Seedlings
This page has photos of seedlings for native or benign naturalized species to help recognize the "good" plants. A few common invasives are also shown when their seedlings are very distinctive. See the invasives page for identification of additional species you may wish to remove. Click to enlarge the image. Additional (or better!) photos are highly desirable. Please send them to info@flnps.org with species and photographer clearly identified (and permission clarified if not your own image).
 striped maple Although these seedlings are chlorotic, they show the typical ovate (chordate?) first leaves, while subsequent leaves are lobed. Reddish stems. Photo by R Parker |
 doll's eyes A. pachypoda or A. rubra; note first leaf is distinctive for genus ID, not much help for species. Photo by R Parker |
 red baneberry A. pachypoda or A. rubra; note first leaf is distinctive for genus ID, but not much help for species. Photo by R Parker |
 Allegheny vine The cotyledons are not distinctive at this stage, but note the shape. First true leaves are compound like mature plant. Photo by R. Parker |
 garlic mustard Invasive! First year leaves will form a rosette by fall. Photo by J Mayer, taken in WI |
 nodding onion All Allium species germinate with a thin grass-like look. Also see Erythronium, which are a bit larger cross-section. Photo by Rosemarie Parker |
 lovely shadbush typical Amelanchier seedling, species unknown Photo by R. Parker |
downy serviceberry typical Amelanchier seedling, species unknown Photo by R. Parker |
|
|
serviceberry Amelanchier seedling, species unknown but they mostly look like this. Photo by R. Parker |
Allegheny serviceberry Amelanchier species, not clear which one but several Finger Lakes native Amelanchiers start out looking like this. Photo by R Parker |
 hog peanut Compound true leaves and pointed cotyledons help with ID. Also large size. Photo by R. Parker |
 pearly everlasting Densely hairy leaves, pale green, very small. Photo by R Parker |
 purple-stemmed angelica Note the red stems and veins, plus the simple, elongated cotyledons. Seeds are also visible (sow on surface) - germinating just to the right of coin. Photo by R Parker |
|
 Parlin's pussytoes The seedlings are very tiny but already have white hairs on leaves. They do best in very well draining mix. Photo by R. Parker |
 wild columbine The first true leaf is very distinctive. Cotyledons and early leaves may be reddish (as shown), but often are normal green. Photo by R. Parker |
 spikenard note red stems, overlapping chordate base & serrated edge. Photo by R. Parker |
 Wild Ginger Inset shows more mature seedling with fuzzy leaves. Cotyledons are not fuzzy and are more pointed than true leaves. Photo by R Parker |
||
 Swamp Milkweed First leaves are narrow compared with A. tuberosa & A. syriaca. Note reddish coloration on stem and cotyledons. Photo by R. Parker |
 paw-paw Emerging seedlings post cold stratification. Note the seed size. Photo by R. Parker |
|
 maidenhair spleenwort gametophytes and new sporophytes (the "usual" form) Photo by R. Parker |
 yellow birch Hairs are visible on leaf top, shiny surface is real. Photo by R. Parker |
|
 black birch First leaves hairy. Note pointed buds and spotted bark by first fall. Early seedlings look essentially like Betula alleghaniensis. Photo by R Parker |
 Marsh Marigold Note the rounded tip and deep sinus on first true leaves. Subsequent leaves are rounder & flatter. Photo by R Parker |
 Tall Bellflower Left: about 1 mo old & sown too thickly; note long petiole & strong veins & not as long/thin as upper leaves. Right: germination Photo by R. Parker |
 Harebells Young plants, whether seedling or offshoot, lack the wider basal leaf seen in larger plants. All campanula cotyledons are very small. Photo by R Parker |
 cut-leaved toothwort The compound leaf develops early, even showing lobed edges within the first few true leaves. Photo by R. Parker |
|
 bristle-leaved sedge Very short grassy seedlings, just like other small, fine leaved sedges. Photo by R. Parker |
 sallow sedge Horrible focus, but note that the seedlings have multiple leaves pretty quickly & later are still not distinctive. Photo by R. Parker |
|
