Virginia, situated on the eastern seaboard, boasts a stunning array of diverse and distinctive flora. Its landscape is a patchwork of forests, prairies, and mountains, each offering a different habitat for plant species to thrive in. In this write-up, we shall explore thirty charming varieties of Virginia flowers, plants, and wildflowers.
Virginia is home to a diverse range of plant species that flourish in its humid environment, particularly in USDA Growing Zones 5a to 8a. Only a small area of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the eastern corner of the state fall under Zone 5, while the majority of Virginia is categorized under Zones 6a to 7b.
In Virginia, native plants are those that were already present in the area before European immigrants arrived in the early 17th century. Over time, non-native invasive species were introduced and have since become established in the region. One example of a native plant in Virginia is the American dogwood.
The American dogwood, also known as the blooming dogwood, is a beautiful deciduous tree belonging to the cornaceae family. It has been designated as the state flower of Virginia since 1918 and can be found all across the Eastern United States.
The Black-eyed Susan is a standout among the various types of wildflowers belonging to the Asteraceae family. It boasts impressive, large blooms that appear during the summer and fall seasons. The flowers themselves are composed of yellow petals with a center cone that’s dark brown in color. This recognizable wildflower is native to the prairies and open grasslands across USDA hardiness zones 3 through 9.
The prairie feather or Liatris spicata is a prevalent wild plant found in the grasslands situated in the eastern part of North America. These plants are considered perennials, just like daisies, and can be identified through their slender leaves that resemble grass and their tall stems.
The milkweed, also called butterfly weed, belongs to the Apocynaceae family and is a perennial plant. It’s commonly found throughout North America, particularly in grasslands and open forests, providing abundant nectar for pollinators like bees. The plant features an upright stem and lance-shaped leaves, with small clusters of orange, red, or yellow flowers blooming during summer.
Cardinal Flowers are perennial herbaceous plants that can be found in wetlands across Central and North America. These beautiful plants belong to the Campanulaceae family and were named after the scarlet robes worn by Catholic cardinals due to their deep red blossoms with five lobes.
The Christmas fern, also known as Dryopteris filix-mas, is a type of fern that stays green all year round and comes back every year. It’s usually found in the eastern regions of North America. When they’re all grown up, these ferns will have clusters of shiny, deep green leaves with up to 35 pairs of pinnae. The stems that support the fronds are sturdy and covered in black or dark brown scales.
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Source: Garden Enthusiast