List of woody plants of Soldiers Delight Facts for Kids

The Soldiers Delight Natural Environmental Area is a special protected place in western Baltimore County, Maryland. It covers about 1,900 acres (7.7 km²) of land. Much of Soldiers Delight is a unique type of land called a serpentine barren. This means the soil is very different from most places. Because of this special soil, many rare and endangered plants grow here.

Soldiers Delight: A Unique Natural Area

Soldiers Delight is known for its unusual "serpentine barren" areas. Serpentine soil has high levels of certain minerals and low levels of others. This makes it hard for many common plants to grow. But some plants have adapted to this tough environment. This is why you can find many rare and special plants here that don't grow in other places.

Meet Some Woody Plants of Soldiers Delight

Soldiers Delight is home to many different kinds of woody plants, like trees and shrubs. Scientists have studied this area for many years to list all the plants that live here. Here are some of the interesting woody plants you might find:

Cone-Bearing Trees (Gymnosperms)

These are plants that produce seeds in cones, like pine trees.

Pinus virginiana (Virginia pine) is very common here.
Juniperus virginiana - This is the Eastern redcedar. It's a type of juniper tree.
Pinus pungens - Known as Table mountain pine.
Pinus rigida - This is the Pitch pine.
Pinus virginiana - The Virginia pine is very common at Soldiers Delight.
Tsuga canadensis - Also called Eastern hemlock.

Flowering Plants (Angiosperms)

These plants produce flowers and seeds enclosed within a fruit.

Maple Family

Acer negundo - The Boxelder tree.
Acer rubrum - The Red maple tree.

Cashew Family

Rhus glabra - This is Smooth sumac.
Toxicodendron radicans - Be careful! This is Poison ivy.

Barberry Family

Berberis thunbergii (Japanese barberry) can be found in thickets.
Berberis thunbergii - This is Japanese Barberry. It's an introduced plant.

Birch Family

Carpinus caroliniana (American hornbeam) grows in lowland woods.
Betula lenta (Sweet birch) is another tree found here.
Alnus serrulata - The Smooth Alder.
Betula lenta - Also known as Sweet or Black Birch.
Carpinus caroliniana - The American Hornbeam.

Honeysuckle Family

Lonicera japonica - This is Japanese Honeysuckle.

Staff-tree Family

Celastrus orbiculatus (Oriental bittersweet) is an invasive vine.
Celastrus orbiculatus - This is Oriental Bittersweet, a vine that can grow very quickly.

Dogwood Family

Nyssa sylvatica (Black gum) is a common tree.
Cornus florida - The beautiful Flowering Dogwood.
Nyssa sylvatica - Also called Blackgum or Black Tupelo.

Heath Family

Kalmia latifolia - The Mountain Laurel has lovely flowers.
Vaccinium vacillans - This is the Low Blueberry.

Legume Family

Cercis canadensis - The Redbud tree.
Robinia pseudoacacia - The Black Locust tree.

Beech Family

Quercus marilandica (Blackjack oak) is common at Soldiers Delight.
Quercus stellata (Post oak) is also common.
Quercus velutina (Black oak) is another type of oak found here.
Castanea dentata - The American Chestnut, which was once very common.
Quercus alba - The White Oak.
Quercus marilandica - The Blackjack Oak, which is very common in serpentine areas.
Quercus stellata - The Post Oak, another common tree at Soldiers Delight.
Quercus velutina - The Black oak.

Walnut Family

Juglans nigra - The Black Walnut tree.

Laurel Family

Sassafras albidum - The Sassafras tree, known for its unique leaves.

Magnolia Family

Liriodendron tulipifera - The Tulip Tree or Yellow Poplar.

Rose Family

Prunus serotina (Wild cherry) is a common tree.
Prunus serotina - The Black cherry tree.
Rosa multiflora - The Multiflora Rose, a common shrub.
Rubus allegheniensis - The Common Blackberry.

Willow Family

Populus deltoides - The Eastern cottonwood.
Populus tremuloides - The Quaking Aspen.

Grape Family

Parthenocissus quinquefolia - This is Virginia Creeper, a common vine.

Greenbrier Family

Smilax rotundifolia (Common greenbrier) is very common in the woodlands.
Smilax rotundifolia - The Common Greenbrier, a thorny vine often found in woodlands.

List of woody plants of Soldiers Delight facts for kids

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