Broom-rapes: Orobanchaceae__Squaw-root Conopholis americana C; parasitic on oak; blooms in late spring__Beechdrops Epifagus virginiana C; parasitic on American Beech; blooms in late summerMadders: Family Rubiaceae__Bluets Houstonia caerulea C; clearings__Partridge Berry Mitchella repens CAsters: Family Asteraceae__*Common Dandelion Taraxacum officinale C; native of Eurasia; clearings, disturbed areas__Round-leaved Ragwort or Running Groundsel Packera obovatus R__Golden Ragwort or Heart-leaved Groundsel Packera aurea C__*Coltsfoot Tussilago farfara C; native to Eurasia; disturbed areas__Field Pussytoes Antennaria neglecta C; clearings__Philadelphia Fleabane Erigeron philadelphicus C; disturbed areas__*Butterbur Petasites hybridus O; native to Europe__Cynthia Krigia biflora O; clearings

CLASS LILIOPSIDA: MONOCOTYLEDONSNote: This list does not include the rushes, sedges, and grasses, which also belong to this class.

Arums: Family Araceae__Skunk Cabbage Symplocarpus foetidus C; wet areas__Jack-in-the-Pulpit Arisaema triphyllum C; includes Arisaema atrorubens__ Green Dragon Arisaema dracontium OSpiderworts: Family Commelinaceae__Ohio Spiderwort Tradescantia ohiensis RLilies: Family Liliaceae__Wild Hyacinth Camassia scilloides C__*Glory-of-the-Snow Chionodoxa forbesii R; native to Eurasia__*Star-of-Bethlehem Ornithogalum umbellatum C; native to Europe__Wild Leek or Ramp Allium tricoccum C; blooms in summer__Trout Lily or Dog-toothed Violet Erythronium americanum C__White Trout Lily Erythronium albidum O__Large-flowered Trillium Trillium grandiflorum C__Wake-robin or Red Trillium Trillium erectum O__Toadshade or Sessile Trillium Trillium sessile C__Drooping Trillium Trillium flexipes C; both white and red forms occur__Indian Cucumber-root Medeola virginiana R__Sessile-leaved Bellwort Uvularia sessilifolia C__Large-flowered Bellwort Uvularia grandiflora C__Bellwort Uvularia perfoliata O__Fairy Bells or Yellow Mandarin Prosartes lanuginosum O__False Solomon’s Seal Maianthemum racemosum C

__Star-flowered Solomon’s Seal Maianthemum stellatum R__Three-leaved Solomon’s Seal Maianthemum trifolium h__Canada Mayflower Maianthemum canadense O__Hairy Solomon’s Seal Polygonatum pubescens CIrises: Family Iridaceae__Northern Blue Flag Iris versicolor R__Southern Blue Flag or Prairie Iris Iris virginica var. shrevei h__* Yellow Iris Iris pseudacorus C; wetlands; native to Eurasia; invasive__Slender Blue-eyed Grass Sisyrinchiumangustifolium C; __Pale Blue-eyed Grass Sisyrinchium albidum R; Orchids: Family Orchidaceae__Cancer root Orobanche uniflora h__Early or Northern Coral-root Corallorhiza trifida h__Spring Coral-root Corallorhiza wisteriana h__Yellow Lady’s Slipper Cypripedium parriflorum R

Notes

As the snow and ice of winter melt away, we look to our woodland wildflowers as a sure sign of spring. The parade of wildflowers begins in March with the blooms of Skunk Cabbage and ends in May when the trees leaf out and shade the forest floor. Some of the best displays of color occur in late April and early May. Many species of wildflowers are declining in Cleveland Metroparks due to browsing by White-tailed Deer.

A Checklist of the

of Cleveland Metroparks

Updated 2015 / 35038

Date/time:

Location:

Weather:

