Characteristic tree species include:
yellow-poplar, sugar maple, red maple, American beech, and yellow birch.

Associated tree species include:
sweet birch, northern red oak, black cherry, white ash, basswood, cucumber tree, aspen, eastern hemlock, pin cherry, and striped maple.

Understory plants include:
summer grape, green brier, spicebush, flowering dogwood, serviceberry, witch-hazel, viburnum, and hawthorn.

Herbaceous plants include:
figwort, aster, violet, short husked grass, trillium, club-moss, black snakeroot, Indian turnip, wood sorrel, and fern.

Since many of these species are not tolerant of shady conditions, tree regeneration requires full sunlight on the forest floor. Therefore, maintaining this association depends on removal of the entire canopy within a short period of time. The disturbance can be natural or planned. If some degree of canopy cover remains intact, this community will gradually convert to a northern hardwoods forest association.

Forest Health Report Contents