Tips to Distinguish Mesic Mixed Hardwood Forest from Basic Mesic Hardwood Forest at Rock Creek Park

Mesic Mixed Hardwood Forest vs. Basic Mesic Hardwood Forest at Rock Creek Park

Similarities: Both have a canopy of some combination of oaks, American beech, or tuliptree, and generally lack mountain laurel in the understory.

Tips to Distinguish: However, the Basic Mesic Hardwood Forest has more plant-species diversity. Its trees may also include white ash, American basswood, and bitternut hickory, and its understory has a lush look, especially when spring wildflowers are blooming. It is more likely to have northern spicebush and pawpaw shrubs, while the Mesic Mixed Hardwood Forest is more likely to have acid-tolerant American holly.