich organic loams in a water garden under 3-5 inches of water; commonly available.

Potamogeton amplifolius

Bigleaf pondweed - aquatic; waters of lakes, ponds, streams, and rivers, OBL. Green flowers in summer; full sun in shallow ponds in silty loam; very few sources.

Potamogeton natans

Floating pondweed - aquatic; quiet or slow-flowing waters of ponds, lakes, and streams, OBL. Stems to 6 feet and green flowers in summer; full sun in ponds in silty loam; very few sources.

Potamogeton nodosus

Longleaf pondweed - aquatic; clear to turbid waters of lakes, streams, rivers, and sloughs, OBL. Greenish-white flowers in summer. Serves as an oxygenator in water gardens; grow in aquatic containers of sandy loam or rooted in muddy pool bottoms at depth of 6 to 24 inches, full sun to part shade; very few sources.

Potamogeton perfoliatus

Perfoliate pondweed - aquatic; lakes, streams, rivers, and bays. Green flowers in summer; full sun in water features and ponds in silty loam; very few sources.

Potentilla arguta

Tall cinquefoil - dry upland rocky ledges, fields and woods, UPL. Grows 15 to 40 inches with white flowers in early summer; sun to part shade in dry sandy loam; commonly available.

Potentilla fruticosa

Shrubby cinquefoil - wet to dry open calcareous sites, especially swamps, FACW. Grows up to 36 inches with yellow flowers in summer; sun to part sun in moist rich loam; several sources.

Potentilla simplex

Old-field cinquefoil - dry upland woods, fields, meadows and along roadsides, FACU-. Prostrate stems to 20 inches with yellow flowers in late spring; sun to shade in dry, sandy loam. pH 5.5 to 7; very few sources.

Potentilla tridentata

Three-toothed cinquefoil, shrubby fivefingers - dry ridge tops and in open woods. Grows 1 to 10 inches with white flowers in summer; sun to part shade in dry to moist sandy loam, pH 5.5 to 7. AKA Sibbaldiopsis tridentata. Listed as endangered in Pennsylvania; very few sources.

Prenanthes alba

White rattlesnake root - moist open woods, along shady roadsides and in thickets, FACU. Grows up to 8 inches with white and pinkish-lavender flowers in late summer into fall; part shade to shade in moist, well-drained soils. AKA Nabalus albus; very few sources.

Prunella vulgaris ssp. lanceolata

Heal-all - mesic fields, upland woods, floodplains, and along roadsides, FACU+. Grows up to 24 inches with violet-blue to pink or white flowers in summer and fall; sun to part sun in moist rich loam; several sources.

Pycnanthemum incanum

Mountain-mint - moist old fields, thickets, and barrens. Grows up to 36 inches, with purple to white flowers in late summer; sun to part sun in dry moist sandy loam; very few sources.

Pycnanthemum muticum

Mountain-mint - moist woods, thickets, meadows and swales, FACW. Grows 15 to 30 inches with purple to white flowers in late summer; sun to part shade in moist rich loam, pH 5.5 to 7.5; several sources.

Pycnanthemum tenuifolium

Mountain-mint - moist fields, stream banks and floodplains, FACW. Grows 20 to 30 inches with purple to white flowers in late summer; sun to part sun in moist rich loam; very few sources.

Pycnanthemum virginianum

Mountain-mint - boggy fields, moist woods and floodplains, FAC. Grows up to 36 inches with purple to white flowers in late summer; sun to part shade in moist, sandy loam, pH 5.5 to 7; commonly available.

Pyrola elliptica

Shinleaf - bogs, fens, swamps and moist to wet coniferous woods. Grows 6 to 12 inches with white flowers in early summer; part shade to shade in dry to moist acidic loam, pH 4 to 6; very few sources.

Ranunculus fascicularis

Early buttercup - dry upland woods, grasslands and thickets, FACU. Grows 4 to 10 inches with yellow flowers in spring; sun to shade in dry sandy loam. Listed as endangered in Pennsylvania; very few sources.

Ranunculus flammula var. ovalis

Creeping spearwort - muddy, wet ground, including shores to shallow water. Prostrate stems to 20 inches with yellow flowers in summer; sun to part sun in moist to wet rich loam. Listed as extirpated in Pennsylvania; very few sources.

Ranunculus hispidus var. hispidus

Hairy buttercup - rich dry to mesic woods, usually oak-hickory, and meadows, FAC. Grows 5 to 20 inches with yellow flowers in spring; sun to part shade in dry to moist rich loam, pH 5 to 6; very few sources.

Ranunculus recurvatus

Hooked crowfoot - rich, low moist woods, FAC+. Grows 6 to 20 inches with yellow flowers in early summer; part shade to shade in moist rich loam; very few sources.

