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How to Recognize It
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In the Rich Boulderfield Forest, black maple, bitternut hickory, and common hackberry grow on steep slopes overlooking the Potomac River. Up to 80% of the surface in this natural community can be covered with boulders. Soil is sparse, but quite fertile. Beneath the trees, American bladdernut shrubs are abundant. Wildflowers include squirrel-corn, white wood-aster, and pale jewelweed.
Can you find this combination of key features?
Identifying This Natural Community
- Black maple and bitternut hickory trees
- American bladdernut shrubs
- Wildflowers such as squirrel-corn, pale jewelweed, white wood-aster, and zigzag goldenrod
- Marginal woodfern
- Location: a steep, north- to northeast-facing slope above the Potomac River, with up to 80% of the ground covered by boulders
If so, welcome to the Rich Boulderfield Forest at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park.
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