Welcome to Awesome Native Plants
Do you Recognize these Flowers?
Partridgeberry - Mitchella repens
They are the flowers of the low growing evergreen partridgeberry plant. It blooms late spring and early summer and forms a pretty ground cover of deep green leaves and bright white flowers.
However, these are not the usual partridgeberry flowers. These flowers have 5 or 6 lobes/stamens. Usually, partrigeberry flowers have 4. They are the 'thrum' form. We found them on our hike in Vermont recently. This is the first time for us. Learn more about
partridgeberry.
Violet Appreciation
Downy yellow violet - Viola pubescens
These common low growing native plants that many people consider weeds are an important part of our eco-system. Violets compete well to keep out invasive plants. They provide nectar and pollen for early insects. Violets are the host plants for fritillary butterfly species. Their leaves and stems are food for many animals. Fortunately, they are not a favorite of deer!
The violet family has a long history of taxonomic confusion. Learn a little about some of the features used in identification. Read more about downy yellow violet .
Only in NJ - Almost !
Pyxiemoss - Pyxidanthera barbulata
These petite snow-white flowers with accents of yellow and red decorate only special areas in NJ's Pine Barrens in April. The plant is a low growing creeping subshrub forming large mats. The genus is named after the unusual shaped anther. According to NatureServe pyxiemoss occurs in only 5 states. In NJ it is secure but it is rare in the other 4 states.
Look for these dainty flowers in the Pine Barrens. Learn more about
Pyxiemoss. Also see our Spring Plant Profiles & Photos
They are Here!
Rue anemone - Thalictrum thalictroides
These delicate petite flowers come in pure white or with a obvious hint of pink. They rise a few inches above the forest floor. Rue anemone does not have petals; the showy parts of the flower are sepals. Just below the flowers are always a whorl of dainty leaflets. Flowers bloom in late April & early May. They are frequently found with your search for bloodroots and hepaticas. Keep your eyes open for them.
Learn more about
Rue anemone. Also see our Spring Plant Profiles & Photos
About AWESOME NATIVE PLANTS
This is the website of Millie & Hubert Ling. This site was created in September 2021 and is is dedicated to Native Plants mainly of New Jersey with a focus on the Plant Profiles & Photos pages. The goal here is to continue these. Also, we will be adding trip reports of our many hikes in NJ. Hubert is a regular writer for the Gardener News and we will be republishing some of his articles. Continued in 'About Us': Click Here
WHY all the FUSS about NATIVE PLANTS?
What are they and why they are important? Get the definitions and why they are important and how to find out if a plant is native or not. Also, NEW, added information on rarity in NJ. Click Here
in our 'Resources" section.
Looking around in NATURE: HIKES
Start planning where to hike for next year. NEW: Added: a list of conservation organizations that have preserves which are great places to see native plants. Click Here
BEAUTY and BEYOND
Get to know your native plants. Visit our Plant Profiles & Photos section for photos of not only the beautiful flowers but also their parts and what makes them work.
'GARDENERS NEWS' reprints
Hubert Ling as NPSNJ horticulture has been writing articles for 'Gardener News' since 2015. Some of his articles are being reprinted here. See them at Resources .
Autumn
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful,
The Lord God made them all.
(Anglican hymn)
Study and photography unfolds a whole new dimension of intricacies and interdependencies that commands deference and awe.
"The Lord God made them all"