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Plants for woodland


Best woodland plants for gardens: 12 types for shady spots

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The best woodland plants often come into their own in spring. Light falls through branches that haven’t yet come into leaf, bathing the plants below in a golden glow. The show begins with snowdrops and aconites and transforms week by week, with primroses, forget-me-nots and wood anemones blooming in a non-stop carpet of colour. 

A woodland-style border is simply a flowerbed beneath deciduous trees or shrubs. Spring is the highlight, but you can plant a range of bulbs and perennials to give a show throughout the year. Choose white, yellow and pale-blue flowers that will light up the gloom once leaves are on the trees.

If you have an area under and around deciduous shrubs and trees, this is the place to plant your woodland shade loving plants. Most appreciate humus-rich soil, so digging in leaf mould or compost before planting them and topping up annually is well worth the effort too. 

Add color and interest to a shady spot with woodland plants

If you're looking for inspiration for a mini-woodland garden in your own plot, you'll find plenty to choose from in our edit of the best woodland plants.

1. Hellebore 'Walberton’s Rosemary' 

(Image credit: Alamy)

It's worth learning how to grow hellebores if you want to add interest to your plot in the winter months. 

This lovely hellebore produces masses of stunning dusky pink outward facing flowers from January right through until spring. It prefers a sheltered spot in partial shade with rich soil. A good choice for woodland gardens, under-planting of trees and shrubs, and for flowerbeds and borders. Height 14in/35cm.

2. Erythronium ‘Pagoda’

(Image credit: Alamy)

In bloom from March to April, this dog’s tooth violet, as it's also known, isn't purple as you might expect from the name but instead produces elegant lily-shaped yellow flowers. It likes to be planted in soil enriched with leaf mould and its preferred position is under deciduous trees. Height 12in/30cm. 

3. Bowles' Golden Grass

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Bowles’ golden grass (Milium effusum ‘Aureum’ ) is a delightful semi-evergreen grass that has golden-yellow leaves in early spring, which mature to lime green. 

This lovely grass is one of the best woodland plants for gardens when it comes to filling out gaps in garden borders. It likes moist, well-drained, humus-rich soil in a semi-shaded spot. Height 15in/40cm. 

4. Pulmonaria Opal 'Ocupol'

(Image credit: Alamy)

A wonderful, low-growing plant that can be used to add color to a shady border. The long-lasting opalescent flowers open from pink buds in March and April, and are shown off beautifully against silver-spotted foliage. Plant with spring flowering bulbs, and shade-loving ferns and hostas, in rich well-drained soil. Height 12in/30cm. 

5. Narcissus ‘Jenny’

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This lovely elegant daffodil has dainty flowers with lemon-coloured trumpets that fade to ivory during March and April. It's small but sturdy and will stand up well to wind and rain. It's an excellent all rounder for borders in sun or shade, containers or to create spectacular drifts in grassy areas. Height 12in/30cm. 

Theres plenty of useful tips on how to plant daffodils in our guide. 

6. Anemone x lipsiensis

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Soft creamy-yellow single flowers adorn this beautiful wood anemone from April to May, above attractive divided leaves. Plant a few of these in your garden in the semi-shade under deciduous trees and shrubs, or at the front of the border in full sun. They'll grow happily anywhere, increasing gradually from year to year, and like humus-rich well-drained soil types. Height 6in/15cm. 

7. Bleeding heart 'Alba'

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This white bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectabilis ‘Alba’ syn. Dicentra spectabilis Alba) is found in moist soils in the cool margins of woodlands. It is one of the earliest perennials to flower, lighting up shady corners in April and May, when it produces arching sprays of pure white heart-shaped flowers and fern-like leaves. 

Easy to grow, this is one of the most elegant woodland plants for gardens around and is ideal for adding a luminous touch to a woodland-style plot. Height 23in/60cm.

8. Brunnera macrophylla ‘Hadspen Cream’ 

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Also known as Siberian bugloss, the combination of sky-blue flowers in April and May and heart-shaped, variegated foliage make this a great choice for partially shaded borders. Use it for underplanting deciduous trees and shrubs, where it will like moist, well-drained soil in semi-shade or shade. Height 18in/45cm.  

9. Corydalis flexuosa ‘China Blue’

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The tubular blue flowers on maroon stems bloom from April to July, above bronze, grey and green fern-like foliage. The intense blue of the flowers will light up a gloomy garden like no other, which means it's good for filling gaps in a partially shaded border or for landscaping around trees and shrubs. Height 23in/30cm.