Notes

Spring WoodlandWildflowers

__Sweet White Violet Viola blanda C; includes V. incognita__Northern White Violet Viola macloskeyi O; includes V. pallens__Halberd-leaved Violet Viola hastata O__Downy Yellow Violet Viola pubescens O__Smooth Yellow Violet Viola pensylvanica CNote: Some authorities consider Viola pensylvanicaa form of V. pubescens.__Canada Violet Viola canadensis O__Pale or Creamy Violet Viola striata C__American Dog Violet Viola conspersa R__Long-spurred Violet Viola rostrata O__Three-lobed Violet Viola triloba R__ Field Pansy Viola arvensis RMustards: Family Brassicaceae__*Whitlow-grass Erophila verna O; native to Eurasia; clearings, disturbed areas__Broad-leaved Toothwort Cardamine diphylla C; __Cut-leaved or Five-parted Toothwort Cardamine concatenata C__Spring Cress Cardamine bulbosa O; formerly called Cardamine bulbosa__Purple or Pink Spring-cress Cardamine douglassii C__Pennsylvania Bitter-cress Cardamine pensylvanica C__Cuckoo-flower Cardamine pratensis O__Sicklepod Arabis canadensis R__*Dame’s Rocket Hesperis matronalis C; native to Eurasia; invasive__*Garlic Mustard Alliaria petiolaria C; native to Eurasia; formerly called Alliaria officionalis; highly invasive__* Yellow Rocket Barbarea vulgaris C; native to EurasiaHeaths: Family Ericaceae__Trailing Arbutus Epigaea repens RStonecrops: Family Crassulaceae__Wild Stonecrop Sedum ternatum OSaxifrages: Family Saxifragaceae__Foam-flower Tiarella cordifolia C__Two-leaved Mitrewort Mitella diphylla ORoses: Family Rosaceae__Barren Strawberry Waldensteinia fragarioides R__Wood Strawberry Fragaria vesca O__Wild Strawberry Fragaria virginiana C__Common Cinquefoil Potentilla simplex CPeas: Family Fabaceae__*Birdfoot Trefoil Lotus corniculatus C; native to Europe; distrubed areasSandalwoods: Family Santalaceae__Bastard Toad-flax Comandra umbellata R; found in dry, sandy or disturbed areasPolygalas: Family Polygalaceae__Seneca Snakeroot Polygala senega hWood Sorrels: Family Oxilidaceae__*Yellow Wood Sorrel Oxalis europaea C; native to Europe

Geraniums: Family Geraniacea__Wild Geranium Geranium maculatum C__*Herb-Robert Geranium robertianum O; native to Eurasia__Carolina Cranesbill Geranium carolinianum hMeadow-foams: Family Limnanthaceae__ False Mermaid Floerkea prosperpinacoides CGinsengs: Araliaceae__Wild Sarsaparilla Aralia nudicaulis O__American Ginseng Panax quinquefolius R__Dwarf Ginseng Panax trifolius RCarrots: Family Apiaceae__*Goutweed Aegopodium podagraria O; native toEurasia__Yellow Pimpernel Taenidia integerrima R__Golden Alexanders Zizia aurea O__Clustered Snakeroot Sanicula odorata C__Harbinger of Spring Erigenia bulbosa O__Honewort Cryptotaenia canadensis CGentians: Family Gentianceae__Pennywort Obelaria virginica hDogbanes: Family Apocynaceae__*Periwinkle Vinca minor C; native to Europe; highly invasivePhloxes: Polemoniaceae__Wild Blue or Forest Phlox Phlox divaricata C__Downy or Prairie Phlox Phlox pilosa R__Moss Phlox or Moss Pink Phlox subulata R__Greek Valerian or Jacob’s Ladder Polemonium reptans OWaterleaves: Family Hydrophyllaceae__Virginia Waterleaf Hydrophyllum virginianum O__Maple-leaved Waterleaf Hydrophyllum canadense O__Appendaged Waterleaf Hydrophyllum appendiculatum OBorages: Family Boraginaceae__Eastern Bluebell Mertensia virginica C__*True Forget-me-not Mysotis palustris C;native to Europe__Smaller Forget-me-not Myosotis laxa h__Wild Comfrey Cynoglossum virginianum h__*Hound’s Tongue Cynoglossum officinale R; native to Eurasia; found in disturbed areasMints: Family Lamiaceae__*Gill-over-the-ground Glechoma hederacea C; native to Eurasia; disturbed areas__Self-heal Prunella vulgaris C __Heal-all Prunella vulgaris lanceolata; R; native to Eurasia__*Purple Dead-Nettle Lamium purpureum C; native to Eurasia__*Bugle Weed Ajuga genevensis C; native to EurasiaFigworts: Family Scrophulariaceae__Hairy Beard-tongue Penstemon hirsutus R; clearings__Foxglove Beard-tongue Penstemon digitalis O; clearings__*Eastern Blue-eyed Mary Collinsia verna O__*Common Speedwell Veronica officinalis C; native to Europe__*Persian Speedwell Veronica persica C; native to Asia__*Thyme-leaved Speedwell Veronica serpyllifolia C; native to Europe__Wood Betony or Forest Lousewort Pedicularis canadensis R