Rhexia virginica

Meadow beauty or Handsome Harry - rich, acidic sandy soil in moist open areas, OBL. Grows 10 to 40 inches with dark pink flowers in late summer; sun to part shade in wet rich sandy loam; very few sources.

Rudbeckia hirta

Black-eyed Susan - mesic prairies, plains, meadows, pastures, savannahs, woodland edges and openings, FACU-. Grows up to 36 inches with orange-yellow flowers in late summer. Two local varieties - hirta and pulcherrima; full sun in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils. Prefers moist, organically rich soils; commonly available.

Rudbeckia laciniata

Cutleaf coneflower - moist, rich soils in fields, floodplains, open woods and thickets, FACW. Grows 2 to 9 feet with yellow flowers in late summer; sun to part shade in moist sandy loam, pH 5 to 7; commonly available.

Rudbeckia triloba

Three-lobed coneflower - mesic to wet woodlands, thickets, pastures, roadsides, and meadows, frequently on limestone, FACU. Grows 18 to 60 inches with yellow to orange flowers in late summer; sun to part sun in dry to moist sandy loam; commonly available.

Rumex altissimus

Tall dock - river bottomlands and wet woods margins in rich alluvial soils, FACW-. Grows up to 50 inches with reddish-green flowers in early summer; sun to part sun in moist, rich sandy loam; very few sources.

Sagittaria graminea var. graminea

Grass-leaved sagittaria - aquatic; streams, lakes and mudflats, erect or immersed or submerged in shallow water. OBL. Blooms in summer; full sun in shallow water in silty soil; very few sources.

Sagittaria latifolia var. latifolia

Wapato, or duck potato - aquatic; wet ditches, pools, and margins of streams, lakes and ponds, OBL. Grows 12 to 48 inches with white flowers in summer; plant in mud at the margins of a pond or in containers in a water garden, either along the shore or in up to 6 to 12 inches of water; commonly available.

Sagittaria rigida

Arrowhead - aquatic; calcareous shallow water and shores of ponds, swamps, and rivers, occasionally in deep water, OBL. Grows up to 3 feet with white flowers in late summer; plant in mud at pond edges or in containers in a water garden, either along the shore or in up to 6 to 12 inches of water; very few sources.

Sanguinaria canadensis

Bloodroot - moist to dry upland woods and thickets, especially on flood plains and shores or near streams on slopes, FACU. Grows 2 to 6 inches with white flowers early spring; part shade to shade in dry to moist rich sandy loam, pH 5 to 7, and spreads to form small colonies; commonly available.

Sanguisorba canadensis

American burnet - swamps, bogs, meadows and floodplains, FACW+. Grows up to 50 inches with white flowers in summer; sun to part sun in moist to wet rich loam, pH 5.5 to 7; very few sources.

Sarracenia purpurea

Pitcher plant - sphagnum bogs and peatlands, fens, swamps, wet conifer woodlands, lake and pond margins, OBL. Grows 4 to 8 inches with maroon to red flowers in early summer; full sun in acidic, humusy muck that is constantly damp but not watery, pH 4.5 to 5.5; a carnivore requiring insects for nutrition, several sources.

Saxifraga pensylvanica

Swamp saxifrage - wet woods, bogs and swamps, OBL. Grows 8 to 30 inches with greenish-white flowers in late spring; part shade in moist to wet circumneutral soils.; very few sources.

Saxifraga virginiensis

Early saxifrage - rock crevices on dry to mesic rocky slopes, FAC-. Grows 4 to 12 inches with white flowers in spring; sun to part sun in dry to moist sandy loam, pH 5.5 to 7; very few sources.

Scrophularia lanceolata

Lanceleaf figwort - low woods, thickets, stream banks, and along moist roadsides, FACU+. Grows up to 6 feet, with yellowish-green flowers in summer; part shade to shade in moist, rich sandy loam; very few sources.

Scrophularia marilandica

Eastern figwort - alluvial woods, river banks, moist shores and along roadsides, FACU-. Grows up to 10 feet with purple-brownish flowers in summer; part shade to shade in moist, rocky, rich loam; very few sources.

Scutellaria integrifolia

Hyssop skullcap - swamps, bogs and moist fields, FACW. Grows 12 to 30 inches, blue flowers in late summer; sun to part sun in moist, silty loam; very few sources.

Scutellaria lateriflora

Mad-dog skullcap - wet woods, stream banks and moist pastures, FACW+. Grows 12 to 30 inches, with blue flowers in late summer; sun to part sun in moist silty loam; commonly available.

