St. Croix State Park
About • Location • Activities • Ecology
About |
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Overview |
St. Croix State Park is Minnesota’s largest state park. Unlike Itasca State Park this park does not have a designated wildlife drive. However, it does have 25 miles of forested road to explore between St. John’s Landing in the east and Maple Island and Eagle Bend in the west. |
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Location |
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Size |
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34,086 acres statutory, 31,727 owned |
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Parking |
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30065 St. Croix Park Road N45 56.777, W92 36.385 |
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Hours |
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Daily from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m. |
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Fees |
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Daily park permit: $7 Annual park permit: $35 |
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Maps |
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Activities |
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Hiking Biking Mountain biking Horseback riding Picnicking Camping Backpacking Rock climbing and bouldering Swimming Boating Canoeing Birding Nature photography Geocaching Cross country skiing Skate-skiing Winter hiking Snowshoeing Snowmobiling |
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Trails |
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Hunting and Fishing |
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No hunting. The park may hold one or more managed hunts in the fall. In most cases, Minnesota residents do not need a permit to fish in Minnesota State Parks. |
Ecology |
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Ecological Classification |
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| Ecological Province |  |
Laurentian Mixed Forest Province |
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| Ecological Section |  |
Western Superior Uplands |
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| Ecological Subsection |  |
Mille Lacs Uplands |
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| Land Type Association | Cloverdale Sand Plain Duxbury Moraine St. Croix Terraces |
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Native Plant Communities* |
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Alder - (Maple - Loosestrife) Swamp Alder - (Red Currant - Meadow-Rue) Swamp Basswood - Black Ash Forest Black Ash - (Red Maple) Seepage Swamp Black Ash - Silver Maple Terrace Forest Black Ash - Yellow Birch - Red Maple - Alder Swamp (Eastcentral) Black Ash - Yellow Birch - Red Maple - Basswood Swamp (Eastcentral) Black Spruce Bog: Semi-Treed Subtype Central Dry-Mesic Oak-Aspen Forest Central Dry-Mesic Wet-Mesic Hardwood Complex Central Dry Oak-Aspen (Pine) Woodland Central Mesic Hardwood Forest (Eastern) Central Wet-Mesic Hardwood Forest Dry Barrens Oak Savanna (Southern), Jack Pine Subtype Jack Pine - Oak Woodland Low Shrub Bog Low Shrub Poor Fen Lowland White Cedar Forest (Northern) Northern Mixed Cattail Marsh Northern Wet-Mesic Boreal Hardwood-Conifer Forest Oak - Aspen Woodland Poor Black Spruce Swamp Poor Tamarack - Black Spruce Swamp: Tamarack Subtype Rich Tamarack Swamp (Eastcentral) Sedge Meadow Silver Maple - (Sensitive Fern) Floodplain Forest Willow - Dogwood Shrub Swamp Willow Sandbar Shrubland (River) |
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| * Source: The Minnesota Biological Survey, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Division of Ecological Resources | |||||
Natural Features |
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Visitor Photos |
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Kirk Nelson |
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Ed Oliveras |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Park road |
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Kettle River |
St. Croix River | |
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Bear Creek Trail |
Kennedy Brook Trail | |
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Kettle River Trail |
Two Rivers Trail | |
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Trail junction |
Basswood - Black Ash Forest | |
