Welcome to bplant.org!

bplant.org is a website to help you learn about plants and their ecology and distribution, with an eye towards preserving, protecting, and restoring biodiversity.

↑Recently Updated Plant Articles

Sweet Wood Reed (Cinna arundinacea)

Updated November 30th, 2023

A tall perennial grass native to Eastern North America, usually found in wet to moist wooded areas.

View Full Article

Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

Updated November 22nd, 2023

A widely-distributed tree found mostly in floodplains, riparian areas, and swamps, and occasionally found on drier sites; severely threatened by the emerald ash borer.

View Full Article

Straw-Colored Flatsedge (Cyperus strigosus)

Updated November 6th, 2023

A native perennial flatsedge of moist to wet areas, especially sunny wetlands.

View Full Article

↑Recently Updated Ecoregion Articles

North America » Eastern Temperate Forests » Mixed Wood Plains »

Lake Erie Lowland

Updated November 15th, 2023

The southernmost and most populous region in Canada, with extensive cropland interspersed with small areas of wild forest.

View Full Article

North America » Mediterranean California »

Southern California Mountains

Updated November 10th, 2023

A steep, rugged region with higher rainfall than typical for Southern California, supporting open coniferous forests.

View Full Article

North America » Mediterranean California »

Central California Valley

Updated November 10th, 2023

A flat region in central California, dominated by high-intensity agriculture and facing severe environmental problems.

View Full Article

↑Recently Updated ID / Comparison Guides (See All)

Atlantic White Cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides) vs. Eastern Redcedar (Juniperus virginiana)

Updated December 6th, 2023

These two species are easily confused where their ranges overlap, especially on mature trees with scalelike foliage. The two can be told apart easily by closely examining their seed cones, and also by their bark. Young trees can be readily distinguished by their foliage. Redcedar is much more common and widely adaptable; it prefers drier sites. Atlantic white cedar is limited to acidic wetlands. Both are occasional in landscaping.

View Full Guide

American Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) vs. Castor-Aralia (Kalopanax septemlobus)

Updated November 6th, 2023

These species are sometimes confused, as both have 5-7 lobed leaves with finely-serrated margins, both prefer moist sites, and mature trees of both species have bark with deep ridges and furrows. They are easily distinguished by the castor-aralia's thorns and sparse branching, or by flowers or fruit, and they can also be distinguished by leaf size and shape. Although both plants can occur in landscaping, there is little habitat overlap in the wild: sweetgum ranges farther south and better tolerates nutrient-poor, acidic, and/or poorly-drained soils, whereas castor-aralia ranges farther north, tolerates greater shade, and is more limited to sites with deep, fertile soils.

View Full Guide

Eastern Bottlebrush Grass (Elymus hystrix) vs. Silky Wild Rye (Elymus villosus)

Updated November 2nd, 2023

These species are sometimes confused, as both are among the earlier Elymus species both to bloom and distribute their seeds, their habitats largely overlap, and both are widely used in ecological restoration projects and occasionally in gardens. They are easy to tell apart by their spikes, and can usually be distinguished by foliage too. E. villosus ranges farther west and slightly farther south, whereas E. hystrix ranges farther north and tolerates more shade and more ground-level competition, but requires more leaf litter in the soil.

View Full Guide

Want to get involved? Sign up for our interest list!