The Northeast Creek basin consists of a mix of suburban yards, urban development, upland forests, upland old fields, freshwater marshes, swamp forest, floodplain pool, and bottomland forest. The plant communities are typical of each of these environments.
The links go to profiles of the plants in the PLANTS database of the US Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Northeast Creek – Canopy Species
Acer rubrum (red maple)
Acer saccharum (sugar maple)
Betula nigra (river birch)
Carya ovata (shagbark hickory)
Carya tomentosa (mockernut hickory)
Fagus grandifolia (American beech)
Liquidambar styraciflua (sweetgum)
Liriodendron tulipifera (tuliptree)
Nyssa sylvatica (blackgum)
Pinus echinata (shortleaf pine)
Pinus taeda (loblolly pine)
Platanus occidentalis (American sycamore)
Quercus alba (white oak)
Quercus bicolor (swamp white oak)
Quercus falcata var. pagodifolia (cherrybark oak)
Quercus lyrata (overcup oak)
Quercus michauxii (swamp chestnut oak)
Quercus phellos (willow oak)
Ulmus americana (American elm)
Northeast Creek – Subcanopy Species
Acer negundo (boxelder)
Albizia julibrissin (silktree)
Amelanchier arborea (common serviceberry)
Amelanchier canadensis (Canadian serviceberry)
Aralia spinosa (devil’s walkingstick)
Asimina triloba (pawpaw)
Cornus amomum (silky dogwood)
Cornus florida (flowering dogwood)
Carpinus caroliniana (American hornbeam)
Cercis canadensis (eastern redbud)
Crataegus viridis (green hawthorn)
Diospyros virginiana (common persimmon)
Fraxinus americana (white ash)
Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash)
Juniperus virginiana (eastern redcedar)
Morus rubra (red mulberry)
Ostrya virginiana (hophornbeam)
Oxydendrum arboreum (sourwood)
Salix nigra (black willow)
Sassafras albidum (sassafras)
Staphylea trifolia (American bladdernut)
Northeast Creek – Shrubs
Aesculus sylvatica (painted buckeye)
Cephalanthus occidentalis (common buttonbush)
Baccharis halimifolia (eastern baccharis)
Crataegus marshallii (parsley hawthorn)
Ilex decidua (possumhaw)
Ilex opaca (American holly)
Ilex verticillata (common winterberry)
Myrica cerifera (wax myrtle)
Ligustrum sinense (Chinese privet)
Rhododendron nudiflorum (pink azalea)
Rosa carolina (Carolina rose)
Rosa multiflora (multiflora rose)
Rosa palustris (swamp rose)
Rhus copallinum (winged sumac)
Rhus glabra (smooth sumac)
Sambucus canadensis (American black elderberry)
Photinia pyrifolia (Sorbus arbutifolia) (red chokeberry)
Symphoriocarpos orbiculatus (coralberry)
Vaccinium arboreum (farkleberry)
Vaccinium atrococcum (black highbush blueberry)
Vaccinium corymbosum (highbush blueberry)
Vaccinium stamineum (deerberry)
Vaccinium vacillans (Blue Ridge blueberry)
Viburnum acerifolium (mapleleaf viburnum)
Viburnum dentatum (southern arrowwood)
Viburnum prunifolium (blackhaw)
Viburnum rafinesqueanum (downy arrowwood)
Yucca filamentosa (Adam’s needle)
Northeast Creek – Vines
Bignonia capreolata (Anisostichus capreolata) (crossvine)
Campsis radicans (trumpet creeper)
Gelsemium sempervirens (evening trumpetflower)
Lonicera japonica (Japanese honeysuckle)
Lonicera sempervirens (trumpet honeysuckle)
Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper)
Smilax bona-nox (saw greenbrier)
Smilax rotundifolia (roundleaf greenbrier)
Smilax walteri (coral greenbrier)
Smilax sp. (greenbrier)
Vitis rotundifolia (muscadine)
Vitis labrusca (fox grape)
Vitis aestivalis (summer grape)
Northeast Creek – Ferns
