kids encyclopedia robot

List of flora of North Carolina facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Flowering Dogwood Cornus florida Flower High DoF Cropped
Dogwood is the state flower of North Carolina.

North Carolina is a state with many different types of plants! From tall trees to tiny flowers, its varied landscapes are home to a huge variety of plant life. This article will introduce you to some of the amazing plants you can find growing naturally in North Carolina. Some plants, marked with (I), are introduced. This means they were brought to North Carolina from other places.

Contents

Cool Conifers and Ferns

This section explores some ancient plant groups. These include ferns and cone-bearing trees.

Ferns: The Ancient Greenery

Ferns are very old plants. They reproduce using spores, not seeds. They often grow in shady, damp places.

Sensitive Fern

This fern is called "sensitive" because its leaves are easily damaged by frost. It's a common sight in wet areas.

Conifers: Cone-Bearing Trees

Conifers are trees that produce cones. They usually have needles instead of broad leaves. Many conifers are evergreen, meaning they stay green all year.

Cypress and Cedar Trees

This cedar likes wet, swampy areas. Its wood is very light and strong.

You can often spot this tree in open fields. Its berries are a favorite food for birds.

Baldcypress trees grow in swamps. They are unique because they lose their needles in the fall, unlike most conifers.

Pines and Hemlocks

This fir tree grows in the high mountains. It is often used as a Christmas tree.

Red spruce also prefers cooler mountain climates. It's an important tree for wildlife.

A common pine, it has short needles. It's found in many parts of the state.

This pine has very long needles. It's an important tree for many animals.

This tough pine grows on rocky mountain slopes. Its cones often need fire to open.

Pitch pine can grow in poor soils. It's known for its thick, rough bark.

As its name suggests, this pine likes wet, pond-like areas.

This is the tallest conifer in eastern North America. It has soft, flexible needles.

Loblolly pine is a very fast-growing tree. It's one of the most common pines in the Southeast.

This smaller pine often grows in dry, rocky areas.

Eastern hemlock is a graceful tree. It grows along streams and in cool forests.

Flowering Plants of North Carolina

This section covers a wide variety of flowering plants. These plants produce flowers and seeds.

Magnolias and Their Relatives

These trees are known for their large, beautiful flowers.

Sassafras

Sassafras trees have unique leaves. They can be oval, mitten-shaped, or three-lobed.

Magnolia Trees

Also called tulip tree, it has tulip-shaped flowers. It's a very tall tree.

Its fruit looks like a small cucumber. This magnolia has greenish-yellow flowers.

This magnolia has very large leaves and creamy white flowers.

Known for its huge, fragrant white flowers. It's a symbol of the South.

Sweetbay has smaller, fragrant white flowers. It often grows in wet areas.

Water Plants and Unique Flowers

This group includes plants that love water and some with very interesting shapes.

Arrowheads and Jack-in-the-Pulpit

This plant grows in shallow water. Its leaves are shaped like arrowheads.

This plant has a unique flower. It looks like a person standing in a pulpit.

This plant is one of the first to appear in spring. It produces its own heat!

Lilies, Orchids, and Their Friends

This section highlights some of North Carolina's most beautiful flowering plants.

Onions and Solomon's-seal

This wild onion has a mild onion smell. It grows in many habitats.

  • Ramp, Allium tricoccum

Ramps are wild leeks. They are popular for foraging in spring.

This small plant has white flowers. It forms a carpet in the forest.

It has bell-shaped flowers hanging from its stem.

This plant has stiff, sword-like leaves. It produces a tall stalk of white flowers.

Irises and Blue-Eyed Grass

A small, beautiful iris. It has pale blue or lavender flowers.

Despite its name, it's not a grass. It's a small iris with blue flowers.

North Carolina Orchids

This rare orchid has a beautiful pink-purple flower.

Another lovely orchid. It has bright pink flowers.

This orchid has a unique, almost closed flower.

This orchid has a single leaf that appears in fall. Its flowers bloom in summer.