Sedum ternatum

Woodland stonecrop - rocky banks, cliffs and woodlands, as well as damp sites along stream banks, bluff bases and stony ledges. Grows 3 to 6 inches with white flowers in early spring; average, medium, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade, pH 5 to 7; commonly available.

Senecio aureus

Golden ragwort - floodplains and in moist fields and woods, FACW. Grows 12 to 32 inches with yellow flowers in early summer; sun to part shade in moist to wet rich loam. AKA Packera aurea; commonly available.

Senecio obovatus

Ragwort, squaw weed - moist fields, meadows, upland woods and calcareous slopes. Grows up to 30 inches with yellow flowers in early summer; sun to part shade in circumneutral humusy loam. AKA Packera obvata; very few sources.

Senecio pauperculus

Balsam ragwort - moist meadows, peaty thickets, stream banks, prairies, meadows; in rocky, loamy soil; FAC. Grows up to 30 inches, with yellow flowers in early summer; sun to part sun in moist sandy rich loam. FAC. AKA Packera paupercula; very few sources.

Senna hebecarpa

Northern wild senna - moist open woods, wetland edges, floodplains, and along roadsides, FAC. Grows 3 to 6 feet with yellow flowers in summer; part sun to part shade in moist, rich sandy loam, pH 5.5 to 7; commonly available.

Silene caroliniana

Fire pink - open, typically gravelly to rocky, usually deciduous woodlands. Grows 9 to 12 inches with pink flowers in spring; average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Prefers sunny sites in dryish sandy or gravelly soils with some part afternoon shade; very few sources.

Silene nivea

Snowy campion - mesic to moist alluvial woodlands and thickets, FAC. Grows up to 8 to 12 inches, with white flowers in summer; sun to part sun in sandy, well-drained loam; very few sources.

Silene stellata

Starry campion - wooded slopes, barrens and roadside banks. Grows 12 to 36 inches with white flowers in summer; part sun to part shade in dry to moist sandy loam. pH 5 to 7; several sources.

Sisyrinchium angustifolium

Blue eyed grass - meadows, flood plains, moist fields, and mesic open woods. Grows up to 15 inches, with pale blue flowers in early summer; sun to part shade in moist sandy loam, pH 5 to 7; commonly available.

Sisyrinchium montanum

Blue eyed grass - dry to mesic open woods, roadsides and fields, FACW-. Grows up to 20 inches, with violet flowers in early summer; sun to part shade in dry to moist sandy loam; several sources.

Sium suave

Water-parsnip is a wetland species found in swamps, bogs, wet meadows, pond margins, OBL. Grows up to 6 feet with white flowers in late summer; full to part sun in moist to wet rich loams; very few sources.

Solanum carolinense

Horse-nettle - dry to mesic fields, roadsides, sandy stream banks, UPL. Grows up to 3 feet with pale violet to white flowers in summer; full to part sun in average sandy loam. Considered a noxious weed in many western states; very few sources.

Solidago altissima

Canada goldenrod - dry to moist soils in fields and river banks as well as disturbed areas such as roadsides, FACU-. Grows up to 6 feet, yellow flowers in late summer and fall; sun to part sun in dry, sandy loam; very few sources.

Solidago bicolor

Silver rod - dry open woods. Grows up to 40 inches; white flowers in late summer to fall; part shade in dry sandy loam, pH 5 to 6; several sources.

Solidago caesia

Bluestem goldenrod - dry upland open woods, thickets and clearings, FACU. Grows 18 to 36 inches with yellow flowers late summer to fall; part sun to shade in dry to moist rich loam, pH 5 to 7; commonly available.

Solidago canadensis var. hargeri

Canada goldenrod - dry to mesic fields and along roadsides, FACU. Grows up to 6 feet with yellow flowers in late summer into fall; sun to part sun in dry to moist sandy loam; several sources.

Solidago flexicaulis

Zigzag goldenrod - moist upland woods and rocky wooded slopes, FACU. Grows 18 to 36 inches with yellow flowers in late summer through fall; part shade to shade in moist rich loam, pH 5.5 to 7; commonly available.

Solidago gigantea var. gigantea

Smooth goldenrod - moist fields, woods, and floodplains, FACW. Grows up to 6 feet with yellow flowers in late summer through fall; sun to part sun in dry to moist sandy loam; very few sources.

Solidago juncea

Early goldenrod - fields, meadows, rocky banks and along roadsides. Grows up to 4 feet with yellow flowers in late summer to fall; sun to part sun in dry to moist sandy loam, pH 5 to 6; several sources.

Solidago nemoralis

Gray goldenrod - fields, woods and roadsides in dry sterile soils. Grows up to 3 feet with yellow flowers late summer to fall; sun to part shade in dry sandy loam; commonly available.

