About wildflowers

Got it! I already read this. Go to the wildflower key now.

"Wildflowers" is the term we are using here to refer to herbaceous (non-woody), broad-leaved, flowering plants. Other types of herbaceous plants, such as ferns, grasses, sedges and rushes, are accessed separately at this website.

At more than 239 species, wildflowers comprise about 63% of all vascular plant species found during this survey. They belong to 49 different plant families. They're a veritable "melting pot" of diversity. Considered together, their flowers come in every imaginable color, size and shape. Some are annuals or biennials, and others are perennials. Most are fairly common, but a handful are rare in New York.

The Plant Finder for the wildflowers is based in large part on flower color and the overall description of the inflorescence. Distinguishing species based on the shape of leaves may work well for trees, shrubs and ferns, but it won't work well for herbaceous flowering plants. Very different types of plants can sometimes have leaves that look similar. Additionally, there are just too many species of wildflowers to easily distinguish between them without using many technical terms and concepts.

Most people don't bring a pad of paper and pen or pencil with them when they go hiking or running in a park, recreation path or natural area. But, many do bring along a smartphone. For best results, take pictures of the flowers and leaves of plants that you wish to identify. Those pictures will provide useful clues when you use this Plant Finder.

It is recommended that users also read the second page of this introduction
(see link below) for instructions regarding how to select the correct color in the key.

Continue to the second introductory page
or start Plant Finder for wildflowers by clicking the link above.