True Lilies and Trilliums

  • Yellow trout lily, Erythronium americanum

This lily has yellow, nodding flowers. Its leaves are speckled like a trout.

A striking orange-red lily. It grows in wet, open areas.

This lily has beautiful orange flowers with dark spots.

A rare lily found in the Sandhills region. It needs fire to thrive.

This tall lily has many orange flowers. Its petals curl backward.

This trillium has white petals with a red stripe. It's a beautiful woodland flower.

Palms and Dayflowers

You might be surprised to find palms in North Carolina!

Palms

This is the state tree of South Carolina. It grows in the coastal areas of North Carolina.

A smaller palm that grows closer to the ground.

Dayflower

  • White mouth dayflower, Commelina erecta

This flower has delicate blue petals. It blooms for only one day.

Grasses: Native and Introduced

Grasses are important for many ecosystems. Some are native, while others have been introduced.

Common Grasses

  • Japanese stiltgrass, Microstegium vimineum (I)

This is an introduced grass. It can spread quickly and outcompete native plants.

  • Torpedograss, Panicum repens (I)

Another introduced grass. It's known for its strong, spreading roots.

  • Dallis grass, Paspalum dilatatum (I)

This introduced grass is often found in lawns and pastures.

Buttercups and Sycamores

This group includes some familiar plants.

Barberry and Mayapple

This native shrub has thorny stems. It produces red berries.

Mayapples grow in colonies. They have umbrella-like leaves and a single flower.

Rue Anemone

A delicate spring wildflower. It has white or pinkish flowers.

American Sycamore

Sycamores are easily recognized by their peeling bark. They are often found near water.

Sweetgum and Muscadine

These are two well-known plants in North Carolina.

Sweetgum

Sweetgum trees have star-shaped leaves. They produce spiky, ball-like fruits.

Muscadine

Muscadine is a native grape. It's known for its thick skin and sweet flavor.

Woodsorrels and Passionflowers

These plants add color to the landscape.

Woodsorrels

  • Great yellow woodsorrel, Oxalis grandis

This plant has yellow flowers and clover-like leaves.

It has pretty violet flowers. Its leaves fold up at night.

Yellow Passionflower

This vine has unique yellow flowers. It's a smaller relative of the purple passionflower.

Willows and Violets

This group includes trees that love water and colorful wildflowers.

Cottonwoods and Willows

Cottonwoods grow very fast. They are often found along rivers.

This cottonwood prefers swampy areas.

  • White Willow, Salix alba (I)

An introduced willow, often planted near water.

  • Weeping willow, Salix babylonica (I)

Another introduced willow, famous for its drooping branches.

This is a native willow. It grows along streams and in wet places.

Black willow is the largest native willow in North America.

Violets

A small violet with two-colored flowers.

This violet has white flowers with purple veins.

  • Halberd-leaved yellow violet, Viola hastata

It has yellow flowers and spear-shaped leaves.

An introduced violet known for its strong, sweet scent.

Its leaves look like a bird's foot. It has beautiful purple flowers.

This is a very common violet. It often grows in lawns and gardens.

Peas, Beans, and Clovers

This large family includes many important plants.

Locusts and Clovers

Redbud trees have beautiful pink-purple flowers in early spring.

This tree has long, sharp thorns. Its pods contain sweet pulp.

  • Chinese bushclover, Lespedeza cuneata (I)

An introduced plant that can spread quickly.

  • Kudzu, Pueraria montana (I)

Kudzu is a very fast-growing vine. It can cover trees and buildings.

This tree has fragrant white flowers. Its wood is very strong.

A native vine with small pink flowers.

A common introduced clover, often found in lawns.

This native wisteria has beautiful purple flowers.

Roses, Elms, and Mulberries

This group contains many familiar trees and shrubs.

Hackberry and Mulberry

This tree produces sweet, edible berries.

Hackberry trees have warty bark. Their berries are eaten by birds.

This tree produces sweet, dark red berries.

Cherries and Roses

Serviceberry trees have white flowers in spring. Their berries are edible.

An evergreen tree with shiny leaves.

