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Coastal Plain Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium dubium)

A perennial of moist, sandy, acidic soils native to the coastal plain from New England south through South Carolina.

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Hollow Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium fistulosum)

A tall perennial of moist, rich, disturbed sites, native to the eastern U.S.; the tallest Eutrochium.

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Persian Silktree (Albizia julibrissin)

A small nitrogen-fixing tree native to the warmer parts of Asia. and planted as an ornamental in the US, where it has become invasive.

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Yukon Flats

A bottomland area in east-central Alaska featuring meandering rivers, poor drainage, and an unusually cold, dry climate.

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Interior Bottomlands

A low region in interior Alaska, featuring Fairbanks, and a mosaic of forests, open wetlands, and meandering rivers.

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Interior Forested Lowlands and Uplands

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Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra) vs. Black Oak (Quercus velutina)

Although these species sometimes look blatantly different, significant variation in individual leaf shape and other characteristics can make them challenging to tell apart. Both trees have broad habitat preferences, with considerable overlap. Black oak ranges farther south and prefers slightly warmer, drier sites, and is more tolerant of nutrient-poor sites, whereas northern red oak ranges farther north, prefers slightly cooler, moister sites, and is more shade-tolerant. The two species can also hybridize and form intergrades, so it may not be possible to identify all individuals.

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White Snakeroot (Ageratina altissima) vs. Late Boneset (Eupatorium serotinum)

These closely-related plants can be tricky to distinguish, especially early in the season, before they bloom. Although they have some overlap in habitat, late boneset ranges farther south and prefers sunnier, wetter habitats, and is more tolerant of acidic soil, whereas white snakeroot ranges farther north and prefers shadier, drier conditions but requires more neutral soils.

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Partridge Pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata) vs. Persian Silktree (Albizia julibrissin)

These two nitrogen-fixing legumes are frequently confused as seedlings. Both have compound leaves with leaflets of similar size and shape, and both are earlier colonizers of sunny, disturbed habitats. The robust, often reddish-colored stalk of partridge pea can lead it to be confused with a woody plant. Mature plants are wildly dissimilar, and young plants are easily distinguished by close examination of leaf structure.

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