Solidago odora

Sweet goldenrod, anise-scented goldenrod - dry open woods and barrens. Grows up to 4 feet with yellow flowers in late summer to fall; sun to part shade in dry to moist sandy loam, pH 4 to 6; several sources.

Solidago patula

Spreading goldenrod - moist soils in swamp margins, boggy ground, wet meadows, roadside ditches, seeps, and the edges of wet woods, OBL. Grows up to 6 feet, with yellow flowers in late summer to fall; moist sandy loam in sun to part shade; very few sources.

Solidago rugosa

Wrinkle-leaf goldenrod - woods, fields, floodplains and waste ground, FAC; two local varieties - rugosa and villosa. Grows up to 4 feet, with yellow flowers in late summer into fall; sun to part shade in moist sandy loam; pH 5.5 to 7; several sources.

Solidago speciosa var speciosa

Showy goldenrod - moist meadows and rocky woods and thickets. Grows up to 6 feet, with yellow flowers from late summer into fall; sun to part shade in dry to moist sandy loam, pH 6 to 7; commonly available.

Solidago uliginosa var. uliginosa

Bog goldenrod - bogs and wet areas, fens, marshes, and sometimes in wet woods, OBL. Grows up to 5 feet with yellow flowers from late summer into fall; sun to part sun in moist, well drained soil; very few sources.

Solidago ulmifolia var ulmifolia

Elm-leaved goldenrod - wooded slopes, roadside banks and shale barrens. Grows up to 4 feet, with yellow flowers in late summer to fall; sun to part shade in dry rocky sandy loam; very few sources.

Spiranthes cernua

Nodding ladies tresses - wet to dry open sites in fens, marshes, meadows, swales, prairies, open woodlands, riverbanks, shores, ditches, roadsides, and moist old fields, FACW. Grows 5 to 15 inches with white flowers in late summer and early fall; sun to part sun in moist silty loam, pH 4.5 to 6.5; very few sources.

Streptopus amplexifolius var americanus

Twisted stalk - rich, moist, coniferous and deciduous woods, seepy outcrops, often near waterfalls, FAC+. Grows up to 36 inches with greenish-white flowers in summer; part shade to shade in rich loam, pH 5 to 6. Listed as endangered in Pennsylvania; very few sources.

Streptopus roseus var perspectus

Rose mandaria - cool to cold, moist woods and stream banks. Grows up to 24 inches, with pink-rose flowers in early summer; part shade to shade in moist rich loam, pH 5 to 6. AKA Streptopus lanceolatus var lanceolatus; very few sources.

Symphyotrichum cordifolium

Blue wood aster - rich, dry or moist woodlands, bluff bases, stream banks and moist ledges. Grows up to 5 feet with pale blue flowers in late fall; part shade to shade in dry to moist sandy loam, pH 5.6 to 7.5; commonly available.

Symphyotrichum ericoides

White heath aster - dry to mesic meadows and fields, FACU. Grows 10 to 50 inches with white flowers in fall; sun to part sun in dry sandy loam; commonly available.

Symphyotrichum laeve

Smooth blue aster - dry woods, rocky ledges. Grows 10 to 40 inches with pale to dark blue flowers in fall; sun to part shade in dry sandy loam, pH 4 to 7; commonly available.

Symphyotrichum lateriflorum

Calico aster - mesic to moist old fields, edges of woods, rocky woods, and waste ground, FACW-. Grows 10 to 45 inches with white flowers in autumn; sun to part shade in moist sandy loam; pH 4 to 7, prefers 6.6 to 7; very few sources.

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae

New England aster - moist prairies, meadows, thickets, low valleys and stream banks, FACW-. Grows 3 to 6 feet with purple flowers in fall; average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun. Prefers moist, rich soils, pH 5.5 to 7; commonly available.

Symphyotrichum patens

Late purple aster - dry, sandy, moist, open woods and old fields. Grows 15 to 45 inches with blue flowers in fall; part shade to shade in dry to moist sandy loam, pH 5 to 6; very few sources.

Symphyotrichum praealtum

Veiny-lined aster - mesic to moist woods, fields, thickets, and along roadsides, FACW. Grows up to 6 feet, with pale blue-violet flowers in early fall; sun to part shade in dry to moist sandy loam; very few sources.

Symphyotrichum prenanthoides

Zig-zag aster - swamps, stream banks and low woods, FAC; Grows 10 to 40 inches with blue to pale purple flowers in early fall; sun to part shade in moist, well-drained soil; very few sources.

