Checklist of Common Native Plants at Acadia

The diversity of Acadia National Park is reflected in its plant life; more than 1,100 plant species are found here. This checklist groups the park’s most common plants into the communities where they are typically found. The plant’s growth form is indicated by “t” for trees and “s” for shrubs. To identify unfamiliar plants, consult a field guide or visit the Wild Gardens of Acadia at Sieur de Monts Spring, where more than 400 plants are labeled and displayed in their habitats.

All plants within Acadia National Park are protected. Please help protect the park’s fragile beauty by leaving plants in the condition that you find them.

Deciduous Woods

ash, white	t	Fraxinus americana
aspen, big-toothed	t	Populus grandidentata
aspen, trembling	t	Populus tremuloides
aster, large-leaved		Aster macrophyllus
beech, American	t	Fagus grandifolia
birch, paper	t	Betula papyrifera
blueberry, low sweet	s	Vaccinium angustifolium
bunchberry		Cornus canadensis
bush-honeysuckle	s	Diervilla lonicera
cherry, pin	t	Prunus pensylvanica
cherry, choke	t	Prunus virginiana
elder, red-berried or stinking	s	Sambucus racemosa ssp. pubens
fern, Christmas		Polystichum acrostichoides
fern, bracken		Pteridium aquilinum var. latiusculum
goldthread		Coptis trifolia
hobblebrush	s	Viburnum lantanoides
laurel, sheep or lambskill	s	Kalmia angustifolia
lily, bluebead		Clintonia borealis
maple, mountain	t	Acer spicatum
maple, red	t	Acer rubrum
maple, striped	t	Acer pensylvanicum
maple, sugar	t	Acer saccharum
mayflower, Canada		Maianthemum canadense
oak, red	t	Quercus rubra
pine, white	t	Pinus strobus
pyrola, round-leaved		Pyrola americana
sarsaparilla, wild		Aralia nudicaulis
saxifrage, early		Saxifraga virginiensis
shadbush or serviceberry	s,t	Amelanchier spp.
Solomon's seal, false		Maianthemum racemosum
Solomon's seal, small		Polygonatum pubescens
starflower		Trientalis borealis
twinflower		Linnaea barealis ssp. longiflora
twisted stalk, rosy		Streptopus lanceolatus
violet		Viola spp.
white-cedar, northern	t	Thuja occidentalis
wintergreen		Gaultheria procumbens

Roadsides and Meadows

alder, speckled	s	Alnus incana ssp. rugosa
aspen, big-toothed	t	Populus grandidentata
aspen, trembling	t	Populus tremuloides
aster, flat-topped white		Doellingeria umbellata
aster, New York		Symphyotrichum novi-belgii
blueberry, low sweet	s	Vaccinium angustifolium
blue-eyed-grass		Sisyrinchium montanum var. crebrum
bluet		Houstonia caerulea
dogbane, spreading		Apocynum androsaemifolium
fireweed		Epilobium angustifolium
goldenrod, gray		Solidago nemoralis
goldenrod, rough-stemmed		Solidago rugosa
hairgrass		Deschampsia flexuosa
hardhack or steeplebush	s	Spiraea tomentosa
loosestrife, whorled		Lysimachia quadrifolia
mayflower, Canada		Maianthemum canadense
meadow-rue, tall		Thalictrum pubescens
meadowsweet	s	Spiraea alba var. latifolia
milkweed, common		Asclepias syriaca
pearly everlasting		Anaphalis margaritacea
poverty grass		Danthonia spicata
rose, Virginia or field		Rosa virginiana
sarsaparilla, bristly		Aralia hispida
sarsaparilla, wild		Aralia nudicaulis
shadbush	s,t	Amelanchier spp.
strawberry, wild		Fragaria virginiana
willow	s,t	Salix spp.
yellow rattle		Rhinanthus minor

