Daisy-like Blossoms

Toothed White-Topped Aster (Sericocarpus asteroides). Note the sparse rays between petals. Location: Saint Mary's Wilderness.

White Wood Aster: (Aster divaricatus): Note the stalked , heavily toothed, heart-shaped leaves. Leaves are not notched at its stem like others. Often has a reddish stem. Location: AT, Three Ridges Wilderness, GWNF, VA.

Whorled Wood Aster (Aster acuminatus) - Large, toothed leaves appear whorled around the stem beneath a cluster of flowers with sparse petals. Location: Saint Mary's Wilderness.

Flat Topped White Aster (Aster umbellatus) - 2-7 ft. Found in thickets and along edges. Yellow central disk turns purple with age. Location: Spruce Knob Lake, WV.

Crooked-stemmed Aster (Aster prenanthoides): Purple stem changes direction at every leaf axil. Flowers white to pale blue. Leaves usually stemless. Location: Roaring Plains, WV.

Heath Aster (Aster ericoides): Note the small rigid thin leaves. Grows in dry open places. Location: Dragon's Tooth Trailhead, VA.

Lowrie's Aster (Aster lowrieanus) White to pale blue. Note the flat winged leaf petioles. This is specific to this variety of aster. Woodlands. Location: World's End SP, VA.

More Daisy-like Blossoms

Shreber's Aster (Aster shreberi): Best identified by it's heavily notched, large basal leaves. Location: Cranberry Backcountry, WV.

Heart-leaved Aster (white) (Aster cordifolius): Leaves broadly heart shaped but not as large as Shreber's Aster. Found in open woods. Location: Cranberry Backcountry, WV.

Daisy, Oxeye (Chrysanthemum leucanthemum): Grows to 3 ft. Likes sun but can also be found in the shade. Blooms in summer. Location: Mount Rogers N.R.A., VA.

Daisey Fleabane (Erigeron annuus). Comes in white and pink. Found in sunny areas. Blooms June through October. The dried flowers were thought to prevent fleas in homes, hence the common name. Location: Mountainside Tr, Canaan Mt, MNF, WV.

Others

Bienniel Gaura (Gaura biennis): Flowers white (to pink with age). Note the cross-shaped stigma. 2-5 feet. Meadows. Location: Dragon's Tooth trailhead, VA.

Others

Climbing Fumitory, Mountain Fringe, Allegheny Vine (Adlumia fungosa): Vines can grow up to 12 feet in length. Likes to grow on rock faces. Location" Long Pond Trail. Photo by Ken Clark.

Squirrel-corn (Dicentra canadensis): Similar to Dutchman's Britches but more heart shaped. Photo by Dimitri Tundra.

Tall Deer Berry (Vaccinium stamineum): A blueberry-like heath with wide open white flowers/w yellow stamens and pistils. Grows to about 6 feet. Blooms in May. Bears green to yellow fruit. Location: AT, James River Face, Gleenwood RD, JNF, VA.

Nightshade (Solanum nigrum): Grows in waste areas. Produces black berries. Location: Kaymoor Top, New River Gorge NR, WV.

Mountain Sandwort (Arenaria groenlandica): Similar to Chickweed but with only slightly notched petals. Photo by Dimitri Tundra.

Indian Pipe (Monotropa uniflora) : Saprophytic plant w/o any chlorophyll. Gets it's nutrients from decaying organic material through a symbiotic relationship with a fungus that grows on its roots. Blooms June-Sept. Location: Gunpowder Loop Trail, Hemlock Gorge Hike, MD.

Japanese Knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum): Agressive invasive. Broad, opposite, alternating lancolete leaves. Flower spikes at leaf axils. Leaves turn orange in the fall. Location: Kaymoor Tr, New River Gorge NR, WV.

Others

Foxglove Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis): White, often with purple streaks. Opposing lancelet leaves that nearly join around the stem. Blooms May - July. Location: Location: Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship.

Striped or Spotted Wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata): AKA Tea Berry. Creamy white nodding flowers with dark green, heavily veined basal leaves. Foliage is evergreen. Supposed to bloom in April and May but this and other specimens were found at their peak in Mid-June all along ridge trails in the Overall Run area of SNP, VA. The photo of the green seed pods was taken by Michelle Molina in PA.

Dutchman's Britches (Dicentra cucullaria): Pantaloon shaped flowers on naked stems above variegated basal leaves. Blooms April-May. Location: Shenk's Ferry Wild Flower Preserve, Holtwood Recreation Area, PA.

Virginia Pennywort (Obolaria virginica). This little beauty only grows to four inches and is easy to miss as it pokes its way through the dead leaves of the forest floor in May. Location: G. Richard Thompson W.M.A., VA. Photo by Ken Clark, 05/09.

Tinted Spurge (Euphorbia commutata): Like a spurges it exudes a milky substance from its stem. Small, white false flowers develope between each pair of leaves. Photo by Dimitri Tundra.

Others

Stinging Nettle (Urtica gracilis): Grows to 4 feet, often shorter. Small hair-thin needles on the bottom side of the leaves will leave you itching if you come in contact with it. Location: all over the SNP.

Star-of-Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum): An escaped cultivar capable of taking over entire fields and spoiled spots. Note a green stripe on the back of the petals. Photo by Dimitri Tundra.

Nodding or Drooping Star-of-Bethlehem (Ornithogalum nutans): An alien. Blooms in spring, usually in large clusters. Photo by Dimitri Tundra.

American Honeysuckle (Sambucus Canadensis): Unlike Japanese Honeysuckle, this is not a vine but rather a bush. This one is at the Long Pond Trailhead on Fifteen Mile Creek Rd, GRSF, MD.

White Trout Lily (Erythronium albidum)
and Sweet White Violets (Viola blanda): the flower of the lily looks nothing like its yellow sister. Early bloomer. Great Falls National Park, MD/ Carderock. Photo by Ken Clark.

Gall-of-the-Earth or Tall Rattlesnake - Root (Prenanthes trifoliata): Bloms late August - October. Can grow to 5 feet. Mostly on mountain tops in open woods. Location: Shenandoah Mountain Tr, Ramsey's Draft Wilderness, GWNF, VA.

Canada Violet (Viola canadensis): Perhaps the tallest violet at a maximum height of 16 inches. Location: Jeremy's Run Tr, SNP, VA.

Sweet White Violet (Viola blanda): Found in shady areas. Common.