Symphyotrichum puniceum var. puniceum

Purple-stemmed aster - swampy ground of spring-fed meadows, stream banks and moist ditches, FACW. Grows up to 6 feet with blue flowers in early autumn; average, wet, well-drained soil in full sun. Listed as threatened in Pennsylvania; commonly available.

Symphyotrichum undulatum

Heart-leaved aster - dry woods, sandy slopes and old fields. Grows 15 to 45 inches, with blue-violet flowers in autumn; sun to part shade in dry sandy loam; very few sources.

Symplocarpus foetidus

Skunk cabbage - swamps, wet woods, along streams, and other wet low areas, OBL. Grows 1 to 3 feet with yellow-brown flowers in early spring; part sun to part shade in moist to wet humusy loam; pH 5 to 7; several sources.

Taenidia integerrima

Yellow pimpernel - rocky upland woods, bluffs, thickets and slopes, as well as prairies and savannahs. Grows 16 to 32 inches with yellow flowers in early summer; part sun in poor, clay, rocky or sandy soils; very few sources.

Tephrosia virginiana

Goat's rue - dry, sandy acidic woods. Grows 10-30 inches with yellow-white/pinkish purple flowers in summer; part sun to part shade in dry acidic sandy loam; several sources.

Teucrium canadense var. virginicum

Wild germander - flood plains, lake margins, moist fields and meadows, FACW-. Grows 18 to 36 inches with purple to pink or cream color flowers in summer; sun to part sun in moist silty loam; very few sources.

Thalictrum dioicum

Early meadow-rue - rich, mesic to moist rocky woods, ravines, alluvial terraces, especially on north-facing slopes, FAC. Grows 10 to 30 inches; greenish to purple flowers in spring; part sun to part shade in moist rich loam, pH 5 to 7; several sources.

Thalictrum pubescens

Tall meadow-rue - rich mesic upland woods and wet meadows, thickets and stream banks, FACW+. Grows 2-10 feet with white to purplish flowers in summer; part sun to part shade in moist rich loam, pH 5.5 to 7; very few sources.

Thalictrum revolutum

Purple meadow-rue - dry open woods, brushy banks, thickets and barrens, UPL. Grows 2 to 6 feet with white flowers in early summer; sun to part shade in dry sandy loam; very few sources.

Thalictrum thalictroides

Rue anemone - rich, moist deciduous upland woods, wooded banks and thickets. Grows 4 to 12 inches with white flowers, early spring; part shade to shade in rich humus, pH 4 to 7; goes dormant if the soil becomes too dry; commonly available.

Tiarella cordifolia

Foamflower - moist, rocky deciduous woods and wooded slopes, FAC-. Grows 4 to 14 inches, white flowers in spring; part sun to part shade in moist rich loam. pH 5 to 7; commonly available.

Tradescantia virginiana

Spider lily or widows tears - dry to mesic upland wooded slopes, shale outcrops and moist fields, FACU. Grows 12 to 36 inches with blue to purple flowers in spring; sun to part shade in moist, well-drained sandy loam. Prefers moist acidic soils, but tolerates poor soils; commonly available.

Triadenum virginicum

Marsh St. Johns Wort - marshes, bogs, swampy woods, stream banks; OBL Grows 12 to 24 inches with pink to purple flowers in summer; mesic to moist rich loams in sun to part sun; very few sources.

Trillium cernuum var cernuum

Nodding trillium - rich, moist, mixed deciduous-coniferous forests and swamps, FACW. Grows up to 15 inches with white flowers in spring; part shade to shade in moist rich humus, pH 5 to 6; very few sources.

Trillium erectum var erectum

Purple trillium - cool, rich, moist neutral to acidic soils of upland deciduous forests, mixed deciduous-coniferous forests, and coniferous swamp borders, FACU-. Grows up to 15 inches with maroon flowers, spring; part shade to shade in moist rich loam; pH 4 to 7 but prefers 4.5 to 6; commonly available.

Trillium grandiflorum

Large flowered trillium - rich deciduous or mixed coniferous-deciduous upland woods, floodplains, and along roadsides. Grows up to 15 inches with white flowers becoming pink in spring; part shade to shade in moist rich loam. pH 6 to 7 but prefers 6.0; commonly available.

Trillium sessile

Toadshade trillium - rich woodlands, calcareous, clayey alluvium on floodplains and riverbanks and less fertile soils in high, dry limestone woods, FACU-. Grows up to 12 inches with maroon flowers in spring; part shade to shade in moist rich loam; commonly available.

Trillium undulatum

Painted trillium - deep acidic humus in mixed deciduous-coniferous woods; prefers deep shade except at higher elevations, FACU. Grows up to 15 inches with white flowers with rose-purple triangle in late spring; part shade to shade in moist rich loam, pH 4 to 6; several sources.

