Plants

Bluebells.

(NPS photo)

Over 730 species of plants are known to occur within the park.

The diversity of plant life that inhabits Valley Forge National Historical Park is directly related to the geology and hydrology of the area. For example, when you look out across a meadow you can see large and small patches of the same plant species. You might also notice how these patches follow the curvature of the ground and perhaps pools or streams of water. Each plant species has a particular range of light, soil and moisture conditions in which it grows well.

Grasslands, shrublands, woodlands, forests, ornamental plantings, and croplands can be found throughout the park. Plant ecologists from the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program and NatureServe recently mapped and classified the park's vegetation using the National Vegetation Classification System (NVCS). Learn more about the NPS Vegetation Mapping Program.