Asplenium platyneuron (ebony spleenwort)
Athyrium aspleniodes (asplenium ladyfern)
Botrychium biternatum (sparselobe grapefern)
Botrychium virginianum (rattlesnake fern)
Dryopteris sp. (woodfern)
Lycopodium flabelliforme (fan clubmoss)
Onoclea sensibilis (sensitive fern)
Ophioglossum vulgatum (southern adderstongue)
Polypodium polypodioides (resurrection fern)
Osmunda cinnamomea (cinnamon fern)
Osmunda claytoniana (interrupted fern)
Osmunda regalis (royal fern)
Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas fern)
Pteridium aquilinum (western brackenfern)
Thelypteris palustris (eastern marsh fern)
Thelypteris noveboracensis (New York fern)
Northeast Creek – Herbs
Acalypha sp. (copperleaf)
Achillea millefolium (common yarrow)
Agalinis purpurea (purple false foxglove)
Agalinis tenuifolia (slenderleaf false foxglove)
Agrimonia parviflora (harvestlice)
Aletris farinosa (white colicroot)
Alisma subcordatum (American water plantain)
Allium canadense (meadow garlic)
Allium vineale (wild garlic)
Ambrosia artemisiifolia (annual ragweed)
Amphicarpea bracteata (American hogpeanut)
Amsonia tabernaemontana (eastern bluestar)
Anemone virginiana (tall thimbleweed)
Aplectrum hyemale (Adam and Eve)
Apocynum cannabinum (Indianhemp)
Arisaema triphyllum (Jack in the pulpit)
Artemisia vulgaris (common wormwood)
Asclepias incarnata (swamp milkweed)
Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed)
Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly milkweed)
Asclepias variegata (redring milkweed)
Eurybia divaricatus (Aster divaricatus) (white wood aster)
Symphyotrichum dumosus (Aster dumosus) (rice button aster)
Symphyotrichum grandiflorum (Aster grandiflora) (largeflower aster)
Symphyotrichum lateriflorum (Aster lateriflorus) (calico aster)
Ionactis linarifolium (Aster linariifolius) (flaxleaf whitetop aster)
Symphyotrichum patens (Aster patens) (late purple aster)
Sericocarpus asteroides (Aster paternus) (toothed whitetop aster)
Symphyotrichum pilosum (Aster pilosum) (hairy white oldfield aster)
Seriocarpus linifolius (Aster solidagineus) (narrowleaf whitetop aster)
Aureolaria virginica (downy yellow false foxglove)
Baptisia tinctoria (horseflyweed)
Barbarea verna (early yellowrocket)
Bidens aristosa (bearded beggarticks)
Bidens discoidea (small beggarticks)
Bidens frondosa (devil’s beggartick)
Bidens tripartita (threelobe beggartick)
Arnoglossum atriplicifolia (Cacalia atriplicifolia) (pale Indian plantain)
Cardamine angustata (slender toothwort)
Cardamine douglassii (limestone bittercress)
Cardamine hirsuta (hairy bittercress)
Carduus sp. (plumeless thistle)
Cassia fasciculata (partridge pea)
Cassia hebecarpa (American senna)
Chamaecrista nictitans (Cassia nictitans) (sensitive partridge pea)
Ceanothus americanus (New Jersey tea)
Centrosema virginianum (spurred butterfly pea)
Chaerophyllum tainturieri (hairyfruit chervil)
Chamaelirium luteum (fairywand)
Chelone glabra (white turtlehead)
Chimaphila maculata (striped prince’s pine)
Leucanthemum vulgare (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum) (oxeye daisy)
Chrysogonum virginianum (green and gold)
Cicuta maculata (spotted water hemlock)
Claytonia virginica (Virginia springbeauty)
Clematis virginiana (devil’s darning needles)
Clitoria mariana (Atlantic pigeonwings)
Commelina communis (Asiatic dayflower)
Commelina diffusa (climbing dayflower)
Commelina erecta (whitemouth dayflower)
