Selected Plant List, Balkwill Woods, May 2004
Volunteer guides attended an orientation walk with Bill Balkwill, on May 12, 2004. The following list represents some of the native plants, shrubs, trees and vines which were seen on that walk that could be identified for walk participants. Of particular interest were plants and shrubs in bloom.
A total of 208 plant species have been documented for Balkwill Woods. Of these, 19 species (representing 9.1% of the total species count) are considered rare. One species is considered rare in Canada, in Ontario and in Essex County (RC, RO, RE); 13 species are both rare in Canada, and Ontario (RC, RO); 2 are rare in Ontario (RO) only; and 3 are considered rare in Essex County (RE) only.
Ferns
Flowering Plants
- Alum-root (Heuchera americana L.) (RC,RO)
- Beechdrops (Epifagus virginiana) (remains of last year's plant)
- Swamp Buttercup (Ranunculus septentrionalis)
- Cleavers (Galium aparine)
- Canada Mayflower (Maianthemum dilatatum)
- False Solomon's Seal (Smilacina racemosa)
- Golden Ragwort (Senecio aurens)
- Herb-robert (Geranium robertianum L.)
- Horse-balm or Stoneroot (Collinsonia canadensis L.)
- Horsemint (Monarda punctata)
- Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema atrorubens)
- Long-spurred Violet (Viola rastrata)
- May-apple (Podophyllum peltatum L.)
- Solomon's Seal (Pologonatum pubescens)
- Spring Avens (Geum vernum) (RC,RO)
- Narrow-leaved Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica L.)
- Star-flowered Solomon's Seal (Maianthemum stellatum L.)
- Sweet Cicely (Osmorhiza claytoni)
- Thin-leaved Sunflower (Helianthus decapetalus) (leaves only)
- Touch-me-not or Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) (small plants)
- Virginia Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum)
- White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)
- Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum)
- Blue Phlox (Phlox divaricata)
- Yellow Trout-lily (Erythronium americanum)
Sac Fungi
- Yellow Morel (Morchella esculenta)
Trees
- Hawthorns (Crataegus spp.)
- Choke Cherry (Prunus virginiana)
- Apple (Malus pumila)
Shrubs
- Bladdernut (Staphylea trifolia)
- Downy Arrow-wood (Viburnun rafinesquianum)
- Running Strawberry Bush (Euonymus obovata)
- Silky Dogwood (Cornus amomum)
- Smooth Serviceberry (Amelanchier laevis)
Vines
- Common Carrion Flower (Smilax lasioneura) (Catbriar Family) (Climbing vine with tendrils)
- Poison-ivy (Rhus radicans)
- Upright Carrion Flower (Smilax ecirrhata) (Catbriar Family) (Erect vine without tendrils)
- Virginia-creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