Bogs

aster, bog		Aster nemoralis
bog rosemary	s	Andromeda prolifolia var. glaucophylla
chokeberry, black		Photinia melanocarpa
cotton-grass		Eriophorum spp.
cranberry, large		Vaccinium macrocarpon
cranberry, small		Vaccinium oxycoccos
crowberry, black		Empetrum nigrum
goldenrod, northern bog		Solidago uliginosa
huckleberry, dwarf	s	Gaylussacia dumosa var. bigeloviana
iris, blueflag		Iris versicolor
Labrador-tea	s	Rhododendron groenlandicum
larch	t	Larix laricina
laurel, bog	s	Kalmia polifolia
laurel, sheep or lambkill	s	Kalmia angustifolia
leatherleaf		Chamaedaphne calyculata
maple, red	t	Acer rubrum
pitcher plant		Sarracenia purpurea
rhodora	s	Rhododendron canadense
rose, bristly	s	Rosa nitida
snowberry, creeping		Gaultheria hispidula
spruce, black	t	Picea mariana
sundew, round-leaved		Drosera rotundifolia
sundew, spatulate-leaved		Drosera intermedia
sweet gale	s	Myrica gale

Freshwater Marshes and Ponds

arrowhead, common		Sagittaria latifolia
bladderwort, horned		Utricularia cornuta
blueberry, high-bush	s	Vaccinium corymbosum
bluejoint, Canada		Calamagrostis canadensis
cat-tail, common		Typha latifolia
lobelia, water		Lobelia dortmanna
pickerelweed		Pontederia cordata
rhodora	s	Rhododendron canadense
rose, swamp		Rosa palustris
spatterdock or yellow water-lily		Nuphar variegata
St. Johnswort, marsh		Triadenum virginicum
swamp candles		Lysimachia terrestris
turtlehead, white		Chelone glabra
water-lily, fragrant		Nymphaea odorata
white-cedar, northern	t	Thuja occidentalis
winterberry		Ilex verticillata

Coniferous Woods

ash, American mountain	t	Sorbus americana
blueberry, low sweet	s	Vaccinium angustifolium
bunchberry		Cornus canadensis
cranberry, mountain		Vaccinium vitis-idaea
dewdrop		Rubus dalibarda
fir, balsam	t	Abies balsamea
hemlock, eastern	t	Tsuga canadensis
hobblebush	s	Viburnum lantanoides
lily, bluebead		Clintonia borealis
mayflower, Canada		Maianthemum canadense
mountain holly	s	Nemopanthus mucronatus
partridgeberry		Mitchella repens
pine, red	t	Pinus resinosa
pine, white	t	Pinus strobus
pinesap		Monotropa hypopithys
pyrola, one-flowered		Moneses uniflora
sarsaprilla, wild		Aralia nudicaulis
shadbush or serviceberry	s,t	Amelanchier spp.
shinleaf		Pyrola elliptica
spruce, red	t	Picea rubens
spruce, white	t	Picea glauca
starflower		Trientalis borealis
trailing arbutus		Epigaea repens
twisted stalk, rosy		Streptopus lanceolatus
wintergreen		Gaultheria procumbens
witherod or wild raisin	s	Viburnum nudum var. cassinoides
wood sorrel, northern		Oxalis montana
woodreed, drooping		Cinna latifolia

Mountain Tops and Dry, Rocky Places

alder, green or mountain	s	Alnus viridis ssp. crispa
aster		Aster spp.
bearberry	s	Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
birch, gray	t	Betula populifolia
blueberry, low sweet	s	Vaccinium angustifolium
bush-honeysuckle	s	Diervilla lonicera
cherry, pin	t	Prunus pensylvanica
chokeberry, black	s	Photinia melanocarpa
cinquefoil, three-toothed		Sibbaldiopsis tridentata
cranberry, mountain		Vaccinium vitis-idaea
crowberry, black		Empetrum migrum
fern, bracken		Pteridium aquilinum var. latiusculum
goldenrod, Rand's		Solidago simplex ssp. randii
harebell		Campanula rotundifolia
heather, golden		Hudsonia ericoides
holly, mountain	s	Nemopanthus mucronatus
huckleberry, black	s	Gaylussacia baccata
juniper, common	s	Juniperus communis var. depressa
juniper, creeping	s	Juniperus horizontalis
laurel, sheep or lambkill	s	Kalmia angustifolia
oatgrass, poverty		Danthohia spicata
pine, jack	t	Pinus banksiana
pine, pitch	t	Pinus rigida
raspberry, red	s	Rubus idaeus
rose, Virginia	s	Rosa virginiana
sandwort, mountain		Minuartia groenlandica
sarsaparilla, bristly		Aralia hispida
sweetfern		Comptonia peregrina
witherod or wild raisin	s	Virburnum nudum var. cassinoides