Commelina virginica (Virginia dayflower)
Corallorhiza odontorhiza (autumn coralroot)
Coreopsis auriculata (lobed tickseed)
Coreopsis major (greater tickseed)
Coreopsis tripteris (tall tickseed)
Coreopsis verticillata (whorled tickseed)
Cryptotaenia canadensis (Canadian honewort)
Cunila origanoides (common dittany)
Cuphea viscosissima (blue waxweed)
Datura stramonium (jimsonweed)
Daucus carota (Queen Anne’s lace)
Desmodium lineatum (sand ticktrefoil)
Desmodium nudiflorum (nakedflower ticktrefoil)
Desmodium sp. (ticktrefoil)
Dianthus armeria (Deptford pink)
Diodia teres (poorjoe)
Diodia virginiana (Virginia buttonweed)
Dioscorea batatas (Chinese yam)
Dioscorea villosa (wild yam)
Duchesnea indica (Indian strawberry)
Dulichium arundinaceum (threeway sedge)
Eclipta alba (false daisy)
Elephantopus caroliniana (Carolina elephantsfoot)
Elephantopus tomentosa (devil’s grandmother)
Epifagus virginiana (beechdrops)
Erigeron annuus (eastern daisy fleabane)
Conyza canadensis (Erigeron canadensis) (Canadian horeseweed)
Erigeron strigosus (prairie fleabane)
Erythronium americanum (dogtooth violet or troutlily)
Erythronium umbilicatum (dimpled troutlily)
Eupatorium capillifolium (dogfennel)
Eupatorium dubium (coastal plain joe pye weed)
Eupatoriadelphus fistulosus (trumpetweed)
Eupatorium hyssopifolia (hyssopleaf thoroughwort)
Eupatorium perfoliatum (common boneset)
Eupatorium rotundifolium (roundleaf thoroughwort)
Eupatorium serotinum (lateflowering thoroughwort)
Euonymous americanus (bursting heart)
Euphorbia corollata (flowering spurge)
Euphorbia sp. (spurge)
Euthamia caroliniana (Euthamia microcephala) (slender goldentop)
Fragaria virginiana (Virginia strawberry)
Galium aparine (stickywilly)
Galium pilosum (hairy bedstraw)
Galium tinctorium (stiff marsh bedstraw)
Galium sp. (bedstraw)
Gentiana villosa (striped gentian)
Geranium carolinianum (Carolina geranium)
Geranium maculatum (spotted geranium)
Geum canadense (white avens)
Geum virginianum (cream avens)
Gillenia stipulata (Porteranthus stipulatus) (American ipecac, Indian physic)
Gamochaeta purpurea (Gnaphalium purpureum) (spoonleaf purple everlasting)
Goodyera pubescens (downy rattlenake plantain)
Gratiola pilosa (shaggy hedgehyssop)
Platanthera cristata (Habenaria cristata) (crested yellow orchid)
Helenium amarum (yellowdicks)
Helenium autumnale (common sneezeweed)
Helianthus divaricatus (woodland sunflower)
Helianthus angustifolius (swamp sunflower)
Helianthus atrorubens (purpledisk sunflower)
Hemerocallis fulva (orange daylily)
Hepatica nobilis Schreb. var. obtusa (Hepatica americana (roundlobe hepatica)
Pityopsis graminifolia (Heterotheca graminofolia) (narrowleaf silkgrass)
Chrysopsis mariana (Heterotheca mariana)
Heuchera americana (American alumroot)
Hexastylis arifolia (littlebrownjug)
Hexastylis minor (little heartleaf)
Hexastylis virginica (Virginia heartleaf)
Hibiscus moscheutos (crimsoneye rosemallow)
Hieracium gronovii (queendevil)
Hieracium venosum (rattlesnakeweed)
Houstonia caerulea (azure bluet)
Houstonia purpurea (Venus’s pride)
Houstonia pusilla (tiny bluet)
Hypericum denticulotum (coppery St. Johnswort)
Hypericum drummondii (nits and lice)
Hypericum gentianoides (orangegrass)
Hypericum hypericoides (St. Andrew’s cross)
Hypericum gymnanthum (naked St. Johnswort)
Hypericum mutilum (dwarf St. Johnswort)
Hypericum punctatum (spotted St. Johnswort)
Hypericum crux-andreae (Hypericum stans) (St. Peterswort)