Trollius laxus

Spreading globe-flower - rich, moist calcareous meadows, swamps and moist, open woods, OBL. Grows 4 to 20 inches with yellow flowers in spring; part sun to part shade in moist, rich loam. Listed as endangered in Pennsylvania; very few sources.

Typha latifolia

Common cat-tail - swamps, marshes, wet shores, ditches, or wet soil, OBL. Grows 3 to 9 feet and blooms in early summer; rich loams in full sun to part shade in water to 12 inches deep. Because it is an aggressive colonizer, many plant them in underwater containers; commonly available.

Urtica dioica ssp. gracilis

Great nettle - dry to mesic alluvial upland woods, margins of deciduous woodlands, along fencerows and in waste places, FACU. Grows 3-6 feet with greenish flowers in late spring; part sun to part shade in moist, rich sandy loam; commonly available.

Utricularia gibba

Humped bladderwort - aquatic; shallow water or exposed peat sand or mud flats, OBL. Yellow flowers in summer. An insectivore, water must be rich in microorganisms for it to survive; grow in full sun. Listed as extirpated in Pennsylvania; very few sources.

Utricularia purpurea

Purple bladderwort - aquatic; suspended in lakes and ponds, OBL. Pink to purple flowers in late summer; full sun in soft, quiet water from shallow to more than 10 feet deep; very few sources.

Uvularia perfoliata

Bellwort - dry to mesic upland deciduous woods and thickets in acid to neutral soils, FACU. Grows 6 to 18 inches with yellow flowers in spring; part sun to part shade in moist rich loam, pH 5 to 6; several sources.

Uvularia sessilifolia

Bellwort - dry woods, moist hardwood coves, thickets and alluvial bottomlands, FACU-. Grows 6 to 18 inches with yellow flowers in spring; part sun to part shade in dry to moist sandy loam, pH 5 to 6; commonly available.

Vallisneria americana var. americana

Tape-grass - aquatic; streams, lakes, rivers, OBL. Grows up to 12 inches, produces green flowers; full sun, rich silty loam covered with sand in water 12 inches deep. An important food source for turtles; several sources.

Veratrum viride

False hellebore - moist to wet woods, stream banks and seeps, FACW+. Grows up to 4 feet, with green flowers in spring; part sun to part shade in moist, rich loam; very few sources.

Verbena hastata

Blue vervain - moist to wet meadows, flood plains and wet river bottomlands, stream banks and the edges of sloughs, FACW+. Grows up to 4 feet, with blue flowers in summer; sun to part sun in moist rich loam; commonly available.

Verbena urticifolia

White vervain - moist meadows, fields, woodland borders, gravelly seeps, abandoned fields and waste ground, especially after site disturbance, FACU. Grows up to 4 feet, white flowers in summer; part sun in moist to mesic fertile loam; very few sources.

Vernonia noveboracensis

New York ironweed - stream banks and in wet fields and pastures, FACW+. Grows up to 6 feet, with brownish-purple flowers in summer; sun to part sun in moist rich loam, pH 5.5 to 7. Prefers rich, moist, slightly acidic soils; commonly available.

Veronica americana

American speedwell - moist riverbanks and stream edges and in ditches, OBL. Grows 4 to 10 inches with light blue to violet flowers in summer and fall; part shade in moist, humusy loam; very few sources.

Veronicastrum virginicum

Culver's-root - moist meadows, thickets and swamps. Grows up to 6 feet with white or pink flowers in summer; sun to part sun in moist rich loam, pH 5.5 to 7. FACU; commonly available.

Vicia americana

Purple vetch - dry to moist, gravelly shores, thickets, meadows, and roadside banks, FAC. Grows up to 3 feet with blue to violet flowers in early summer; sun to part sun in moist rich loam; very few sources.

Viola affinis

LeConte's violet - rich moist, especially alluvial, woods, FACW. Grows up to 16 inches with blue-violet flowers in spring; sun to part shade in moist, sandy loam; very few sources.

Viola bicolor

Field pansy - fields, dry open woods and floodplain terraces, FACU. Grows up to 10 inches with pale blue flowers with yellow centers in spring; sun to part shade in dry to moist rich loam; very few sources.

Viola blanda

Sweet white violet - moist woods and swamps, FACW. Grows up to 16 inches with white flowers in spring; sun to part shade in moist rich sandy loam. Prefers humusy, moisture-retentive soils and forms large carpets in the wild by spreading through runners; very few sources.

Viola canadensis

Canada violet - moist woods and swamps. Grows up to 16 inches with white flowers with yellow centers in spring; part shade to shade in sandy humusy loam, pH 5 to 6.5. Naturalizes by vigorous seeding, not runners; very few sources.