Slideshows |
St Croix State Park |
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About
St Croix State Park, MN |
Visitor Videos |
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Other Videos |
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St Croix St Park Blowdown.AVI |
About
Uploaded on Sep 20, 2011 Driving through St. Croix State Park near Hinkley, MN. This is some of the blowdown area from the July 1st straightline winds that affected nearly 31-thousand acres of trees in the park. |
St Croix State Park |
About
Published on Jan 8, 2014 No description available. |
Shugs St. Croix Saunter Part 1 |
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Uploaded on Nov 10, 2008 Took a two night "gear testing" trip to a Minnesota State Park. Only had a short time to camp and it was weapon deer hunting season opener so I had to be careful where I hung my hammock. Was going way up North but lots of the Superior Hiking Trail closed on Nov. 8 for hunting and time was already short. St. Croix trails are multi use so the hike is not challenging but camp time was fun in the cold rain, wind and snow flurries. Long walks as the park is HUGE. The usual palaver as well as some "Gear Gab". Check out the "Stickpic"by Rodney Java http://thestickpic.com and the "Bushwacker Wood Burning Stove" by J. Falk. http://www.trailgear.org Pop Tart Talk as well. Mmmmm. More "Gear Gab" and stuff in Part 2.....coming soon! Thanks for joining me. |
Shugs St. Croix Saunter Part 2 |
About
Uploaded on Nov 11, 2008 The continuation of my trip in Minnesota. Lots of me being a doof as well as "Gear Gab" on Jacks "R" Better Down Sleeves http://jacksrbetter.com, DIY fabric from Speer Hammocks http://speerhammocks.com and other bits and bobs. Check out the "Out-takes" at the very end....... |
Visitor Sightings |
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Pat Luke and Austin |
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Fungi and Lichens |
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| Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria) |  |
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Brad Johnson |
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Fungi and Lichens |
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| False Death Cap (Amanita citrina) |  |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
Visits |
6/24/2004 6/10/2015 |
Amphibians |
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Fishes |
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Fungi and Lichens |
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Crown Rust (Puccinia coronata) False Turkey Tail (Stereum ostrea) |
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Insects and Arachnids |
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American carrion beetle (Necrophila americana) American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) American nursery web spider (Pisaurina mira) black cherry finger gall mite (Eriophyes cerasicrumena) blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) clouded sulphur (Colias philodice) dusky stink bug (Euschistus tristigmus luridus) eastern tiger swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) ebony jewelwing (Calopteryx maculata) elm finger gall mite (Aceria parulmi) forest tent caterpillar moth (Malacosoma disstria) linden looper (Erannis tiliaria) little wood satyr (Megisto cymela) maple bladdergall mite (Vasates quadripedes) northern crescent (Phyciodes cocyta) ocellate gall midge (Acericecis ocellaris) rapids clubtail (Gomphus quadricolor) red nail gall mite (Eriophyes tiliae) red-blue checkered beetle (Trichodes nutalli) red-spotted purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax) river jewelwing (Calopteryx aequabilis) round-necked longhorn beetle (Clytus ruricola) silver-spotted skipper (Epargyreus clarus) silvery checkerspot (Chlosyne nycteis) spongy oak apple gall wasp (Amphibolips confluenta) toothed somberwing (Euclidia cuspidea) twelve-spotted skimmer (Libellula pulchella) western honey bee (Apis mellifera) |
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Mammals |
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American black bear (Ursus americanus) |
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Plants |
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Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas and Minnesota Biological Survey Vegetation Releves Plant List |