Hypericum hypericoides ssp. multicaule (Hypericum stragulum) (St. Andrew’s cross)
Hypoxis hirsuta (common goldstar)
Impatiens capensis (jewelweed)
Ipomoea coccinea (redstar)
Ipomoea hederacea (ivyleaf morning-glory)
Ipomoea lacunosa (whitestar)
Ipomoea pandurata (man of the earth)
Ipomoea purpurea (tall morning-glory)
Iris cristata (dwarf crested iris)
Juncus acuminatus (tapertip rush)
Juncus effusus (common rush)
Krigia dandelion (potato dwarf dandelion)
Krigia virginica (dwarf dandelion)
Brickellia eupatorioides var. chlorolepis (Kuhnia eupatoriodes) (false boneset)
Lactuca spp. (lettuce)
Lamium amplexicaule (henbit deadnettle)
Lamium purpureum (purple deadnettle)
Laportea canadensis (Canadian woodnettle)
Lechea racemulosa (Illinois pinweed)
Lemna perpusilla (minute duckweed)
Liatris pilosa var. pilosa (Liatris graminifolia) (shaggy blazing star)
Lindernia dubia (yellowseed false pimpernel)
Linum virginianum (woodland flax)
Liparis liliifolia (brown widelip orchid)
Lobelia cardinalis (cardinalflower)
Lobelia inflata (Indian-tobacco)
Lobelia nuttallii (Nuttall’s lobelia)
Lobelia puberula (downy lobelia)
Lobelia spicata (palespike lobelia)
Ludwigia alternifolia (seedbox)
Ludwigia palustris (marsh seedbox)
Luzula acuminata (hairy woodrush)
Luzula echinata (hedgehog woodrush)
Lycopus virginicus (Viriginia water horehound)
Lysimachia ciliata (fringed loosestrife)
Lysimachia quadrifolia (whorled yellow loosestrife)
Malaxis unifolia (green adder’s-mouth orchid)
Marshallia obovata (spoonshape Barbara’s buttons)
Matelea gonocarpus (angularfruit milkvine)
Matelea sp. (milkvine)
Mecardonia acuminata (axilflower)
Melilotus officinalis (Melilotus alba) (yellow sweetclover, white sweetclover, honey-clover)
Melothria pendula (Guadaloupe cucumber)
Menispermum canadense (common moonseed)
Mentha aquatica (Mentha piperita) (water mint)
Mikania scandens (climbing hempvine)
Mimulus alatus (sharpwing monkeyflower)
Mimulus ringens (Allegheny monkeyflower)
Mitchella repens (partridgeberry)
Mollugo verticillata (green carpetweed)
Monotropa sp. (Indianpipe)
Oenothera biennis (common evening primrose)
Oenothera fruticosa (narrowleaf evening primrose)
Oenothera laciniata (cutleaf evening primrose)
Ophioglossum vulgatum var. pycnostichum (southern adderstongue)
Oxalis violacea (violet woodsorrel)
Oxalis stricta (common yellow oxalis)
Parthenium integrifolium (wild quinine)
Passiflora incarnata (purple passionflower, maypop)
Passiflora lutea (yellow passionflower)
Peltandra virginica (green arrow arum)
Penstemon laevigatus (eastern smooth beardtongue)
Perilla frutescens (beefsteakplant)
Phlox nivalis (trailing phlox)
Phoradendron serotinum (oak mistletoe)
Phryma leptostachya (American lopseed)
Phyllanthus caroliniensis (Carolina leaf-flower)
Physalis virginiana (Virginia groundcherry)
Phytolacca americana (American pokeweed)
Pilea pumila (Canadian clearweed)
Pluchea camphorata (camphor pluchea)
Podophyllum peltatum (mayapple)
Polygala curtissii (Curtiss’s milkwort)
Polygala incarnata (procession flower)
Polygonatum biflorum (smooth Solomon’s seal)
Polygonum arifolium (halberdleaf tearthumb)
Polygonum cespitosum (Oriental lady’s thumb)
Polygonum densiflorum (denseflower knotweed)
Polygonum pensylvanicum (Pennsylvania smartweed)
Polygonum sagittatum (arrowleaf tearthumb)
Polygonum scandens (climbing false buckwheat)
Polygonum setaceum (bog smartweed)
Potentilla canadensis (dwarf cinquefoil)
