Category Archives: Native Plants

Native Arkansas Plant Photos and Descriptions

Know Your Natives – Winged Sumac

Posted on November 21, 2021 by Eric Hunt

Winged Sumac (Rhus copallinum*) of the Cashew (Anacardiaceae) family is a deciduous shrub or small tree that forms clonal colonies from lateral roots. Rhus is the old Greek and Latin name for sumac. The specific epithet, based on an Aztec … Continue reading →

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Know Your Natives – Carolina Buckthorn

Posted on November 8, 2021 by ANPS Webmaster

Carolina Buckthorn (Frangula caroliniana, formerly Rhamnus caroliniana) of the Buckthorn (Rhamnaceae) family is an elegant, thornless (!), deciduous shrub or small tree, with simple shining leaves and red to black berry-like fruits. (The tiny, whitish flowers are easily overlooked.) The … Continue reading →

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Know Your Natives – Hairy Bush Clover

Posted on October 22, 2021 by ANPS Webmaster

Hairy Bush Clover (Lespedeza hirta) of the Pea or Legume (Fabaceae) family is a perennial herb with stems to 3+ feet tall, bearing tightly clustered racemes of small creamy white flowers. The genus name is dedicated to Vicente Manuel de … Continue reading →

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Know Your Natives – Fragrant Sumac

Posted on October 11, 2021 by ANPS Webmaster

Fragrant Sumac (Rhus aromatica var. aromatica) of the Sumac (Anacardiaceae) family is a dioecious, low-growing, non-suckering, non-poisonous shrub with tiny yellow flowers that emerge before the leaves. The genus name Rhus is the old Greek and Latin name for sumac. … Continue reading →

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Know Your Natives – Slender Mountain Mint

Posted on September 27, 2021 by ANPS Webmaster

Slender Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium) of the Mint (Lamiaceae/Labiatae) family is a rhizomatous plant with narrow, linear leaves that give the plant an attractive, airy appearance. The genus name is based on Greek words for “dense” and “flower.” The specific … Continue reading →

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Know Your Natives – Downy Ragged Goldenrod

Posted on September 20, 2021 by ANPS Webmaster

Downy Ragged Goldenrod* (Solidago petiolaris**) of the Aster, Sunflower, or Composite (Asteraceae) family has stiff lanceolate leaves on unbranched stems that are topped by an unusually large array of golden-yellow flower heads. The genus name is based on the Latin … Continue reading →

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Know Your Natives – Late Boneset

Posted on August 31, 2021 by ANPS Webmaster

Late Boneset (Eupatorium serotinum) of the Aster, Sunflower, or Composite (Asteraceae) family is a tall herbaceous perennial with small, clustered, whitish flowerheads that lack ray florets. The genus name recognizes Mithridates Eupator who invented a “universal antidote” against poisoning and … Continue reading →

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Know Your Natives – Mexican Hat

Posted on August 24, 2021 by ANPS Webmaster

Mexican Hat (Ratibida columnifera) of the Aster, Sunflower, or Composite (Asteraceae) family is a perennial species that has flowerheads with a columnar central receptacle (disk). The origin of the genus name, coined by the eccentric naturalist Constantine Rafinesque-Schmaltz, is not … Continue reading →

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Know Your Natives – Betony-Leaf Noseburn

Posted on August 14, 2021 by ANPS Webmaster

Betony-Leaf Noseburn (Tragia betonicifolia) of the Spurge (Euphorbiaceae) family is a perennial monoecious forb that is well-clad in stinging hairs. The genus name honors Hieronymus Tragus (aka Hieronymus Bock, a 16th-century German botanist). The species epithet is Latin for “betony … Continue reading →

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Know Your Natives – Rattlesnake Master

Posted on July 22, 2021 by ANPS Webmaster

Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium) of the Parsley or Carrot (Apiaceae) family is a tall perennial with distinctive ovoid flower heads. The genus name is based on the ancient Greek name used by Theophrastus for a prickly plant of the Mediterranean … Continue reading →

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