08. Plants of the Forest

Cove forests provide an environment in which many different types of plant organisms can thrive; these include trees, herbs, and shrubs. Click on the links below to see some of the various types of flora that make their home here.

Within this Series

Fraser's Magnolia  | The Cove Forest
Fraser's Magnolia | The Cove Forest

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(Magnolia fraseri) This fast-growing tree with multiple stems, large deciduous leaves, and sweet-scented flowers, occurs in moist slopes and along streams. It is only found in the southern Appalachian...
Ironwood | The Cove Forest
Ironwood | The Cove Forest

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(Carpinus caroliniana) This slow-growing understory tree occurs along streams and in moist bottomland forests. Its wood is extremely hard and was used in the past for golf club heads, mallets and tool...
Canada Hemlock | The Cove Forest
Canada Hemlock | The Cove Forest

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Almost all trees in cove forests are deciduous - that is, they drop their leaves in the fall and produce new ones in spring. The Canada hemlock, in contrast, is an evergreen - it retains its needle...
Basswood | The Cove Forest
Basswood | The Cove Forest

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(Tilia americana) A medium to large tree that frequently occurs in the understory but may also reach the canopy. The large heart-shaped leaves are finely toothed and have an asymmetrical base. The...
Carolina Silverbell | The Cove Forest
Carolina Silverbell | The Cove Forest

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(Halesia tetraptera) This small to medium-sized understory tree has distinctive white-yellow vertical streaks on its young stems. In early spring it produces white bell-shaped flowers that develop...
Beech | The Cove Forest
Beech | The Cove Forest

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(Fagus grandifolia) The smooth gray bark, sharp-pointed buds, and papery toothed leaves make beech one of the easiest trees to identify. Because it can tolerate deep shade, individuals occur both in...
Yellow Buckeye | The Cove Forest
Yellow Buckeye | The Cove Forest

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(Aseculus flava) The palm-shaped leaves of this deciduous tree are divided into 5-7 large leaflets. Yellow buckeye is one of the first trees to leaf-out in the spring. It produces clusters of tubular...
Flowering Dogwood | The Cove Forest
Flowering Dogwood | The Cove Forest

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(Cornus florida) This small understory tree of forests is also widely planted in residential areas. In spring, clusters of small greenish flowers surrounded by four large white petal-like bracts are...