10. Martagon lily Turk’s Cap

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One of the best woodland plants for gardens, this early summer perennial lily forms tall slender stems carrying several pink-purple, yellow, light orange, dark red or white flowers. 

It's a great border plant and does best in light soil with added compost in partial shade or sun. It's quick to get established and will come back year after year, and it's also a good choice for container garden ideas. Height 59in/150cm.

11. Primroses

(Image credit: Ashley Cooper/Getty Images)

Creamy yellow primroses are a familiar sight in woodlands in early spring and they're good for brightening shady gardens as well as being ideal container plants. They bloom for weeks and if you plant a clump in your garden they will soon spread to give you a carpet of creamy yellow flowers that comes back every year. Height 4in/10cm.

12. Winter aconites

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The buttery yellow flowers of winter aconites (Eranthis hyemalis) are one of the first woodland plants to bloom at the beginning of the year. 

A woodland native, it hangs around for a couple of months and likes to be planted in moisture retentive soil in a shady spot. It will do well planted under shrubs or around the base of deciduous trees and requires very little attention to thrive, making it a great low maintenance plant option. Height 6in/15cm.

What are the best woodland plants?

Wood anemones and primroses are the stars of the show but there are so many other woodland plants to choose from.

In March, blue lungworts mingle with yellow flashes of early daffodils beneath the leafless trees. The pale-lemon flowers of Corylopsis shrubs bloom on bare stems, allowing light to fall onto hellebores below.  

During April, brunnera and ajuga form blue pools, ferns unfurl like yo-yos and lime wood spurge, white epimediums and ivory Narcissus ‘Thalia’ catch the light. 

Then later, in May, the canopy closes in, containing the scent of lily of the valley, while bellwort, honesty and perfoliate alexanders create a tapestry of pink and gold.

A woodland-style border doesn’t have to dwindle at the end of spring either. There are lots of plants that flower in dappled shade, including aquilegia, foxglove, cranesbill, hosta and honeysuckle to mix in with ferns and shade-loving grasses. 

Cranesbill is a perennial woodland plant that belongs to the Geranium family

(Image credit: By Eve Livesey/Getty Images)

What plants live in the woodland?

Woodland encompasses a whole range of plant types including trees and shrubs, climbing plants, perennial herbs, bulbs, grasses, sedges, mosses and lichens. 

In its natural state woodland is very varied. Trees are the most important plants as they support a wealth of wildlife and improve air quality. But woodland plants growing under the tree canopy are key to biodiversity too.

You can recreate your own mini-woodland garden at home with the right mix of the best woodland plants for gardens.

(Image credit: CEZARY ZAREBSKI PHOTOGRAPHY/GettyImages)

What flowers grow in the woods?

In spring you will find anemones, hellebores, primroses and daffodils. If you're lucky you may see patches of deep purple-blue wild violets too.

Later in April and May you will find heavenly-scented lily of the valley, bellwort and carpets of bluebells, while in summer foxgloves, red campion and wild honeysuckle are added to the mix.

All these woodland plants will thrive in a shady spot of the garden too, so it's worth including them in your flowerbed ideas if you want to recreate the look. 

In late spring the woods are carpeted with bluebells

(Image credit: Daniel Durgan-EyeEm/Getty Images)

Lifestyle journalist Sarah Wilson has been writing about gardens since 2015. She's written for Gardeningetc.com, Livingetc, Homes & Gardens, Easy Gardens and Modern Gardens magazines. Having studied introductory garden and landscape design, she is currently putting the skills learned to good use in her own space where the dream is establishing a cutting garden.

10 of the best for shady areas in a garden |

(Image credit: Joe Wainwright)

Woodland plants are adapted to life in partial or dappled shade. If you’re lucky enough to have a woodland area in your garden, or have shaded spots beneath trees and shrubs, these woodland plants will help you to create a natural display full of color and interest.   

Woodland plants are among the shade plants, adapted to life in partial or dappled shade. Some will tolerate more shade than others. The levels of shade can be difficult to gauge, especially in a woodland environment where it is likely always to be changing depending on the leaf canopy through the seasons – so be prepared to move plants if they’re not thriving.  

Woodland plants can add color, texture and scent among shrubs for shade and bring darker corners of the garden, or wooded areas to life.