Viola cucullata

Blue marsh violet - bogs, meadows and swamps, FACW+. Grows up to 16 inches with pale purple flowers in spring; sun to part shade in moist to wet loam; very few sources.

Viola cucullata x saggitata

Blue marsh violet - bogs, meadows and swamps. Grows up to 16 inches with blue to violet flowers in spring; part shade to shade in moist rich loam. AKA viola obiqua; very few sources.

Viola hirsutula

Southern woodland violet - open forests and forest clearings. Grows up to 16 inches with blue to violet flowers in spring; part shade in moist rich humusy loam; very few sources.

Viola labradorica

American dog violet - moist woods and swamps, FAC. Grows up to 16 inches with pale blue flowers in spring; part sun to part shade in moist sandy humusy loam, pH 5 to 6.5. Aggressive spreader by runners and seeds; commonly available.

Viola lanceolata var. lanceolata

Lance-leaved violet - moist, sandy shores, flats and bogs, OBL. Grows up to 10 inches with white flowers in spring; sun to part shade in moist sandy loam; very few sources.

Viola macloskeyi ssp. pallens

Sweet white violet - bogs, swamps and wet woods, OBL. Grows up to 10 inches with white flowers in spring; sun to part shade in moist, humusy loam; very few sources.

Viola pedata

Birdfoot violet - sandy or rocky barrens and dry forested slopes, UPL. Grows up to 16 inches with blue to violet flowers in spring; sun to part shade in dry to moist sandy loam, pH 4 to 7; commonly available.

Viola pubescens var pubescens

Downy yellow violet - dry to moist open woods and swamps, FACU. Grows up to 12 inches with yellow flowers in spring; part shade to shade in moist rich loam, pH 5 to 6; several sources.

Viola rotundifolia

Round-leaved violet - cool moist woods and banks, FAC+. Grows up to 10 inches with yellow flowers in spring; part shade to shade in moist humusy loam; soil should not dry out and prefers cooler climates. Freely self-seeds and can become weedy; very few sources.

Viola sagittata var. ovata

Ovate-leaved violet - dry woods, fields and edges, FACW. Grows up to 12 inches with blue-violet flowers in spring; sun to part shade in dry to moist sandy loam; very few sources.

Viola sagittata var. sagittata

Arrow-leaved violet - dry woods, fields and edges, FACW. Grows up to 12 inches with blue-violet flowers in spring; sun to part shade in dry to moist rich sandy loam; very few sources.

Viola sororia

Common blue violet - moist woods, swamps, thickets, FAC. Grows up to 12 inches with blue flowers in spring; part sun to part shade in moist rich loam, pH 7 to 8. No runners, but aggressively spreads by seed; commonly available.

Viola striata

Striped violet - alluvial woods and alkaline swamps, FACW. Grows up to 12 inches with white flowers in spring; part sun to part shade in moist, rocky silty loam. No runners; spreads by seed; several sources.

Waldsteinia fragarioides

Barren strawberry - moist rich woods and pastures. Forms a mat to 6 inches in height with yellow flowers in spring; average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Tolerates a wide range of soils, but prefers slightly acidic humusy soil; very few sources.

Wolffia columbiana

Water-meal - aquatic; quiet waters of lakes, ponds, marshes, ditches and bogs. OBL. Grow in full sun in moderate to fertile shallow water; plant in silty loam; very few sources.

Zizia aptera

Golden-alexander - woodlands, wooded slopes, thickets, glades, prairies, clearings and roadsides, FAC. Grows 12 to 30 inches with yellow flowers in late spring; part sun to part shade in dry to moist rich loam, pH 5.5 to 7; commonly available.

Zizia aurea

Golden-alexander - moist woods and meadows, thickets, glades and prairies; wooded bottomland, stream banks, floodplains; FAC- Grows 12 to 32 inches with yellow flowers in late spring; average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade; pH 5.5 to 7; commonly available.

Some additional plants

Some species that are native to Pennsylvania but not reported in the Poconos, are often found in the nursery trade and can be successfully grown in the regional landscapes.

Actaea podocarpa

American bugbane - rich, moist wooded slopes and coves, humusy open shade. Native to Southwestern Pennsylvania. Height range is 3-8 feet; white flowers on tall racemes in late summer. Grow in part shade to shade, moist rich humus, pH 5-6.

Anemone canadensis

Canada anemone - calcareous or sandy low ground in moist meadows, thickets and rich open woods. Native primarily to western Pennslvania and scattered counties to the west and north of the Poconos. Can reach 20 inches with white flowers, early summer. Grow in part sun to shade in moist rich loam. pH 4.5 to 7. Aggressive spreader by seed and stolons.