 musclewood First leaves already show distinctive shape and veining. Photo by R. Parker |
 New Jersey tea The first true leaf shows strong veining and irregular edge. Photo by R. Parker |
 hackberry Note the notch in the cotyledons. This one was far from a mature tree, but underneath a good bird perch. Photo by R Parker |
 buttonbush Note how small they are and the coppery color. Photo by R. Parker |
 prairie senna Cotyledons are rounded-note just emerged plant at base Photo by R. Parker |
|
 pasture thistle The first true leaves already show spines. Still small at nearly 1 year. A true biennial, it will grow significantly, flower, and self-sow in the 2nd year. Photo by R. Parker |
 purple clematis The color and texture are good clues to the genus. Photo by R. Parker |
|
 virgin's bower First true leaves are single, not compound. Photo by Freyda Black |
 Bluebead Lily One year seedling. Note leaf texture and thickness. Photo by R. Parker |
 horse balm Notice coarse veining and scalloped-serrated edges. Photo by R. Parker |
 flowering dogwood Notice the whitish hairs showing at the base of the leaf. Photo by R. Parker |
 red-osier dogwood Cornus seedlings look very similar. Note red stem. Photo by R. Parker |
|
 Bulblet Fern Not really a seedling, but the result of a fallen "bulblet". Very tiny but red stalk is distinctive. Photo by R Parker |
||
 Panicum clandestinum The wide, hairy leaf with visible veins is easy to recognize. Photo by R Parker |
 northern bush honeysuckle Unfortunately, the seedlings are not very distinctive. Photo by R. Parker |
|
 evergreen wood fern The teeny fringe in center is the first sign of the new asexual form (i.e. "normal fern"). It can take a year to reach this point, although the sexual forms will show up fairly quickly (note flattened green gametophytes below the moss). Photo by R Parker |
 Marginal Wood Fern The teeny fringe in center is the first sign of the new asexual form (i.e. "normal fern"). It can take a year to reach this point, although the sexual forms (note flattened green gametophytes below the moss) will show up fairly quickly. Photo by R Parker |
 wild cucumber By the time the compound leaf is showing, you can see distinct "clasping" around the stem. Stems can be reddish. Photo by R. Parker |
 prairie wild rye First sighting is a slender bronze-burgundy wisp. After a few inches the blue tinge of a mature plant MAY be visible. Photo by R Parker |
 riverbank wild rye It's hard to ID grass seedlings. Look for red coloring near the crown. Photo by Krissy Boys |
|
 yellow trout-lily Erythronium species show above ground in the second year. Photo by Rosemarie Parker |
 upland thoroughwort The arrow indicates the first sign of the red color that develops in many young plants. The opposite leaves have no petiole. Photo by R. Parker |
|
 White Wood Aster The first true leaves are already showing the heart shaped leaves and teeth. Photo by R. Parker |
 Bigleaf Aster leaf shape shows early - sorry for lousy image of chlorotic plants Photo by R. Parker |
 Spotted Joe-Pye Weed The darker color of new leaves helps, along with very definite teeth. Photo by R. Parker |
 Prairie Bottle Gentian Gentian seedlings are extremely tiny and easily disrupted by too-strong water spray. Photo by R. Parker |
 Closed Gentian Very tiny, very easy to miss germination. Wait until much larger to pot up. Note more elongated first true leaf (insert not to scale). Photo by R. Parker |
 stiff gentian These are spring 2nd year. First year are really, really tiny! (Pearlite gives scale here.) Photo by R Parker |
 Wild Geranium Cotyledons and first leaves in a flat where all the seeds ended up on the same side (watering issue!) Photo by R. Parker |
 purple water avens Rounded leaves are early, but it is hard to distinguish beyond genus level. Photo by R. Parker |
 bowman's root Three-part leaves show up quickly. Note the recently germinated plants in the foreground. Photo by R. Parker |
 Sneezeweed Not very distinctive, but light green and fairly large. Photo by R. Parker |
||
 Sharp-Lobed Hepatica Hepatica can take 1-2 yr to germinate, so moss and weeds are common. Hepatica has bluish tinge, reddish stem. Violas show true leaves faster! Photo by R Parker |