This cherry tree has small, bright red fruits.

Black cherry is a common forest tree. Its wood is valuable.

A native rose with pink flowers. It produces rose hips in fall.

Elm Trees

This elm has corky "wings" on its branches.

A classic shade tree, known for its vase shape.

Its inner bark is slippery when wet. It was used for medicinal purposes.

Oaks, Hickories, and Birches

This section features some of North Carolina's most important forest trees.

Birch Trees

Yellow birch has peeling, yellowish bark.

Also called cherry birch, its bark smells like wintergreen.

River birch has distinctive peeling bark. It often grows along rivers.

Also called musclewood, its trunk looks like muscles.

Its fruits look like hops.

Chestnuts and Beeches

Once a dominant tree, it was nearly wiped out by a blight. Efforts are being made to restore it.

A smaller relative of the American chestnut.

Beech trees have smooth, gray bark. Their nuts are eaten by wildlife.

Oak Trees

White oaks are long-lived trees. Their acorns are a food source for many animals.

Known for its brilliant red leaves in fall.

A common oak in the South.

This oak has deeply lobed leaves. It grows in sandy, dry areas.

Its acorn is almost completely covered by its cap.

A small, tough oak that grows in poor soils.

This oak grows in wet areas. Its acorns are very large.

Its leaves resemble those of a chestnut tree.

Water oaks are common in urban areas. They grow quickly.

This oak has bark that looks like a cherry tree.

Pin oaks have strong, downward-pointing branches.

Its leaves are long and narrow, like a willow.

A large, important timber tree.

Post oaks have cross-shaped leaves.

Its inner bark is orange.

Live oaks are evergreen. They are famous for their sprawling branches.

Hickories and Walnuts

Its nuts are very bitter.

The nuts of this hickory are small.

  • Pecan, Carya illinoinensis (I)

Pecans are famous for their delicious nuts. They are an introduced species here.

This hickory has bark that peels off in long strips.

It has large, thick-shelled nuts.

Black walnuts produce valuable wood and edible nuts.

Southern Wax Myrtle

This evergreen shrub has fragrant leaves. Its berries are used to make candles.

Sumacs and Maples

This group includes some plants you might want to avoid and some beautiful trees.

Sumacs and Poison Ivy

This sumac has fuzzy branches, like deer antlers.

  • Poison ivy, Toxicodendron radicans

Leaves of three, let it be! This plant causes an itchy rash.

  • Poison sumac, Toxicodendron vernix

This shrub also causes a rash. It grows in wet, swampy areas.

Maple Trees

Boxelder is a fast-growing maple. Its leaves look like those of a boxelder tree.

Red maples are common. They have red twigs, buds, flowers, and fall leaves.

This maple is famous for its sweet sap, used to make maple syrup.

This tree has yellow flowers. Its seeds resemble a deer's eye.

Mallows and Basswood

These plants are known for their flowers and useful wood.

Seashore Mallow

This plant has pink flowers. It grows in coastal marshes.

American Basswood

Basswood trees have soft, light wood. Their flowers are fragrant.

Cacti and Carnivorous Plants

North Carolina is home to some surprising and unique plants!

Eastern Prickly Pear

Yes, a cactus grows in North Carolina! It has flat pads and yellow flowers.

Carnivorous Plants

This famous plant traps insects with its hinged leaves. It's native to a small area of North and South Carolina.

Pitcherplants have tube-shaped leaves that trap insects. This one has yellow flowers.

This pitcherplant has a hood over its opening.

This pitcherplant has reddish-purple leaves. It often holds rainwater.

This pitcherplant has a sweet smell to attract insects.

Dogwoods and Hydrangeas

These are popular ornamental plants.

Dogwood Trees

This shrub has blue berries.

This is the state flower of North Carolina. It has beautiful white or pink "flowers" (which are actually modified leaves).

A shrub with stiff branches.

Hydrangeas

This hydrangea has large, rounded clusters of white flowers.

Its leaves have a silvery underside.

Tupelos and Blackgum

This tree grows in swamps. Its base is often swollen.

