Question: Wondering what this is, common in NY and southern Quebec hardwood forest, looks like a tree seedling but doesn't seem …
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Question
Wondering what this is, common in NY and southern Quebec hardwood forest, looks like a tree seedling but doesn't seem to get bigger. I have not seen it bloom. Thank you!
Answer
Dear KathyMcG, you've photographed Aralia nudicaulis (wild sarsaparilla), a native perennial that has a small, woody stem that is often just below the leaf litter. From this stem, it produces a single, compound leaf and, on reproductive plants, a leafless stem that produces an array of flowers. This is a very common species in the northeast (as you noted).
