Woody Plants of Sligo

Checklist of the
Native Trees of Sligo Creek Park
2003

To report a new native plant or plant sighting, visit the Sightings page.

The common names will be linked to a detailed plant database at some point in the future. In the meantime, check the USDA NRCS site.

GYMNOSPERMAE-GYMNOSPERMS
Cupressaceae - Cypress Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
Red Cedar	Juniperus virginiana	uncommon	9,8,7,6,5,2,1P,1CP,	sunny open areas and forest edge	Uncommon due to mowing and forest succession. T.

Pinaceae - Pine family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
Pitch Pine	Pinus rigida	rare	7,5,1CP,	open canopy forest	Three sites in Park; a few more grow in Takoma Park. T. (A)
Yellow/Shortleaf Pine	Pinus echinata	rare	9,8,6,	open canopy forest with VA Pine	Three trees observed in Park. T. (A)
Virginia Pine	Pinus virginiana	fairly common	9,8,7,6,5,4,2,1P,1CP,	open canopy forest and forest edge	Regeneration limited due to mowing. T.
Hemlock	Tsuga canadensis	very rare	2,	steep dry slope with Chestnut Oak	Native to gorge. Planted elsewhere. T.

ANGIOSPERMAE-MONOCOTS
Smilacaceae - Catbrier Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
Glaucous Greenbrier	Smilax glauca	fairly common	all sections	moist or dry forest and forest edge	Easily overlooked. V.
Common Greenbrier	Smilax rotundifolia	common	all sections	moist forest and wetland edges	Inpenetrable; good protection for wildlife from predators. V.

ANGIOSPERMAE-DICOTS
Salicaceae - Willow Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
Black Willow	Salix nigra	uncommon	9,8,7,6,5,1P,1CP,	streamside; wetlands and swales	Upright branches,not pendulous. T.
Big-tooth Aspen	Populus grandidentata	rare	8,	upland forest edge	Our Eastern version of Quaking Aspen. T.
Cottonwood	Populus deltoides	uncommon	9,6,4,2,1CP,	floodplain	Most plentiful south of Riggs Rd; T.

Juglandaceae - Walnut Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
Black Walnut	Juglans nigra	fairly common	all	floodplain and moist slopes	Leaves & nut husk have strong odor. T.
Bitternut Hickory	Carya cordiformis	rare	1CP,	floodplain on deep alluvial soils	Prefers circumneutral soil pH;nut husks flexible. T.
Mockernut Hickory	Carya tomentosa	fairly common	all	moist or dry oak forest on slopes	Fragrant foliage; thick rigid nut husk. T. (A)
Pignut Hickory	Carya glabra	fairly common	all	moist or dry oak forest on slopes	Nut smaller & husk thinner than Mockernut. T. (A)

Betulaceae - Birch Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
Hazelnut	Corylus americana	uncommon	8,7,6,4,2,	moist forest and floodplain	Easy to find in March with catkins. S. (A)
Ironwood	Carpinus caroliniana	fairly common	all	moist forest and floodplain	also called Musclewood,Hornbeam, Blue Beech. T.
River Birch	Betula nigra	fairly common	9,7,6,5,4,3,1P,1CP,	floodplain and streambanks	Papery bark when young. T.
Smooth Alder	Alnus serrulata	uncommon	8,6,5,3,	streamside and wetlands	Goldfinches like seeds. S.

