American pokeweed (Phytolacca americana)
Updated August 6th, 2020An herbaceous perennial plant, abundant in Eastern North America. Native, but commonly viewed as a weed.
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Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens)
Updated August 6th, 2020A small, mat-forming evergreen vine with red fruit, found in mature forests.
Scarlet Oak (Quercus coccinea)
Updated August 4th, 2020A large, fast-growing, short-lived red oak of dry upland sites, named for the dark red color of its fall foliage.
↑Recently Updated Ecoregion Articles
North America » Eastern Temperate Forests » Ozark, Oauchita-Appalachian Forests » Ridge and Valley »
Northern Limestone/Dolomite Valleys
Updated August 6th, 2020A low-lying region that is the most agriculturally-fertile area within the Appalachians.
North America » Eastern Temperate Forests » Mississippi Alluvial & Southeast USA Coastal Plains » Atlantic Coastal Pine Barrens »
Inner Coastal Plain
Updated August 6th, 2020A region of rolling plains in New Jersey, mostly utilized for suburban development but with some farming and wetlands.
North America » Eastern Temperate Forests » Southeastern USA Plains » Northern Piedmont »
Triassic Lowlands
Updated August 6th, 2020A low, flat region with moderately fertile soils, used both for agriculture and suburban development.
↑Recently Updated ID / Comparison Guides
Northern Red Oak (Quercus rubra) vs. Pin Oak (Quercus palustris)
Updated July 30th, 2020These trees are sometimes confused, mainly because they are both common in landscaping and both have pointy-lobed leaves, but they are easily distinguished by leaves, acorns, and growth habit. In the wild, pin oak is found on wetter, sunnier sites and northern red oak on drier, more shaded sites, with relatively little overlap in habitat.
Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) vs. Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea)
Updated July 28th, 2020These species are easily distinguished, but are sometimes confused by people inexperienced in conifer identification, especially when comparing hemlocks to firs growing in shade, as the needle arrangement of such firs is flatter along the twig and superficially looks much like hemlock.
Eastern Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) vs. Butternut (Juglans cinerea)
Updated July 28th, 2020These plants are notoriously difficult to tell apart, but mature trees can be easily distinguished by nut shape or bark, and leaf scars can usually distinguish even smaller trees. Leaf shape and leaflet count partially overlaps but can be used for identification in many cases. Due to a canker disease, butternut has become much less common where these species' ranges overlap.
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