CLASS MAGNOLIOPSIDA: DICOTYLEDONSBirthworts: Family Aristolochiaceae__Wild Ginger Asarum canadense CButtercups: Family Ranunculaceae__Marsh Marigold Caltha palustris O; wet areas__White Baneberry Actea pachypoda C__Wood Anemone Anemone quinquefolia O__Round-lobed Hepatica Hepatica americana R__Sharp-lobed Hepatica Hepatica acutiloba O__Hooked Crowfoot Ranunculus recurvatus O__Hispid Buttercup Ranunculus hispidus C; includes Swamp Buttercup R. septentrionalis__Early Buttercup Ranunculus fascicularis O; dry woods; may be declining__Small-flowered or Kidney-leaved Crowfoot Ranunculus abortivus C__*Tall Buttercup Ranunculus acris C; native to Europe; disturbed areas__*Creeping Buttercup Ranunculus repens O; native to Europe; disturbed areas __*Lesser Celandine Ranunculus ficaria C; native to Eurasia; wet areas; highly invasive__Wild Canada Columbine Aquilegia canadensis R__ False Rue Anemone Enemion biternatum O; generally west of Cuyahoga River __Rue Anemone Thalictrum thalictroides O__Early Meadow-rue Thalictrum dioicum C__Golden Seal Hydrastis canadensis RBarberries: Family Berberidaceae__May-apple Podophyllum peltatum C__ Twin-leaf Jeffersonia diphylla O__ Blue Cohosh Caulophyllum thalictroides CPoppies: Family Papaveraceae__Bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis CFumitories: Family Fumariaceae__Dutchman’s Breeches Dicentra cucullaria C__Squirrel-corn Dicentra canadensis CPurslanes: Family Portulacaceae__Spring Beauty Claytonia virginica CPinks: Family Caryophyllaceae__*Common Chickweed Stellaria media C; native to Eurasia__Star Chickweed Stellaria pubera O__Long-leaved Starwort Stellaria longifolia O__Deptford Pink Dianthus armeria R; clearings, disturbed areasViolets: Family Violaceae__Round-leaved Violet Viola rotundifolia R__ Arrow-leaved Violet Viola sagittata R__Northern Downy Violet Viola fimbriatula R__Blue Marsh Violet Viola cucullata O__Common Blue Violet Viola sororia C includes V. affinis, V. latiuscula, V. sororia, V. septentrionalis__Early Blue or Wood Violet Viola palmata O

How To Use This Checklist

The information in this checklist reflects our current understanding of the status of spring woodland wildflowers within Cleveland Metroparks. You can add to our understanding by being a knowledgeable observer. Record your observations and contact a naturalist if you find something of interest.

Species are listed taxonomically. Each species is listed with a common name, a scientific name and a note about its occurrence within Cleveland Metroparks (scientific names follow USDA Plants Database). Check off species that you identify within Cleveland Metroparks. This list includes those species of woodland wildflowers that are typically blooming between March and May.

Cleveland MetroparksOutdoor Experiences Division Administration .................................................... (216)881-8141Brecksville Nature Center................................ (440)526-1012CanalWay Center............................................... (216)206-1000 Garfield Park Center.......................................... (216)341-3152North Chagrin Nature Center and Look About Lodge .............................................. (440)473-3370Rocky River Nature Center............................. (440)734-6660Watershed Stewardship Center.......................(440)887-1968

RELATIVE ABUNDANCE

C = Common. Widespread and often numerous in proper habitat and season.

O = Occasional. Found at scattered locations, or widespread but in moderate numbers.

R = Rare. Represented by a few individuals or has a very restricted range within Cleveland Metroparks.

h = Hypothetical. Occurrence within Cleveland Metroparks possible but not confirmed.

X = Extirpated. Once occurred, but is no longer found in Cleveland Metroparks.

* = Alien or Exotic. Place of origin given.

NOTICE: Picking or removing wildflowers from Cleveland Metroparks is prohibited, except with a special permit for educational or scientific purposes.