North Carolina Plant Photos

by Will Cook.

Trees, shrubs, and woody vines of North Carolina

Wildflowers

Grasses

Chasmanthium latifolium (River Oats) - Durham Co., NC 8/23/09
Tripsacum dactyloides (Eastern Gamagrass) - one of the ancestors of corn - Person Co., NC 6/13/06
Zizania aquatica (Southern Wild-rice) - New Hanover Co., NC 8/12/07

Ferns

Adiantum pedatum (Northern Maidenhair Fern) - Caswell Co., NC 5/30/10
Apslenium resiliens (Blackstem Spleenwort) - Madison Co., NC 5/11/08
Asplenium montanum (Mountain Spleenwort) - Hanging Rock State Park, Stokes Co., NC 6/14/2009
Asplenium platyneuron (Ebony Spleenwort) - Wake Co., NC 5/30/11
Asplenium rhizophyllum (Walking Fern) - Haywood Co., NC 5/9/08
Asplenium ruta-muraria Linnaeus var. cryptolepis (American Wall-rue) - Madison Co., NC 5/11/08
Asplenium trichomanes (Maidenhair Spleenwort) - Caswell Co., NC 5/30/10
Athyrium filix-femina (Common Ladyfern) - Grayson Co., VA 7/25/10
Botrypus virginianus (Rattlesnake Fern) - Durham, NC 4/14/11
Cheilanthes lanosa (Hairy Lipfern) - Madison Co., NC 5/11/08
Cheilanthes tomentosa (Woolly Lipfern)
Cystopteris protrusa (Lowland Bladder Fern) - Caswell Co., NC 5/30/10
Dennstaedtia punctilobula (Hay-scented Fern) - Grayson Co., VA 7/25/10
Diplazium pycnocarpon (Glade Fern) - Madison Co., NC 5/11/08
Dryopteris campyloptera (Mountain Woodfern) - Grayson Co., VA 7/25/10
Lygodium palmatum (American Climbing Fern) - Hanging Rock State Park, Stokes Co., NC 7/3/09
Ophioglossum pycnostichum (Southern Adder's-tongue) - Wake Co., NC 4/9/11
Osmunda regalis var. spectabilis (Royal Fern)
Osmundastrum cinnamomea (Cinnamon Fern) - Pender Co., NC 4/19/08.
Pellaea atropurpurea (Purple Cliff-brake) - Madison Co., NC 5/11/08
Pleopeltis polypodioides ssp. michauxiana (Resurrection Fern)
Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas Fern)
Polypodium virginianum (Rockcap Fern, Rock Polypody)
Thelypteris kunthii (Desvaux) C.V. Morton, Kunth's Maiden Fern, Southern Shield Fern - Croatan National Forest, Craven Co., NC 8/26/2012
Thelypteris noveboracensis (New York Fern) - Grayson Co., VA 7/25/10
Woodsia obtusa (Blunt-lobed Cliff Fern) - Wake Co., NC 5/30/11
Woodwardia areolata (Netted Chain Fern) - Pender Co., NC 4/19/08
Woodwardia virginica (Virginia Chain Fern) - Pender Co., NC 4/19/08

Mosses

Moss sp. 120964 - Orange Co., NC 4/4/09
Moss sp. 120968 - Orange Co., NC 4/4/09
Moss sp. 130015 - Orange Co., NC 4/4/09

Invasives

Reynoutria japonica (Japanese Knotweed) - Madison Co., NC 4/9/2012.
Ficaria verna (Lesser Celandine) - Durham, NC 3/19/2011
Hesperis matronalis (Dame's Rocket) - Grayson Co., VA 5/30/2009
Houttuynia cordata - Durham, NC 5/26/2011
Miscanthus sinensis - Miscanthus, Chinese Silver Grass
Youngia japonica (Oriental False Hawksbeard)

Cultivated Plants

Aquilegia canadensis (Red Columbine) - Chapel Hill, NC 4/11/04
Edgeworthia chrysantha (Oriental paperbush) 'Gold Rush' - Chapel Hill, NC 1/15/07
Fothergilla gardenii × major 'Mount Airy' - Chapel Hill, NC 4/11/04
Salvia chionophylla (Snowflake Sage)
Salvia clevelandii (Fragrant Sage)
Salvia divinorum (Diviner's Sage) - native to Mexico; photographed 12/14/01 (in a greenhouse)
Salvia elegans (Pineapple Sage) - Mexico; Craven Co., NC 10/12/01
Salvia greggii (Gregg's Sage)
Salvia guaranitica (Guarani Sage, Blue Brazilian Sage) - Brazil; Chapel Hill, NC 6/19/05
Salvia hispanica (Chia) - Mexico and Guatemala; Durham, NC 11/17/2012
Salvia iodantha (Mexican Fuchsia Sage) - Mexico; 12/9/01 (in greenhouse)
Salvia littae (Litta's Purple Sage) - Mexico; 12/9/01 (in greenhouse)
Salvia lycioides (Canyon Sage) - TX, NM, Mex; Chapel Hill, NC 4/27/02
Salvia melissodora (Grape-scented Sage) - Mexico; Chapel Hill, NC 12/10/01
Salvia mexicana (Mexican Sage) - Mexico; Chapel Hill, NC 11/1/02
Salvia microphylla (Littleleaf Sage)
Salvia regla (Mountain Sage) - Texas/Mexico; Chapel Hill, NC 10/28/01
Salvia roemeriana (Cedar Sage) - TX, Mexico; Chapel Hill, NC 6/19/05
Salvia splendens (Red Salvia) - Brazil; Chapel Hill, NC 6/19/05
Salvia thymoides (Thyme-leaved Sage) - Mexico; Chapel Hill, NC 12/9/01
Stokesia laevis (Stokes' Aster) - SE US; Carroll Co., VA 7/3/05

