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Rock Creek Park

You can find long, narrow stands of the Tuliptree Small-Stream Floodplain Forest along the banks and floodplains of Rock Creek and other streams in the park. Temporary flooding is no problem for the trees in this community, which include tuliptree, American sycamore, box-elder, river birch, green ash, and American elm. Understory plants include northern spicebush, wood-nettles (don’t touch!), and spring wildflowers. The banks are often sandy and stony; the floodplains beyond have fine-textured soils containing nutrients deposited by floods.

Can you find this combination of key features?

Identifying This Natural Community

If so, welcome to Rock Creek Park’s Tuliptree Small-Stream Floodplain Forest.

Not sure? Check out Tips to Distinguish (below), or the Compare Natural Communities tool.

Tips to Distinguish Tuliptree Small-Stream Floodplain Forest from Red Maple Seepage Swamp at Rock Creek Park