Aruncus dioicus

Goatsbeard - rocky mesic to moist woodlands, ravines, and on bluffs and wooded slopes. Native to western Pennsylvania. Can reach 4 feet, white flowers, early summer. Grow in sun to part shade in moist to wet rich sandy loam, pH 5-7.

Chrysogonum virginianum

Green and gold or Goldenstar - open woods on limestone. Height range is 6-8 inches with yellow flowers spring to fall. Native to Fulton and Franklin counties in south central Pennsylvania. Grow in part sun to shade in dry to moist loam, pH 5 to 7. Listed as endangered in Pennsylvania.

Dodecatheon meadia

Shooting star - open, upland wooded slopes, bluffs and meadows on limestone. Native to scattered counties across the southern two thirds of Pennsylvania. Height range is 10-15 inches with white to purple flowers, early summer. Grow in sun to part shade in moist, sandy loam. pH 4 to 7, but prefers 4.5 to 6. Listed as endangered in Pennsylvania

Echinacea purpurea

Purple coneflower - rocky, open woods, thickets, prairies, especially near waterways. 3 to 5 feet; lavender flowers, summer. Grow in sun to part sun in dry to moist sandy loam. Introduced to Lehigh and Montgomery Counties as a consequence of global warming.

Hibiscus moscheutos

Swamp mallow - swamps, marshes, ditches in shallow water. 4-6 feet; white flowers in late summer. Native to mostly southeastern counties in Pennsylvania. Grow in sun to part sun in wet to moist moist, organically rich soils.

Hydrastis canadensis

Goldenseal - mesic, deciduous forests, often on clay soil. Native to southern and western counties in Pennsylvania. Height range is 9-12 inches with white flowers in spring. Grow in average, medium, well-drained soil in part shade. Prefers well-composted soils with lots of leaf mold., pH 6-7. Listed as vulnerable in Pennsylvania

Iris cristata

Dwarf crested iris - rich woods, wooded bottoms and ravines, usually calcareous. Native to Allegheny, Green, Bedford and York counties. Height range is 6-9 inches. Purple, but sometimes white flowers in spring. Grow in part sun to part shade in dry to moist rich sandy, usually calcareous, loam. Listed as endangered in Pennsylvania

Jeffersonia diphylla

Twinleaf - rich moist woods to semi-open rocky slopes and outcrops, usually over limestone or other calcareous rocks. Native to southern counties in Pennsylvania. Height range is 9-18 inches with very brief white flowers in spring. Grow in moist, humusy, well-drained, limestone soils in part shade; pH 4.5 to 7, prefers 6.5 to 7.

Mertensia virginica

Virginia bluebell - rich wooded and low slopes and forested floodplains. Common throughout Pennsylvania except for highest elevations in the Alleghenies and Poconos. Height range is 12 to 18 inches with blue flowers in early spring. Grow in part shade to shade in moist, rich sandy loam. pH 5-7.

Pachysandra procumbens

Allegheny spurge - moist, rich sometimes acidic soils, usually over limestone. Native to Montgomery and Delaware counties in southeastern Pennsylvania. Height range is 4-9 inches with white-pink flowers in spring. Grow in part shade in moist sandy loam. Prefers light shade in well-drained humus, pH 5 to 6.5.

Rudbeckia fulgida

Prairie coneflower - dry and moist fields, meadows, glades and thickets. Height range is 2-3 feet. Native to southeastern counties in Pennsylvania. Yellow flowers in summer and fall. Grow in sun to part sun in moist sandy loam.

Ruellia humilis

Wild petunia - open woods, glades, prairies and fields on limestone barrens and quarry waste; UPL. Native to Franklin County and considered endangered. Height range is 18-24 inches with lavender flowers in summer. Grow in average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Listed as endangered in Pennsylvania

Stylophorum diphyllum

Celandine poppy - stream banks and in ravines in rich moist soil. Height range is 12-18 inches with yellow flowers in spring. Found in Butler and Chester counties, possibly introduced from other states. Grow in medium to wet, humusy soils in part shade to full shade; plants go dormant if soil dries out. pH 6 to 7.

Symphyotrichum novi-belgii

New York aster - sunny meadows, swamps, shorelines, damp thickets. Native to southeastern counties and is considered threatened. Can reach 45 inches. Grow in sun to part sun in moist sandy loam. Listed as threatened in Pennsylvania

Uvularia grandiflora

Bellwort, Big merrybells - moist woods and alluvial valleys over limestone. 18-24 inches with yellow flowers in spring. Native to western and northern counties. Grow in part shade to shade in moist rich loam, pH 6 to 7.