Ask the Botanist
Our ace botanists are here to help you identify wild New England plants and to answer questions about their ecology and conservation. When posting a question, please provide the location, habitat (e.g. river, mountain, woodland), and photographs of the plant.
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All Questions and Answers
Recently Answered Questions
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- I am having a tough time identifying this one—do you know what it is? Thanks
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- Yes, the plant is Magnolia virginiana. (Tuesday, 15 November 2022)
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- Could you please help me identify this plant? I am stumped.
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- That plant in Aronia arbutifolia. (Tuesday, 15 November 2022)
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- I saw a tree recently (see photo)—is this a hemlock?
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- Yes, it is Eastern Hemlock, Tsuga canadensis. (test: answered at gobotany-dev; answer updated Nov 2022) (Thursday, 18 March 2021)
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- I am wondering what this plant is. Is it Aronia arbutifolia?
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- Yes, that does appear to be Aronia arbutifolia. (Thursday, 29 October 2020)
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- What is this evergreen tree?
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- That tree is Tsuga canadensis: eastern hemlock. (Thursday, 22 September 2016)
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- I'd love help with this plant. It's growing on a fairly dry woodland in Massachusetts. It's the first year I've noticed the flower, but there are probably 30 of them all growing in one patch. It has a white tubular flower; five sepals; leaves are alternate and very slightly toothed.
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- Dear alcatjan, I am not able to identify your plant. Would it be possible to get images of the plant in the habitat they grow in? If you are able to acquire additional images, feel free to send them to ahaines[at]newenglandwild.org . Best wishes. (Tuesday, 21 July 2015)
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- Wondering if someone could identify this plant found in Green Mountains in southern VT. It was a fairly wet woods with moss and spruce trees. Saw a lesser fringed orchis in a really damp area nearby. Thanks
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- Dear c.chalmers, I do not know what you have photographed. Without flowers or fruits, this one is a mystery. It does look to me much like a species of Trillium that is producing a single leaf (this happens from time to time and the leaf morphology is very similar to what you have photographed). If you are able to get additional images, feel free to post them or send them to ahaines[at]newenglandwild.org . (Tuesday, 21 July 2015)
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- Good afternoon! Could you please help with this plant. Growing singly, Only basal leaves, deciduous forest on Storrs, CT. Hairy stems.
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- Dear KDC, you have photographed what appears to be a species of Nabalus. I would not be able to tell you which species without flowers or fruits, though Nabalus altissimus (synonym: Prenanthes altissima), tall rattlesnake-root, is a likely candidate. (Tuesday, 21 July 2015)
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- I found a plant growing in my yard, it is about a foot tall and it is redish purple stem and leaves. Could you please give me any information you could. I tried to upload a picture but it want let me. Thank you. Sabrina I live in kentucky.
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- Dear Sabrina, there is no image associated with your question. If you are having trouble posting images, feel free to email them to ahaines[at]newenglandwild.org. I will try to help, but be aware that Go Botany is a site dedicated to wild plants of New England. Best wishes. (Monday, 20 July 2015)
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- I saw this plant in Green Mountain National forest where there were old homesteads years ago. Looks like a naturalized hydrangea to me, but not sure. Is there a native plant this might be instead? Thanks
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- Dear c.chalmers, the plant in your photographs is Ageratina altissima (white snakeroot), a member of the aster family that is frequently found in moist soils of deciduous forests. This is a native species. Best wishes. (Monday, 20 July 2015)