Blackgum trees have beautiful red fall foliage.

Blueberries and Azaleas

This group includes delicious fruits and colorful flowers.

Persimmon and Blueberries

Persimmon trees produce sweet, edible fruits when ripe.

This is the wild ancestor of many cultivated blueberries.

A low-growing blueberry found in wet, sandy areas.

Its berries are a favorite food for deer.

Azaleas and Mountain Laurel

A rare shrub with white flowers.

This evergreen shrub has beautiful pink and white flowers.

  • Indian pipe, Monotropa uniflora

This unique plant is white and gets its nutrients from fungi, not photosynthesis.

Sourwood trees have bell-shaped flowers and bright red fall leaves.

This azalea has brilliant orange and yellow flowers.

A native azalea with pink flowers.

Shooting Star and Silverbell

  • Shooting star, Primula meadia

Its flowers look like shooting stars.

This tree has delicate, bell-shaped white flowers.

Milkweeds and Jessamine

This group includes plants important for butterflies.

Milkweeds

This plant has tough fibers.

This milkweed has bright orange flowers. It's a favorite of monarch butterflies.

Another important plant for monarch butterflies.

Yellow Jessamine

This vine has fragrant yellow flowers. It's the state flower of South Carolina.

Rosepink and Bluet

  • Rosepink, Sabatia angularis

This plant has beautiful pink flowers.

A tiny, delicate wildflower with pale blue flowers.

Jimsonweed and Morning-glory

These plants are known for their showy flowers.

Jimsonweed

This plant has large, trumpet-shaped flowers.

Common Morning-glory

An introduced vine with colorful, trumpet-shaped flowers.

Trumpet Vines and Sages

This section includes some common garden plants.

Water-willow and Petunia

This plant grows in shallow water. It has white or purple flowers.

  • Carolina wild petunia, Ruellia caroliniensis

This native plant has purple, petunia-like flowers.

Trumpet Vine

  • Trumpet vine, Campsis radicans

This vine has large, orange, trumpet-shaped flowers. It attracts hummingbirds.

Ground-ivy and Lyre-leaf Sage

  • Ground-ivy, Glechoma hederacea (I)

An introduced plant that spreads along the ground.

This native sage has purple flowers. Its leaves are shaped like a lyre.

Bladderwort and Ash Trees

  • Southern bladderwort, Utricularia juncea

This is a carnivorous plant that lives in water. It traps tiny aquatic creatures.

White ash is a large, important forest tree.

This ash tree grows in wet areas.

Green ash is a common tree, often planted in cities.

Painted-cup and Monkeyflower

Its bright red "flowers" are actually colorful leaves.

This flower looks like a monkey's face.

Common Mullein

An introduced plant with soft, fuzzy leaves and a tall flower stalk.

Hollies and Daisies

This group includes a festive plant and common wildflowers.

American Holly

This evergreen tree has spiny leaves and bright red berries. It's popular during holidays.

Daisies and Goldenrods

A very tall plant that can cause allergies.

A familiar introduced daisy, often found in lawns.

  • Woolly elephant's foot, Elephantopus tomentosus

This plant has large, fuzzy leaves.

A tall, feathery plant with a strong smell.

This tall plant has clusters of purple flowers.

Another introduced daisy, common in fields.

  • Tall goldenrod, Solidago gigantea

Goldenrods have bright yellow flowers. They are important for pollinators.

Cardinal Flower and Indian Tobacco

This plant has brilliant red flowers. It attracts hummingbirds.

This plant has small, pale blue flowers.

Queen Anne's Lace and Honeysuckle

These are common plants you might see along roadsides.

Queen Anne's Lace

This introduced plant has delicate white flowers. It's related to carrots.

Golden Alexanders

  • Golden alexanders, Zizia aurea

A native plant with clusters of small yellow flowers.

Japanese Honeysuckle

  • Japanese honeysuckle, Lonicera japonica (I)

This introduced vine has fragrant white and yellow flowers. It can grow very quickly.

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
List of flora of North Carolina Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.