While we suggest that plants can be divided or grown from bulbs, you should never disturb a wild plant. Some plants are protected by law and digging them up is simply not worth it. Instead, enjoy their beauty in their natural setting, and source the plants elsewhere.

Woodland plants

(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)

There are many options when it comes to choosing woodland plants for flower bed ideas. Some are most desired for their foliage, like hostas and ferns; others for their flowers, such as if you choose to grow hellebores or erythronium. Planting in the understorey around a wooded area, or in shady spots as a north facing garden idea, can help to reduce weeds by creating ground cover, and make your woodland area or shady corner easier to care for. 

Soil in woodlands is often rich in organic matter, and well-draining. This is owing to the presence of deciduous trees that drop their leaves, building organic matter year on year. Also, the roots of the trees, and their fungal interactions, lead the soil to be well drained and moist. This creates the perfect environment for most woodland plants. However, if your woodland area has been planted with trees recently, or you are planning a woodland style border under trees for shade, the soil will not yet be developed and improved. You should therefore mulch with a good quality, peat-free compost or manure when planting any woodland plant. 

1. Erithronium 

(Image credit: Getty images)

Erithronium also go by the more descriptive names of fawn lilies, dog-tooth violet, and adder’s tongue. These woodland plants have delicate and peculiar flowers with the center of the flower hanging down and the petals upturned. 

There are many varieties of erythronium, ranging in color, and flower size. We love ‘Lilac Wonder’ for its beautiful purple flowers and pagoda for its profusion of yellow blooms.

Erythronium are spring bulbs that should be planted in fall into rich, well-draining soil. Provide a compost or manure mulch if the soil is lacking in organic matter.

Zones 3 - 9

2. Hellebore

(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)

Hellebore, or lenten roses, are not an actual rose but instead a perennial winter flower with large decorative flowers. The colors range from white to deep red, with hues of green and pink speckles on some.

‘Hellebores are a reliable, evergreen shade plant,’ says Barb Pierson from White Flower Farm in Connecticut. ‘Hellebore flowers emerge in spring, before their new leaves. In a warm climate you’ll see the flowers in early winter but if you're in an area where the ground freezes solid it'll be late winter or early spring,’ she continues. 

As well as being good woodland plants, they are valuable as flowers that attract bees in months where food sources for these crucial pollinators are more scarce.

Growing hellebores from dividing plants  bears flowers faster, but they can also be grown from seed planted in spring. Bear in mind seed grown plants – particularly if you collect your own seeds – might not always come out true to form. 

Zones 3 – 9 

3. Primrose

(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)

Primrose are tiny, clump-forming plants with a burst of flowers in spring. Wild primrose has a gorgeous pale-yellow flower, but there are many modern cultivars with a huge range of bright colors that are among the best plants for pots and borders. There are also varieties of primroses with bell-like flowers on the end of flower stems, such as cowslips. They are often one of the first spring flowers to appear, so are great for adding year-round interest. 

Primroses, unlike a lot of other woodland plants, thrive in damp conditions and are often found naturally by the side of streams, in slightly boggy areas or next to pond plants. If the ground in your wooded area is too dry, they may not thrive, although they are tough little plants.

Primrose is difficult to grow from seed, so either purchase a plant or divide an existing plant. They are easily divided in early spring, when the leaves are visible, but they have not yet started to flower. 

Zones 5 – 8

4. Bluebell

(Image credit: Getty images)

Virginia bluebell, or ladies bonnet, is a beautiful blue flowering perennial that flowers in early spring, bringing a welcome pop of color. Native to the US, these are a lovely addition as woodland plants. 

If you are in the UK, you should try English bluebells instead – ensure to stay away from the larger Spanish bluebell, as these are invasive in the UK and can outcompete and cross-pollinate with the native species. 

It is easy to learn how to grow bluebells and you can find lots of extra tips and advice on how to plant bulbs.

Virginia bluebell like moist, rich soils with a lot of organic matter. Be sure to give them a heavy mulch if your soil does not quite match this description, for low maintenance garden borders. Plant as a nursery plant or a bare-root rhizome in early spring. The rhizome should sit parallel with the ground, around 1 inch deep. 

Zones 3 – 8

5. Foxglove

(Image credit: Unsplash; David Young OR George Hiles OR Slawek)

Foxgloves, or digitalis, are classic cottage garden plants with large, showy flower spikes covered in bell-shaped flowers in summer, in colors ranging from white to dark purple and coral to bright pink. They are naturally adapted for growing in woodland areas, where they can be found in the wild. They are easy to grow from seed, or you can source a plant from your local nursery for instant impact.

