Plants and Animals
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Plants
The Dry-Mesic Chestnut Oak - Northern Red Oak Forest is a natural community of sheltered, rocky slopes that are often concave (dish-shaped). American witch-hazel is common beneath the oak canopy, as is pawpaw. In especially steep or rocky areas, plants are sparse on the forest floor, but you’ll find species like marginal woodfern and smooth rockcress that do fine with thin soils. Where soil has accumulated, you’ll find patches of white wood-aster and other plants that do well because of adequate amounts of moisture and soil nutrients.
Canopy Trees
The trees whose crowns intercept most of the sunlight in a forest stand. The uppermost layer of a forest.
Understory Trees
Small trees and young specimens of large trees growing beneath the canopy trees. Also called the subcanopy.
- American beech
- blackgum
- red hickory
- red maple
- sassafras
- sugar maple
- 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.
- American witch-hazel
- eastern poison-ivy
- mapleleaf viburnum
- pawpaw
- Virginia creeper
- wild hydrangea
- blueberries (occasional)
Low Plants (Field Layer)
Plants growing low to the ground. This includes small shrubs and tree seedlings.
- Christmas fern
- fourleaf yam
- marginal woodfern
- rock polypody
- smooth rockcress
- white snakeroot
- white wood-aster
- white-flower leafcup
- wreath goldenrod
- Solomon’s plume (occasional)
- tall rattlesnake-root (occasional)
- smooth rock skullcap (G3; vulnerable)
Non-Native Invasive Plant Species
Some vines, among other non-native invasive plants, are successful at colonizing these steep slopes. Check out 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.