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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- Can anyone tell me what plant this is ? I have never seen it in the past and it is rare for me to be unable to ID any plant species located in my region. It is in the mountains of Washington, New Hampshire at an elevation of about 1900 feet. The land was heavily logged about 15 years ago. Possibly a plant at a stage that I have never seen...
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- Dear fogeorge, this woody plant is Diervilla lonicera (bush-honeysuckle), a native plant that occasionally ascends to considerable elevation. It produces the interesting primarily yellow flowers that you observed in this image. Best wishes. (Tuesday, 23 June 2026)
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- Can you help with identification? We came across several of these white “tendrils” on the forest floor in West Haven, VT. They broke easily and we were able to carefully dig up the underground base of one, which had a root-like structure. The other end of the tendrils, which terminated in a bulb-like shape, extended into the soil.
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- Dear mmchugh, good morning. They look like the bulbs and underground stems of Erythronium americanum (American trout-lily) or a similar spring ephemeral species. These plants have already senesced and will be dormant until next spring. Best wishes. (Tuesday, 23 June 2026)
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- Can you help identify this plant? It grows in woods near field edge in Enfield, ME in this one spot. Many stems come out of the ground. I haven't seen another viburnum in this area with the same leaf shape and two-tone color (yellowish green near the stem and middle of the leaf, darker green elsewhere).
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- Dear Kimberly, good morning. Are there any reproductive (or at least taller) invidivuals in the area? If not, can you get an image of the branchlet and winter buds? That would help me identify this plant for you. You can send the images to ahaines@nativeplanttrust.org or post them here. Thank you. (Tuesday, 23 June 2026)
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- Hi Is this Geranium Maculatum? It is growing next to a wet wooded area in Sunderland, Mass 01375 Thank you!
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- Dear rkidder1, good morning. It certainly looks like Geranium maculatum. You can confirm by making sure it does not have stalked glands on the pedicels supporting the flowers (or then it would be Geranium pratense, a species typically with blue flowers). Best wishes. (Tuesday, 23 June 2026)
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- Grows like a weed! Started out as a mat with tiny leaves, turns into stalks 10" high or more. Feels sticky to the touch, like it grips the hand —not like it's covered with sap.
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- Dear Madeleine89, good morning. You have photographed Galium aparine (scratch bedstraw). The "sticky" aspect you refer to is created by many, very small prickles that grip onto your hands or clothes. Best wishes. (Tuesday, 19 May 2026)
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- I found several trees growing along the east side of the South Street Cemetary in Portsmouth NH. I beleive they are Acer nigrum. They have gright red samaras that make them stand out in the woods amoung other trees. I've not seen these trees before so I am looking for conformation that is what they are. (I have been having problerms uploading photos so I am hoping I can get you an image to look at) David
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- David, feel free to send me an email directly (ahaines@nativeplanttrust.org) and we can try to figure out you mystery Acer (maple). (Friday, 15 May 2026)
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- East edge of South Street Cemetary, Portsmouth NH
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- Dear David, good morning. You have photographed a member of the genus Acer, but at this point I can't tell you with certainty which maple you have. I see there are fruits in the background. Can you get me an image of the fruits and a more expanded leaf? Feel free to email them to ahaines@nativeplanttrust.org and I will try to assist you. (Friday, 15 May 2026)
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- Picture this says this is veronica anagallis-aquatica, ehich makes sense it is growing in a shallow pool. Do uou agree? If you do, should I keep it?
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- Dear Carolyn, there is no image associated with your question. Without one, I won't be able to assist. If you are having a difficult time uploading an image, feel free to send one to ahaines@nativeplanttrust.org and I will try to assist. Best wishes. (Friday, 15 May 2026)
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- Hi, This grass grows all over the stream bed of the outlet of a beaver pond in Jacksonville, Vermont. Thank you for any id help. Rachel
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- Dear Rachel, good morning. Grasses are a difficult group, and identification relies on flowering and fruiting structures. If you could provide an image of the flowering stems and a close-up of the flowers, I should be able to help you. But, with only the leaves, I would need the physical specimen to make any hypotheses about who this is. So, I hope you can get another image or two this summer and send them along. Best wishes. (Friday, 15 May 2026)
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- Hi Botanists (Arthur?)! I'm trying to get a better sense of the difference between V. corymbosum and fuscatum. I'm seeing conflicting information regarding the presence of leaf hairs (nerves only versus throughout) and the color of hairs (FNA mentions brown-gray to brown hairs but most plants I've seen and confirmed with floral/fruit characteristics display white to gray hairs). Does hair color change with drying? What characteristics are most helpful when flowers/fruits are not present? Thanks
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- Dear Dan, good morning. There has been some recent taxonomic work that suggests some of the characters that were used by Uttal (1987) are more regional and do not work throughout the range of Vaccinium fuscatum (and certainly not in New England). I relied heavily on that work and it simply doesn't fit (perfectly) for northeastern material. A new paper has come out (2025) that recognizes only two species: a diploid (V. fuscatum) and a tetraploid (V. corymbosum). While I have reservations about how they treat the diploid portion of this complex, that research explains some of the reasons why we are seeing different character states in the northeast. While the authors try to make the claim that pubescence (amounnt, color) are virtually meaningless in discriminating species, there are trends that suggest your plant is most likely V. fuscatum. If you want to email me (ahaines@nativeplanttrust.org) I'll send you an updated identificaiton key that will assist with your work. I hope you are well. (Friday, 13 March 2026)