Fagaceae - Beech Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
American Beech	Fagus grandifolia	fairly common	9,8,6,5,4,3,2,1P,1CP,	moist forest on slopes	Look for beech-drops under trees. T.
American Chestnut	Castanea dentata	rare	8,7,5,3,1P,	acid oak forest on slopes	Trees sprout from old root systems. T. (A)
Chinquapin	Castanea pumila	very rare	8,1P	acid oak/Beech forest	Just a few plants observed. S. (A)
White Oak	Quercus alba	common	all	moist or dry forest	Maryland State Tree. T.
Post Oak	Quercus stellata	uncommon	9,8,7,1P,	dry open canopy oak forest	Bark resembles white oak; leaves quite distinct. T. (A)
Swamp White Oak	Quercus bicolor	very rare	5,	Streambank	One very old tree.T.(A) Click here for photos.
Chinquapin Oak	Quercus muhlenbergii	very rare	8,7,	moist/dry open canopy oak forest	A few young trees observed. T. (A)
Chestnut Oak	Quercus prinus	uncommon	2,1P,	dry rocky slopes with heaths	Restricted to Sligo gorge. T.
Red Oak	Quercus rubra	fairly common	all	moist slopes and stream banks	With beech and other oaks; buttressed trunk base. T.
Black Oak	Quercus velutina	fairly common	all	dry forest on slopes	Resembles red oak; leaves leathery & glossy. T.
Pin Oak	Quercus palustris	fairly common	9,8,7,6,5,4,1P,1CP,	floodplain and wetlands	Small leaves and acorns; downswept lower limbs. T.
Scarlet Oak	Quercus coccinea	fairly common	9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1P,	dry slopes with other oaks	Widespread but nowhere abundant. T.
Spanish or Southern Red Oak	Quercus falcata	fairly common	all	dry slopes with other oaks	Distinctively shaped leaves. T. (A)
Black-jack Oak	Quercus marilandica	very rare	3,2,1P,	dry upland ridgetop	Found in watershed outside Park. T.
Shingle Oak	Quercus imbricaria	uncommon	9,8,7,6,5,4,3,	moist forest; slopes and floodplain	Leaves similar to willow oak but larger. T.
Willow Oak	Quercus phellos	fairly common	8,6,5,4,3,2,1P,1CP,	moist forest; slopes and floodplain	Native downstream of NH Ave. but naturalized upstream of NH in Piedmont. T.

Ulmaceae - Elm Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
American Elm	Ulmus americana	common	all	floodplain	Seldom see large trees due to Dutch elm disease. T.
Hackberry	Celtis occidentalis	uncommon	7,6,5,	floodplain and moist slopes	Birds disperse seeds; no large trees observed. T. (A)

Moraceae - Mulberry Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
Red Mulberry	Morus rubra	rare	6,3	Moist forest	Red fruit when ripe; Trees male or female. T.

Ranunculaceae - Crowfoot Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
Virgin's-bower	Clematis virginiana	very rare	9,	moist sunny thickets and edges	The non-native clematis C. paniculata is a pest in Sligo Park. V. (A)

Magnoliaceae - Magnolia Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
Umbrella Magnolia	Magnolia tripetala	rare	8,3,	mature oak forest on slopes	Showy flowers; has largest leaves of any native woody. T. (A)
Tulip Poplar	Liriodendron tulipifera	common	all	floodplain and moist slopes	Grows fast and tall and large trunked. T.

Annonaceae - Custard-apple Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
Pawpaw	Asimina triloba	uncommon to rare	8,6,3,2,1CP,	moist rich slopes and floodplain	Banana-like fruit valued by wildlife. T. (A)

Lauraceae - Laurel Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
Sassafras	Sassafras albidum	common	all	open oak forest and forest edge	Three distinctive leaf shapes. T.
Spicebush	Lindera benzoin	common	all	moist slopes and floodplain	Attractive red fruit for migrating birds. S.

Saxifragaceae - Saxifrage Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
Wild Hydrangea	Hydrangea arborescens	uncommon	3,2,1P,	steep moist slopes	Restricted to Sligo gorge. S.

Hamamelidaceae - Witch-Hazel Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
Witch-Hazel	Hamamelis virginiana	uncommon to fairly common	5,4,3,2,1P,	moist slopes & streambank	Our latest blooming woody plant; flowers in Oct./Nov. S.
Sweet Gum	Liquidamber styraciflua	uncommon	9,7,5,1CP,	moist bottomland	Native downstream of East-West Hwy. on Coastal Plain but naturalized upstream in Piedmont zone. T.

Platanaceae - Plane-tree Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
Sycamore	Platanus occidentalis	common	all	floodplain	Distinctive white bark on upper trunk and limbs. T.

