Category Archives: Native Plants

Native Arkansas Plant Photos and Descriptions

Know Your Natives – Wild Strawberry

Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) is an evergreen plant which produces scarlet strawberries* with achenes embedded in pits. The genus name derives from the Latin word “fragum” in reference to the fragrance of mature strawberries. The specific epithet refers to the … Continue reading

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Know Your Natives – Old Field Cinquefoil

Old Field Cinquefoil (Potentilla simplex*) of the Rose (Rosaceae) family is a low-growing plant with short rhizomes and 5-petal, bright yellow flowers. The genus name is from the Latin word for “powerful” in reference to medicinal properties of some species … Continue reading

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Know Your Natives – Hispid Buttercup

Hispid Buttercup (Ranunculus hispidus var. hispidus*) of the Buttercup (Ranunculaceae) family is an upland perennial forb with mostly 3-part basal and stem leaves and has soft spreading (bristly) pubescence on stems and petioles. The genus name is from the Latin … Continue reading

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Know Your Natives – Downy Phlox

Downy Phlox (Phlox pilosa*) of the Phlox (Polemoniaceae) family is a semi-evergreen perennial forb with showy flowers of variable color and shape. The genus, Phlox, is derived from the Greek word meaning flame – a reference to flower color of … Continue reading

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Know Your Natives – Ebony Spleenwort

Ebony Spleenwort (Asplenium platyneuron) of the Spleenwort Fern (Aspleniaceae) family is a small to medium size, once-cut, evergreen fern. The genus name is from Greek for “without a spleen” which may indicate that plants of this genus were historically thought … Continue reading

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Know Your Natives – Rough Leaf Dogwood

Rough Leaf Dogwood (Cornus drummondii) of the Dogwood (Cornaceae) family is a small, deciduous tree with opposite leaves, open clusters of small white flowers, and striking, decorative white fruit. The genus name derives from the Latin for “horn” in apparent … Continue reading

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Know Your Natives – Downy Lobelia

Downy Lobelia (Lobelia puberula) of the Bellflower (Campanulaceae) family is a pubescent, herbaceous perennial bearing showy racemes of blue to lavender flowers. The genus name recognizes Matthias de l’Obel, a Flemish 16th-century physician and botanist who is credited with being the first … Continue reading

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Know Your Natives – Butterfly Weed

Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) of the Dogbane (Apocynaceae) family has clear sap (not milky) and showy orange (reddish orange to uncommonly yellow) flowers. The genus name honors the Greek god of medicine, Asklepios. The specific epithet is Latin for “swollen,” … Continue reading

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Know Your Natives – Trumpet Vine

Trumpet Vine or Trumpet Creeper (Campsis radicans) of the Trumpet Creeper (Bignoniaceae) family is a non-twining, tendril-free, woody vine with spectacular, large, orange to red, trumpet-shaped flowers. The genus name is Greek for “curved,” a reference to the curved stamens. … Continue reading

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Know Your Natives – Stalked Wild Petunia

Stalked Wild Petunia (Ruellia pedunculata ssp. pedunculata*) of the Acanthus (Acanthaceae) family has flowers with large, showy, trumpet-shaped, purplish corollas, similar to those of the unrelated Garden Petunia**. The genus name honors Jean de la Ruelle (1474-1537), a French herbalist. … Continue reading

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