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Plants frequently found in: Alder - (Maple - Loosestrife) Swamp FPn73a Alder - (Red Currant - Meadow-Rue) Swamp WFn74a (Fact sheet not available) Basswood - Black Ash Forest MHc47a Black Ash - (Red Maple) Seepage Swamp WFs57a Black Ash - Silver Maple Terrace Forest FFn57a Black Ash - Yellow Birch - Red Maple - Alder Swamp (Eastcentral) WFn64b Black Ash - Yellow Birch - Red Maple - Basswood Swamp (Eastcentral) WFn55b Black Spruce Bog: Semi-Treed Subtype APn80a2 Central Dry-Mesic Oak-Aspen Forest MHc26 Central Dry Oak-Aspen (Pine) Woodland FDc25 Central Mesic Hardwood Forest (Eastern) MHc36 Central Wet-Mesic Hardwood Forest MHc47 Dry Barrens Oak Savanna (Southern), Jack Pine Subtype UPs14a1 Jack Pine - Oak Woodland FDc25a Lowland White Cedar Forest (Northern) WFn53b Northern Mixed Cattail Marsh MRn83 Northern Wet-Mesic Boreal Hardwood-Conifer Forest MHn44 Poor Black Spruce Swamp APn81a Poor Tamarack - Black Spruce Swamp: Tamarack Subtype APn81b2 Rich Tamarack Swamp (Eastcentral) FPn72a Silver Maple - (Sensitive Fern) Floodplain Forest FFn67a |
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Allegheny blackberry (Rubus allegheniensis) alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum) American basswood (Tilia americana var. americana) American cow parsnip (Heracleum maximum) American elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) American elm (Ulmus americana) American highbush cranberry (Viburnum opulus var. americanum) American hog peanut (Amphicarpaea bracteata var. bracteata) American hophornbeam (Ostrya virginiana var. virginiana) American twinflower (Linnaea borealis ssp. americana) American woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca ssp. americana) bastard toadflax (Comandra umbellata ssp. umbellata) beaked hazelnut (Corylus cornuta var. cornuta) bigleaf aster (Eurybia macrophylla) bigtooth aspen (Populus grandidentata) black cherry (Prunus serotina var. serotina) black medick (Medicago lupulina) black-seeded plantain (Plantago rugelii var. rugelii) bland sweet cicely (Osmorhiza claytonii) bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) Blue Ridge carrionflower (Smilax lasioneura) bristly buttercup (Ranunculus hispidus var. caricetorum) bunchberry (Cornus canadensis) bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa) Canada anemone (Anemonastrum canadense) Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense) Canadian wild ginger (Asarum canadense) candle anemone (Anemone cylindrica) chokecherry (Prunus virginiana var. virginiana) clustered black snakeroot (Sanicula odorata) common blue violet (Viola sororia) common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) common cinquefoil (Potentilla simplex) common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale) common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) common false Solomon’s seal (Maianthemum racemosum var. racemosum) common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) common mullein (Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus) common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) common yarrow (Achillea millefolium) cream pea (Lathyrus ochroleucus) cut-leaved coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata var. laciniata) desert false indigo (Amorpha fruticosa) dotted hawthorn (Crataegus punctata) downy arrowwood (Viburnum rafinesqueanum) downy Parlin’s pussytoes (Antennaria parlinii ssp. fallax) dwarf raspberry (Rubus pubescens) early meadow-rue (Thalictrum dioicum) eastern prickly gooseberry (Ribes cynosbati) eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) field horsetail (Equisetum arvense) fragrant bedstraw (Galium triflorum) garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea) golden alexanders (Zizia aurea) gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa) green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) hedge bindweed (Calystegia sepium) hoary alyssum (Berteroa incana) Indian hemp (Apocynum cannabinum) interrupted fern (Claytosmunda claytoniana) jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) kidney-leaved buttercup (Ranunculus abortivus) large-flowered bellwort (Uvularia grandiflora) large-flowered trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) long-leaved bluet (Houstonia longifolia) Maryland black snakeroot (Sanicula marilandica) meadow horsetail (Equisetum pratense) Michigan lily (Lilium michiganense) mountain maple (Acer