Rosaceae - Rose Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
Downy Serviceberry	Amelanchier arborea	uncommon to fairly common	9,8,7,6,4,3,2,1P,	dry slopes under oaks	Also planted on floodplain by Park's Dept. & volunteers. Prefers slopes. T.
Allegheny Serviceberry	Amelanchier laevis	very rare	2,	dry slope under chestnut oaks	Larger flowers than A. arborea; new leaves not downy. T. (A)
Variable Hawthorn	Crataegus macrosperma	very rare	8,7,5,	dry slope under oaks	Forms thickets. Very long thorns. S. (A)
Northern Dewberry	Rubus flagellaris	uncommon	9,8,7,6,5,2,1P,	sunny to part shade, forest & edges	Trailing across ground; large blackberry fruits in July. S. (A)
Swamp Dewberry	Rubus hispidus	very rare	9,7	wet bottomland	Trailing across ground; flexible bristles. S. (A)
Black Raspberry	Rubus occidentalis	rare	8,6,2,	forest edge and open fields	Glaucous canes; fruit ripens June; leaves white underside. S.
Tall Blackberry	Rubus argutus (syn. R. pensilvanicus)	fairly common	all	forest edge & open areas	The common blackberry in our area. S.
Black Cherry	Prunus serotina	common	all	almost anywhere except wetlands	Valuable fruit for birds and mammals. T.

Fabaceae - Legume Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
Redbud	Cercis canadensis	fairly common	8,7,6,5,4,1P,	forest edges and understory	Perhaps not native to Sligo and has naturalized from yard & park plantings. T.
Black Locust	Robinia pseudo-acacia	common	all	forest edges & open fields	Sweet blossoms in May; thorny when young. T.

Anacardiaceae - Sumac/Cashew Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
Smooth Sumac	Rhus glabra	rare	6,1P,	open field and forest edge	Red fruits; red fruited sumacs (Rhus sp.) are not poisonous. S.
Shining (Winged) Sumac	Rhus copallina	rare	9,6,1P,	open field and forest edge	Red fruits; leaf mid-rib winged; leaves shiny. S. (A)
Staghorn Sumac	Rhus typhina	uncommon to rare	8,6,5,1P,	open field and forest edge	Red fruits; new branches velvety like new deer horns. T.
Poison Ivy	Rhus radicans	common	all	almost anywhere	White fruits; Skin poison; low shrub or high climbing vine. V.

Aquifoliaceae - Holly Family
Common	Scientific	Occurrence	Sections	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
American Holly	Ilex opaca	fairly common	all	forest understory	Usually shrubby. Rarely a tree in the wild. T/S.
Winterberry	Ilex verticillata	uncommon	9,8,7,6,2,	wetlands, floodplains, and moist slopes.	Easily overlooked except when fruiting; red berries. S. (A).

Celastraceae - Staff-tree Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
Strawberry Bush	Euonymus americanus	uncommon	3,2,1P,	moist slopes in shade	Attractive heart's a burstin red & orange fruits; colonial. S. (A)

Aceraceae - Maple Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
Red Maple	Acer rubrum	common	all	almost anywhere; very adaptable!	Old hollow trunks and limbs provide den and nest sites. T.
Silver Maple	Acer saccharinum	fairly common	all	streamside and floodplain forest	Squirrels relish eating the flower buds in late winter. T.
Box Elder	Acer negundo	common	all	floodplain	A maple with compound leaves and green young twigs. T.

Vitaceae - Grape Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
Virginia Creeper	Parthenocissus quinquefolia	common	all	almost anywhere	High climbing vine; showy deep red fall color; blue fruit. V.
Fox Grape	Vitis labrusca	uncommon	9,8,7,6,1P,	moist to wet floodplain thickets	Large sweet purple-black fruit; leaves white on underside & felty. V.
Summer Grape	Vitis aestivalis	fairly common	9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1P,	moist or dry slopes in oak forest	High climber; blue fruit; Leaves glaucous. V.
Winter Grape	Vitis vulpina	fairly common	9,8,7,6,5,4,2,1P,1CP,	moist slopes and floodplain	High climber; small black fruit is sour; leaves green under. All of our grapes have shreddy bark. V. (A)

Clusiaceae - St. John's-wort Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
St. Andrew's Cross	Ascyrum hypericoides	uncommon to rare	9,8,6,1P,	dry open or partly shaded uplands	Low semi-woody dwarf shrub S. (A)

Nyssaceae - Sour Gum/Tupelo Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
Black Gum	Nyssa sylvatica	fairly common	all	understory in moist or dry forest	Attractive early fall color; birds relish dark blue fruits. T.