Potentilla simplex (common cinquefoil)
Prenanthes altissima (tall rattlesnakeroot)
Prunella vulgaris (common selfheal)
Ptilimnium capillaceum (herbwilliam)
Pycnanthemum incanum (hoary mountainmint)
Pycnanthemum tenuifolium (narrowleaf mountainmint)
Pycnanthemum verticillatum (whorled mountainmint)
Pyrola americana (Pyrola rotundifolia americana) (American wintergreen)
Ranunculus abortivus (littleleaf buttercup)
Ranunculus hispidus (bristly buttercup)
Ranunculus parviflorus (smallflower buttercup)
Ranunculus spp. (buttercup)
Rhexia mariana (Maryland meadowbeauty)
Rhynchosia tomentosa (twisted snoutbean)
Ruellia caroliniensis (Carolina wild petunia)
Rudbeckia fulgida (orange coneflower)
Rudbeckia hirta (blackeyed Susan)
Rudbeckia laciniata (cutleaf coneflower)
Rumex acetosella (common sheep sorrel)
Rumex crispus (curly dock)
Sabatia angularis (rosepink)
Salvia lyrata (lyreleaf sage)
Samolus valerandi ssp. parviflora (Samolus parviflora) (seaside brookweed)
Sanicula canadensis (Canadian blacksnakeroot)
Sanicula smallii (Small’s blacksnakeroot)
Saururus cernuus (lizard’s tail)
Saxifraga virginiensis (early saxifrage)
Scutellaria elliptica (hairy skullcap)
Scutellaria integrifolia (helmet flower)
Scutellaria lateriflora (blue skullcap
Sedum ternatum (woodland stonecrop)
Sanicula smallii (Small’s blacksnakeroot)
Sida spinosa (prickly fanpetals)
Silene antirrhina (sleepy silene)
Silphium asteriscus (starry rosinweed)
Silphium compositum (kidneyleaf rosinweed)
Sisyrinchium angustifolium (narrow blue-eyed grass)
Sisyrinchium mucronatum (needletip blue-eyed grass)
Maianthemum racemosum ssp. racemosum (Smilacina racemosa) (feathery false lily of the valley)
Solanum carolinense (Carolina horsenettle)
Solidago altissima (Canada goldenrod)
Solidago arguta (Atlantic goldenrod)
Solidago bicolor (white goldenrod)
Solidago caesia (wreath goldenrod)
Solidago nemoralis (gray goldenrod)
Solidago odora (anisescented goldenrod)
Solidago pinetorum (Small’s goldenrod)
Solidago rugosa (wrinkleleaf goldenrod)
Spiranthes ovalis (October lady’s tresses)
Spiranthes vernalis (spring lady’s tresses)
Stellaria graminea (grass-like starwort)
Stellaria media (common chickweed)
Stellaria pubera (star chickweed)
Strophostyles umbellata (pink fuzzybean)
Stylosanthes biflora (sidebeak pencilflower)
Tephrosia spicata (spiked hoarypea)
Tephrosia virginiana (Virginia tephrosia)
Thalictrum revolutum (waxyleaf meadow-rue)
Thalictrum thalictroides (rue anemone)
Thaspium barbinode (hairy-joint meadowparsnip)
Tiarella cordifolia (heartleaf foamflower)
Tipularia discolor (crippled cranefly)
Tovara virginiana (jumpseed)
Trichostema dichotomum (forked bluecurls)
Trifolium spp. (clover)
Typha latifolia (broadleaf cattail)
Uvularia perfoliata (perfoliate bellwort)
Uvularia sessilifolia (sessileleaf bellwort)
Verbena urticifolia (white vervain)
Verbascum blattaria (moth mullein)
Verbascum thapsus (common mullein)
Vernonia glauca (broadleaf ironweed)
Vernonia noveboracensis (New York ironweed)
Veronica arvensis (corn speedwell)
Veronica peregrina (neckweed)
Vicia angustifolia (garden vetch)
Vicia caroliniana (Carolina vetch)
Vicia grandiflora (large yellow vetch)
Viola affinis (sand violet)
Viola triloba (Viola palmata) (three-lobe violet)
Viola papilionacea (common blue violet)
Viola primulfolia (primrose-leaf violet)
Viola bicolor (Viola rafinesquei) (field pansy)
Zephyranthes atamasca (Atamasco lily)
Zizia sp. (zizia)