spicatum) narrow-leaved hawkweed (Hieracium umbellatum) nodding trillium (Trillium cernuum) northern bedstraw (Galium boreale) northern blue flag (Iris versicolor) northern bush honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera) northern lady fern (Athyrium filix-femina var. angustum) northern maidenhair (Adiantum pedatum) northern pin oak (Quercus ellipsoidalis) northern prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum) northern red oak (Quercus rubra) northern starflower (Lysimachia borealis) orange hawkweed (Pilosella aurantiaca) ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris var. pensylvanica) pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) paper birch (Betula papyrifera) Philadelphia fleabane (Erigeron philadelphicus var. philadelphicus) pointed-leaved tick-trefoil (Hylodesmum glutinosum) poke milkweed (Asclepias exaltata) prairie blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium campestre) prairie peppergrass (Lepidium densiflorum) prickly rose (Rosa acicularis ssp. sayi) purple meadow-rue (Thalictrum dasycarpum) quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) red clover (Trifolium pratense) red maple (Acer rubrum var. rubrum) rose twisted-stalk (Streptopus lanceolatus var. longipipes) rosy sedge (Carex rosea) rough cinquefoil (Potentilla norvegica) round-leaved dogwood (Cornus rugosa) scouring rush horsetail (Equisetum hyemale ssp. affine) sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis) sharp-lobed hepatica (Anemone acutiloba) silver maple (Acer saccharinum) silvery cinquefoil (Potentilla argentea) slender willow (Salix petiolaris) smooth rose (Rosa blanda var. blanda) smooth Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum) speckled alder (Alnus incana ssp. rugosa) spotted touch-me-not (Impatiens capensis) spreading dogbane (Apocynum androsaemifolium) sugar maple (Acer saccharum ssp. saccharum) sundial lupine (Lupinus perennis var. perennis) swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata ssp. incarnata) swamp thistle (Cirsium muticum) sweet fern (Comptonia peregrina) tall cinquefoil (Drymocallis arguta) tall thimbleweed (Anemone virginiana) timothy (Phleum pratense ssp. pratense) upright carrionflower (Smilax ecirrhata) veiny pea (Lathyrus venosus var. intonsus) Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) Virginia waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum var. virginianum) western bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum var. latiusculum) western poison ivy (Toxicodendron rydbergii) white clover (Trifolium repens ssp. repens) wild blue phlox (Phlox divaricata ssp. laphamii) wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) wild geranium (Geranium maculatum) wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis) wild strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) wood betony (Pedicularis canadensis ssp. canadensis) woodbine (Parthenocissus vitacea) woodland horsetail (Equisetum sylvaticum) wool grass (Scirpus cyperinus) yellow goat’s beard (Tragopogon dubius)
Acer rubrum var. rubrum (red maple) Acer saccharinum (silver maple) Acer saccharum ssp. saccharum (sugar maple) Acer spicatum (mountain maple) Achillea millefolium (common yarrow) Adiantum pedatum (northern maidenhair) Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard) Alnus incana ssp. rugosa (speckled alder) Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed) Amorpha fruticosa (desert false indigo) Amphicarpaea bracteata var. bracteata (hog peanut) Anemone acutiloba (sharp-lobed hepatica) Anemonastrum canadense (Canada anemone) Anemone cylindrica (candle anemone) Anemone virginiana (tall thimbleweed) Antennaria parlinii ssp. fallax (downy Parlin’s pussytoes) Apocynum androsaemifolium (spreading dogbane) Apocynum cannabinum (Indian hemp) Aquilegia canadensis (wild columbine) Aralia nudicaulis (wild sarsaparilla) Arisaema triphyllum (Jack-in-the-pulpit) Asarum canadense (Canadian wild ginger) Asclepias exaltata (poke milkweed) Asclepias incarnata ssp. incarnata (swamp milkweed) Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed) Athyrium filix-femina var. angustum (northern lady fern) Berteroa incana (hoary alyssum) Betula papyrifera (paper birch) Calystegia sepium (hedge bindweed) Carex rosea (rosy sedge) Caulophyllum thalictroides (blue cohosh) Cirsium muticum (swamp thistle) Comandra umbellata ssp. umbellata (bastard toadflax) Comptonia peregrina (sweet fern) Cornus alternifolia (pagoda dogwood) Cornus