Plants and Animals
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Plants
As its name implies, the Red-cedar Limestone Glade consists mostly of open grassy areas, and the most common grasses are sideoats grama and little bluestem. Sideoats grama is a calcium-loving grass whose presence indicates high levels of that element in the soil. This natural community also includes patches of eastern red-cedar, and some chinquapin oak.
Canopy Trees
The trees whose crowns intercept most of the sunlight in a forest stand. The uppermost layer of a forest.
- chinquapin oak
- eastern red-cedar
- bitternut hickory (occasional)
- black locust (occasional)
- black walnut (occasional)
Understory Trees
Small trees and young specimens of large trees growing beneath the canopy trees. Also called the subcanopy.
- flowering dogwood (occasional)
Shrubs, Saplings, and Vines
Shrubs, juvenile trees and vines at the right height to give birds and others a perch up off the ground but below the trees.
- blackhaw (occasional)
- fragrant sumac (occasional)
Low Plants (Field Layer)
Plants growing low to the ground. This includes small shrubs and tree seedlings.
- little bluestem
- sideoats grama
- downy milkpea (occasional)
- false boneset (occasional)
- gray goldenrod (occasional)
- hairy bedstraw (occasional)
- lyreleaf sage (occasional)
- tall redtop (occasional)
Non-Native Invasive Plant Species
Not many non-native invasive plants can be found here, although spotted knapweed* and Japanese honeysuckle* are two that may be. See Ecological Threats for more.
Animals
Even though natural communities aren’t named after animals, animals do play a crucial role in maintaining natural communities. Plants and animals need each other. To name just a few examples, plants provide food and habitat for animals, and animals help plants reproduce by spreading pollen and seeds. To learn more, see The Role of Animals in Natural Communities in Ecology Basics.
Check out iNaturalist to see photos of animals (and plants!) that people have seen in Harpers Ferry National Historical Park.