Notes on Growing Salvias in Central NC

Plants for birds

Plants for butterflies

Recommended Plant Identification Books Though web sites are helpful, it is easier to learn how to identify plants by studying good books. There are so many available now, it can be difficult to figure out which ones to get. Here are a few to get you started. Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines
	Trees of North America: A Guide to Field Identification, Revised and Updated by C. Frank Brockman and Rebecca Marrilees (2001) The classic Golden Guide, the first tree book I ever used. Covers the whole continental US, including Florida, which many guides skip. Recommended for kids and casual reading.
	Native Shrubs and Woody Vines of the Southeast: Landscaping Uses and Identification by Leonard E. Foote and Samuel B. Jones Jr. (2005) One of the very few shrub and woody vine books available, with photographs and descriptions of 550 species. I haven't seen this book, but it looks comprehensive and very useful for this undercovered group. Well worth seeking out as a used book.
	The Illustrated Book of Wildflower & Shrubs by William Carey Grimm and John Kartesz (1993) Great companion to the Grimm tree book and one of the very few shrub books available. It's fairly comprehensive, covering 1300 species. Well worth seeking out as a used book.
	The Illustrated Book of Trees by William Carey Grimm and John Kartesz (2001) Excellent illustrations detailed descriptions of both summer and winter forms. Includes both summer and winter keys. Comprehensive coverage of Eastern US trees. This is one of my favorite and most-used tree books and helped get me started. Highly recommended.
	National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Trees of North America by Bruce Kershner, Craig Tufts, Daniel Mathews and Gil Nelson (2008) Ambitious and worthy addition, packing 2000 photos of 700 species into one compact volume. Covers Western trees, too, which could be a distraction or a bonus, depending on what you're looking for. Nice maps. I have a good number of photos in this guide. Highly recommended.
	Native Trees of the Southeast: An Identification Guide by L. Katherine Kirkman, Claud L. Brown, Donald J. Leopold (2007) Helpful in that it focuses on the Southeast, with detailed descriptions, photos, both summer and winter keys, and range maps. Comprehensive for natives, but has little information on introduced species - unfortunate, since they are frequently encountered. Recommended.
	A Field Guide to Eastern Trees by Elbert Little (1980) Quite dated, but still useful, with great photos and maps. This and the Grimm books are the ones that I learned with when I was a teenager. Recommended.
	A Field Guide to Eastern Trees by George A. Petrides and Janet Wehr (1998) Part of the Peterson Field Guide series, this is a little dated, but still quite useful, with nice photos, illustrations, and range maps. Covers Florida, which is unusual in an Eastern US tree guide. Recommended.
	Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas by Albert E. Radford, Harry E. Ahles, and C. Ritchie Bell (1968) Our classic flora is out of date but still required for any student of botany in the region. Comprehensive, with keys, detailed technical descriptions, excellent illustrations, and county dot maps. Highly recommended, especially in combination with Weakley's flora.
	The Sibley Guide to Trees by David Sibley (2009) This is a fantastic beautifully illustrated new-ish guide from the master bird artist David Sibley. He takes a similar approach to trees as in his bird guide, helping to make tree ID easier. Covers Western trees, too, which could be a distraction or a bonus, depending on what you're looking for. Highly recommended.
	Trees of the Carolinas Field Guide by Stan Tekiela (2007) Good for casual thumbing through for a beginner, but not comprehensive and has little information specific to the Carolinas. This is part of a series of cookie-cutter books for various states. Though a number of my photos are in this book, I'm a little annoyed that the cover photo obviously wasn't taken anywhere near the Carolinas! Perhaps worth a look.
Wildflower Field Guides
	The Illustrated Book of Wildflower & Shrubs by William Carey Grimm and John Kartesz (1993) Great companion to the Grimm tree book and one of the very few shrub books available. It's fairly comprehensive, covering 1300 species. Well worth seeking out as a used book.
	Wild Flowers of North Carolina, 2nd Ed. by William S. Justice, C. Ritchie Bell and Anne H. Lindsey (2005) An update of the classic, which should be in every wildflower-lover's collection. Recommended.
	Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses by James H. Miller and Karl V. Miller (2005) Includes photographs and descriptions of 330 species. Recommended.
	A Field Guide to Wildflowers: Northeastern and North-Central North America by Roger Tory Peterson and Margaret McKenny (1998) The classic Peterson guide for the northeastern US. Useful for the Mountains of NC, but generally not the Coastal Plain. Not comprehensive and in need of an update, but still worth a look.
	A Guide to the Wildflowers of South Carolina by Richard Dwight Porcher and Douglas Alan Rayner (2002) I haven't seen this book, but the reviews are glowing. Covers over 680 species with photographs and extensive descriptions. Plants are grouped by habitat. Highly recommended.
	Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas by Albert E. Radford, Harry E. Ahles, and C. Ritchie Bell (1968) Our classic flora is out of date but still required for any student of botany in the region. Comprehensive, with keys, detailed technical descriptions, excellent illustrations, and county dot maps. Highly recommended, especially in combination with Weakley's flora.
	A Field Guide to Wildflowers of the Sandhills Region: North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia by Bruce A. Sorrie (2011) Excellent new book, covering more than 600 wildflowers, flowering shrubs, and vines, grouped by plant community. Comprehensive within the Sandhills region. Highly recommended.
	Wildflowers and Plant Communities of the Southern Appalachian Mountains and Piedmont: A Naturalist's Guide to the Carolinas, Virginia, Tennessee, and Georgia by Timothy P. Spira (2011) Another excellent new book, covering plant communities as well as wildflowers. Highly recommended.