canadensis (bunchberry) Cornus racemosa (gray dogwood) Cornus rugosa (round-leaved dogwood) Corylus cornuta var. cornuta (beaked hazelnut) Crataegus punctata (dotted hawthorn) Diervilla lonicera (northern bush honeysuckle) Drymocallis arguta (tall cinquefoil) Equisetum arvense (field horsetail) Equisetum hyemale ssp. affine (scouring rush horsetail) Equisetum pratense (meadow horsetail) Equisetum sylvaticum (woodland horsetail) Erigeron philadelphicus var. philadelphicus (Philadelphia fleabane) Eurybia macrophylla (bigleaf aster) Fragaria vesca ssp. americana (American woodland strawberry) Fragaria virginiana (wild strawberry) Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash) Galium boreale (northern bedstraw) Galium triflorum (fragrant bedstraw) Geranium maculatum (wild geranium) Heracleum maximum (American cow parsnip) Hieracium umbellatum (narrow-leaved hawkweed) Houstonia longifolia (long-leaved bluet) Hydrophyllum virginianum var. virginianum (Virginia waterleaf) Hylodesmum glutinosum (pointed-leaved tick-trefoil) Impatiens capensis (spotted touch-me-not) Iris versicolor (northern blue flag) Lathyrus ochroleucus (cream pea) Lathyrus venosus var. intonsus) (veiny pea) Lepidium densiflorum (prairie peppergrass) Lilium michiganense (Michigan lily) Linnaea borealis ssp. americana (American twinflower) Lupinus perennis var. perennis (sundial lupine) Lysimachia borealis (northern starflower) Maianthemum canadense (Canada mayflower) Maianthemum racemosum var. racemosum (common false Solomon’s seal) Matteuccia struthiopteris var. pensylvanica (ostrich fern) Medicago lupulina (black medick) Oenothera biennis (common evening primrose) Onoclea sensibilis (sensitive fern) Osmorhiza claytonii (bland sweet cicely) Claytosmunda claytoniana (interrupted fern) Ostrya virginiana var. virginiana (American hophornbeam) Oxalis stricta (yellow wood sorrel) Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper) Parthenocissus vitacea (woodbine) Pedicularis canadensis ssp. canadensis (wood betony) Phleum pratense ssp. pratense (timothy) Phlox divaricata ssp. laphamii (wild blue phlox) Pilosella aurantiaca (orange hawkweed) Pinus strobus (eastern white pine) Plantago rugelii var. rugelii (black-seeded plantain) Polygonatum biflorum var. commutatum (smooth Solomon’s seal) Populus grandidentata (bigtooth aspen) Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen) Potentilla argentea (silvery cinquefoil) Potentilla norvegica (rough cinquefoil) Potentilla simplex (common cinquefoil) Prunus serotina var. serotina (black cherry) Prunus virginiana var. virginiana (chokecherry) Pteridium aquilinum var. latiusculum (western bracken fern) Quercus ellipsoidalis (northern pin oak) Quercus macrocarpa var. macrocarpa (bur oak) Quercus rubra (northern red oak) Ranunculus abortivus (kidney-leaved buttercup) Ranunculus hispidus var. caricetorum (bristly buttercup) Rhamnus cathartica (common buckthorn) Ribes cynosbati (eastern prickly gooseberry) Rosa acicularis ssp. sayi (prickly rose) Rosa blanda var. blanda (smooth rose) Rubus allegheniensis (Allegheny blackberry) Rubus pubescens (dwarf raspberry) Rudbeckia laciniata var. laciniata (cut-leaved coneflower) Salix petiolaris (slender willow) Sambucus canadensis (American elderberry) Sanguinaria canadensis (bloodroot) Sanicula marilandica (Maryland black snakeroot) Sanicula odorata (clustered black snakeroot) Scirpus cyperinus (wool grass) Sisyrinchium campestre (prairie blue-eyed grass) Smilax ecirrhata (upright carrionflower) Smilax lasioneura (Blue Ridge carrionflower) Solidago flexicaulis (zigzag goldenrod) Solidago gigantea (giant goldenrod) Streptopus lanceolatus var. longipipes (rose twisted-stalk) Taraxacum officinale ssp. officinale (common dandelion) Thalictrum dasycarpum (purple meadow-rue) Thalictrum dioicum (early meadow-rue) Tilia americana var. americana (American basswood) Toxicodendron rydbergii (western poison ivy) Tragopogon dubius (yellow goat’s beard) Trifolium hybridum (alsike clover) Trifolium pratense (red clover) Trifolium repens ssp. repens (white clover) Trillium cernuum (nodding trillium) Trillium grandiflorum (large-flowered trillium) Ulmus americana (American elm) Uvularia grandiflora (large-flowered bellwort) Verbascum thapsus ssp. thapsus (common mullein) Viburnum opulus var. americanum (American highbush cranberry) Viburnum rafinesqueanum (downy arrowwood) Viola sororia (common blue violet) |
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