Araliaceae - Ginseng Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
Angelica-tree/Hercules' Club	Aralia spinosa	uncommon	8,7,6,2,1P,	open canopy forest and forest edge	Leaves, trunk and branches very thorny; colonial. T. (A)

Cornaceae - Dogwood Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
Flowering Dogwood	Cornus florida	common	all	forest understory & old fields	Declining due to dogwood anthracnose disease. T.
Silky Dogwood	Cornus amomum	uncommon	9,8,6,5,4,2,1P,	streamside, floodplain, and wetlands.	Red twigs in winter; sprawlingshrub. T or S. (A)

Ericaceae - Heath Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
Spotted Wintergreen	Chimaphila maculata	uncommon	9,7,4,3,2,1P,	mature beech and/or oak forest	Semi-woody dwarf evergreen; fragrant flowers in summer. ESS.
Pinxter Azalea	Rhododendron nudiflorum	uncommon	9,8,7,6,4,3,2,1P,	oak forest; slopes and streambanks	Showy flowers in late April/early May; deciduous. S.
Mountain Laurel	Kalmia latifolia	uncommon	9,5,4,3,2,1P,	oak forest; slopes and streambanks	Showy flowers in mid-late May; evergreen. S.
Black Huckleberry	Gaylussacia baccata	rare	9,1P,	dry oak forest with blueberries	Colonial; amber resin dotted foliage; resembles blueberry. S. (A)
Deerberry	Vaccinium stamineum	uncommon	9,8,7,4,3,2,1P,	dry oak forest with blueberries	Fruit dangles beneath foliage; easily overlooked. S. (A)
Early Low Blueberry	Vaccinium vacillans	fairly common	9,8,7,4,3,2,1P,	dry oak forest	Green twigs distinguish it from Huckleberry & Deerberry. S.
Black Highbush Blueberry	Vaccinium atrococcum	uncommon	9,8,7,3,2,1P,	moist or dry oak forest	Up to 6'-8' tall; black fruited. S. (A)

Ebenaceae - Ebony Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
Persimmon	Diospyros virginiana	fairly common	9,8,7,6,5,2,1P,1CP,	forest edges, old fields, open areas	Very important wildlife foodplant; nice winter silhouette. T.

Oleaceae - Olive Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
White Ash	Fraxinus americana	fairly common	all	moist slopes; well-drained floodplain	Easily confused with green ash. T.
Green Ash	Fraxinus pensylvanica	fairly common	all	streamside; moist to wet floodplain	Prefers wetter soils than white ash. T. (A)
Fringe-tree	Chionanthus virginicus	rare	9,8,2,1P,	mature open canopy oak forest	Attractive fragrant drooping white flowers in May; blue fruit. T. (A)

Bignoniaceae - Bignonia Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
Trumpet-vine	Campsis radicans	very rare	1P,	edge of powerline right-of-way	showy orange trumpet-like flowers in summer. V.

Rubiaceae - Madder Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
Partridge-berry	Mitchella repens	uncommon	9,8,7,6,2,1P,	moist forest under oaks or pines	Semi-woody evergreen ground-cover with red berries. ESS (A).
Buttonbush	Cephalanthus occidentalis	very rare	9,	Swamp/wet meadow	Two plants observed. S.

Caprifoliaceae - Honeysuckle Family
Common Name	Scientific Name	Occurrence	Sections Found	Habitat	Remarks	MAP
Trumpet Honeysuckle	Lonicera sempervirens	very rare	8,7,	moist hillside thickets	Our native honeysuckle. Showy flowers V. (A)
Black Haw Viburnum	Viburnum prunifolium	fairly common	all	moist rich slopes and floodplain	Showy flowers in mid-late April; blue-black fruits in Aug. T. or S.
Arrow-wood	Viburnum dentatum (includes V.recognitum)	fairly common	all	moist rich slopes and floodplain	Prefers wetter soils than black haw or mapleleaf Viburnum. S.
Maple-leaved Viburnum	Viburnum acerifolium	fairly common	9,8,7,5,4,3,2,1P,	moist to dry slopes under oaks	Prefers dryer soils than Black Haw or Arrowwood. Blooms May/June. S.
Elderberry	Sambucus canadensis	uncommon	9,8,7,6,5,2,1P,1CP,	wetland & open floodplain thickets	Showy flowers in June; purplish-black fruits in late Aug. S.

Woody Plants of Sligo

Woody Plants of Sligo

Checklist of the Native Trees of Sligo Creek Park 2003

Checklist of the
Native Trees of Sligo Creek Park
2003