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American cranberrybush photo by Herman, D.E. et al 1996 ND Tree Handbook @USDA-NRCS

What are the plants in your yard? By using a variety of resources, you should be able to learn the names of most of the plants growing in your yard. Trees, shrubs and bushes, grasses, wildflowers, vines, mosses, ferns, and others can be identified using field guides and other larger identification guides, on-line resources, and local plant experts. Which are native plants and which are visitors – invited or uninvited – from other regions or continents? Is grass the most prominent "green" on your property? What "wildlife value" do your plants have or lack? Which of your plants are part of the natural ecosystem specific to your region? The answers to these questions will help you identify your ecological address. They will also help you plan your next backyard modifications.

Plant Resources

U.S. Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Plants Database
http://plants.usda.gov/

Brooklyn Botanical Gardens
http://www.bbg.org/

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
http://www.wildflower2.org/index.html

Smithsonian Institute
http://www.si.edu/science_and_technology/plants/