 Swamp Rosemallow Large cotyledons, and the first leaves have rounded serrations. Photo by R. Parker |
 rough hawkweed Notice how hairy the leaves are. Very rough texture. Photo by R. Parker |
 Goldenseal Obvious hairs, and the outline resembles mature leaves but without the lobes. Photo by Linda Blossom |
 Broad-Leaved Waterleaf On the large size, with first leaf already showing maple-look. Photo by R. Parker (taken at Baltimore Woods Preserve NY) |
 Pointed-Leaved Tick-Trefoil Compund leaves appear early. Note the stipules at leaf base. Photo by R. Parker |
 pale St. John’s wort True leaves have that "Hypericum look." Photo by R. Parker |
 Orange Jewelweed, Light green leaves on fat stalks. Both cotyledons and first real leaves shown. Photo by Jennifer Koslow, Eastern Kentucky University |
 Twinleaf Smallest seedlings do not have typical leaf shape, but still distinctive. See top center and bottom right edge of main cluster. Photo by R Parker |
 common soft rush Not very distinctive but clearly a monocot. Rounded leaves. ("Rushes R Round") Photo by R. Parker |
 wood nettle Look for alternate leaves once true leaves arrive. Photo by R. Parker |
 blazing star Liatris have a very distinctive long narrow first leaf (see arrow for small one.) This photo is of Liatris aspera, NOT native to NY state. Photo by R. Parker |
 Canada Lily Lily seeds, surface sown, are lifted up as they germinate. Photo by R. Parker |
||
 fly honeysuckle The cotyledons are dark green & true leaves substantive. Slow to germinate, use acidic, well drained mix. Some 1-2 yr seedlings in right photo Photo by R. Parker |
 Wild Lupine The cotyledons are both blue-green and substantive. Photo by Linda Blossom |
|
 Starflower Very small seedlings. Not distinctive at this stage. Photo by R. Parker |
 cucumber magnolia The first leaf does not really show the width and shine of mature leaves. Photo by R. Parker |
 False Solomon's Seal The first leaf is "fatter" than mature leaves. It can take multiple years to germinate (left image). Photo by R. Parker |
 Virginia Bluebells First leaves are more pointed and more bluish (as are the cotyledons) than those of year old plants. Both are in this photo. Photo by R Parker |
 early saxifrage Young plant rather than seedling. Note leaf texture. Photo by R. Parker |
|
 Partridgeberry Notice the leaf texture; 2 years post sowing. The small cotyledons are weeds. Photo by R. Parker |
 Oswego Tea First true leaves have veining. Somewhat more sturdy than M. fistulosa seedlings. Photo by R. Parker |
 Wild Bergamot, Bee Balm Cotyledons - Fuzzy and purplish tinge help with ID. Perlite gives a sense of the size - very small. Photo by R Parker |
 garden forget-me-not Note the fuzzy leaves on this aggressive self-sowing naturalized plant. Compare to Rudbeckia sp. Photo by S Navie, Univ Queensland, AU |
 whorled wood aster The whorled arrangement is not seen in seedlings, but the rough serration is there. (Color = chlorotic, not true color) Photo by R. Parker |
|
 wild quinine Note the changes in leaves as the seedling grows. First true leaves are different than subsequent. Photo by R. Parker |
 wood betony First true leaves show the lobes and hairs of the older plant. Photo by R. Parker |
 Foxglove Beardtongue Note the bloom indicating hairs and the slight reddish center (first true leaves). Photo by R. Parker |
 Hairy Beardtongue Bloom indicates hairs. Not distinguishable from P. digitalis at this stage. Photo by R. Parker |
 Sycamore Commonly seeds along edges of streams & creeks. Notice reddish stem. Photo by F. Robert Wesley |
 Mayapple Large cotyledons, and the first leaves already curl into umbrella shape. Photo by R. Parker |
 Christmas Fern Young fern fronds look nothing like the mature frond or leaflets. (Typical) Photo by Audrey Bowe |
 Yellow Mandarin Note reddish stem in side view on left. This plant is probably 3yr but still small. Photo by R Parker |
|
 Hoary Mountain Mint Hairy leaf surface is already visible. Photo by D.L. Nickrent, Source: CUPIC |
 narrow-leaved mountain mint Not very distinctive but note the small size, still larger than Lobelias. Photo by R. Parker |
 Virginia mountain mint Very small initially. After a few more leaves, they start to show the narrow pointed leaves of mature plants. Photo by Freyda Black (left), R. Parker (right) |
 rose shell azalea Small seedlings, or stoloniferous offshoots like these are commonly seen where deer keep mature plants trimmed. Photo by R Parker |
 prairie rose The first true leaves are clearly Rosa, but it will be some time before the thorns give evidence of which native rose. Photo by Freyda Black |
 American elderberry Reddish stems visible in upper left. A better photo would be appreciated! Photo by R. Parker |
 Bloodroot This distinctive leaf is usually seen by the second spring after sowing. First year underground growth is shown in right corner. Photo by R Parker |
 clustered sanicle Initially appears to be Zizia, but subsequent leaves are significantly more serrated and rounded. Photo by R. Parker |
 Pitcher Plant Seedlings in half sphagnum, half sand, with dime for scale. Note seeds still on some cotyledons, and the start of an actual pitcher in inset. Photo by Rosemarie Parker |
 lance-leaved figwort Stem is not red; teeth and veining prominent. Photo by R. Parker |
 Figwort Cotyledons are rounded. Note broad leaf base and pointed tip on seedlings (right photo). Photo by R. Parker |
 mountain blue eyed grass The iris family is very clearly seen by looking at the base of the leaves. Any Sisyrinchium will look the same at this stage. Photo by R. Parker |
 Sharp-Toothed Goldenrod Looks very similar to S. flexicaulis at this stagae. Photo by R. Parker |
 Blue-Stemmed Goldenrod A couple of inches tall, but showing mature features. Photo of younger seedlings would be appreciated. Photo by R. Parker |
|
 Zig-Zag Goldenrod The first true leaves already have long petioles and show the wide ovate shape of mature leaves. Photo by R. Parker |
 Rough-Leaved Goldenrod Unhappy, but they survived. Note serration on first true leaf. Photo by R. Parker |
|
 elm-leaved goldenrod Wide leaves and heavily toothed leaves, but still not distinctive. Photo by R. Parker |
 narrow leaved meadowsweet Serration is visible on the first true leaves, a few showing in this photo. Photo by R. Parker |
 steeplebush The leaves are distinctive for Spiraea, but hard to tell from S. alba at this size. Photo by R. Parker |
 prairie dropseed two stages but neither very distinctive. note very small cotyledon Photo by R. Parker |
 rose twisted stalk A monocot with elongated leaves which seem to attractive to slugs! Photo by R. Parker |
 wood poppy Distinctive leaves even when young. A very prolific self-sower in moist woods. Non-native in NY. Photo by R Parker |
 Smooth Blue Aster Thick, bluish leaves distinguish S. laeve even when young. The one on the left is likely 1-2 yrs. Photo by R Parker |
 Lowrie's Aster The second true leaf is starting to show the eventual shape of the lower leaves. Photo by R. Parker |
 New England aster Most Symphyotrichum look the same as cotyledons, but after a few true leaves the fuzziness, rounded tips, and clasping stems can be seen. Photo by R Parker |
 wavy leaved aster The true leaves are wider than many asters, and a close look shows widening or even actual clasping leaf stems. Photo by R. Parker |
 arrow-leaved aster The first true leaves already have long petioles and are starting to show the arrow shape of mature basal leaves. Cotyledons are rounded ovals. Photo by R. Parker |
 Early Meadow Rue Note bluish color. These seedlings are elongated due to low light! Photo by R. Parker |
 basswood Distinctive cotyledons look like a star-nosed mole in green. Note the first true leaf emerging. Photo by Kerry Woods via Flickr CC |
 White Trillium First year growth is underground, then cotyledon (12 months), first true leaf (24 mo). Typical 3-lobed leaf after roughly 36 months. Photo by R Parker |
 Painted Trillium Trillium seedlings will emerge 1 yr (or more) post sowing & enlarge until 3 leaflets emerge 3-4 years post sowing. Photo by R. Parker |
 Sessile-Leaved Bellwort Second spring past sowing - arching shape & sessile leaves! Photo by R. Parker |
 New York ironweed Not terribly distinctive until several true leaves form. Photo by R. Parker |
|
 Golden Alexanders Cotyledons are long and pointed, and first leaves are simple, not lobed as in the adult. The serration helps with ID. Photo by R Parker |