'They’re dead easy to grow from seed, and really good at growing in odd little corners and spaces,’ says Monty Don of Gardeners’ World . Foxgloves are biannual, so sow the seeds in spring to early summer and they will flower next year. 

As they are biennial, many gardeners opt to buy plants instead of growing them from seed to achieve instant results. Growing foxgloves from seed sown in spring is much more cost effective, though, if budgets are tight. Be aware, however, that they are among the poisonous plants, so keep young children and animals away from them.

Zones 4 – 10

6. Ferns

(Image credit: Annaick Guitteny)

Ferns are highly prized for their beautiful, and varied foliage. Long leaves curl outward from a central rosette. There are many varieties; some of them enjoy full shade and damp conditions, while others will prefer partial shade and well-draining soil. Be sure to check with your supplier to make sure you get the right variety. Many are also deer resistant plants.

Ferns range in appearance from frondy and delicate to bright green shiny leaves. They are great to couple with flowering plants to create a lush look for a tropical garden idea in the woodland understorey. 

Plant in spring or early summer when the soil is beginning to warm up. Make sure to mulch and water in well. 

Zones 2 – 10 (depending on variety)

7. Solomon's Seal

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Solomon’s seal is a delightfully ornamental and interesting plant. It grows long arching stems of pretty leaves, with small bell-like flowers on the underside. In late summer and early fall the flowers develop into dark blue berries, and the foliage turns golden yellow, adding to the appeal of this plant. Its native habitat is in woodland and there are native species of solomon’s seal in both the US and the UK. 

You can buy bare-root rhizomes, which should be planted horizontally, just under the surface of the soil in fall. Alternatively, you can grow them from nursery plants which should be planted in spring, or by dividing an existing plant. Division can be done in fall or spring, providing the ground isn’t frozen. 

Zones 3 - 7

8. Wood Anemone

(Image credit: Becky Searle)

As the name suggests, wood anemone are perfectly adapted for life on the forest floor, enjoying rich, moist, well-drained soils and partial shade. They have delicate, white, daisy-like flowers that are sure to brighten up any dull spot. 

Wood anemone are easy to grow from bulbs. Plant in fall, before the ground gets frozen. Before planting, soak the bulbs for a few hours to rehydrate them. Give them a mulch of compost or well-rotted horse manure to help improve the soil. 

Zones 3 - 8

9. Witch Hazel

(Image credit: Future)

This attractive and unique flowering shrub is native to North America. It bears flowers, ripe fruit, and leaf buds on the stem all at the same time which adds interest and color to your woodland garden. The flowers look like knots of tiny ribbons and make a lovely addition as a winter garden idea.

Witch hazel is easy to grow and relatively adaptable, so great if you're planning a winter garden. It prefers moist soils rich in organic matter. It is an understorey plant but will grow in full sun if required. Plant in fall or spring before or after the ground gets frozen or waterlogged. 

Zones 3 - 9

10. Woodland Phlox

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata), or wild sweet william, is an easy to grow, ground cover plant perfectly suited for the partial shade found in woodlands. It has attractive purple-blue flowers and is a great plant for pollinators. These woodland plants also smell wonderful, adding a whole new layer of interest to your woodland garden as a fragrant garden idea and are among the flowers that attract hummingbirds.

Plant in spring or summer. Woodland phlox is very fast growing so ensure not to plant it next to anything that will be overwhelmed by it. It works well planted with hellebores, as they will flower in the opposite season. It like moist soils rich in organic matter, so mulch with some compost or horse manure after planting and ensure to water-in well. 

What plants live in the woodland?

There are many woodland plants that will grow well in woodlands. All the plants that we have listed above are well suited for life in a woodland. These are usually plants that prefer partial shade and well-drained soils rich in organic matter. We recommend growing plants that are native to your area for the best success.

Not all shade plants will thrive in woodland areas. It’s a good idea to do your research first. Get to know the kind of shade that you have in your woodland, or shaded area of your garden, and the type of soil. If you’re unsure, ask a local plant supplier who may be able to advise you. Alternatively, if you want to create a more natural effect, visit a local woodland and take note of the plants you see – these are the ones that will likely do well in your garden, too.

Evergreen or pine forests are often very densely planted and not a lot of light will get through the understorey. They also drop wood pine needles that can acidify the soil. Most woodland plants will not do well in this environment, so use areas that are on the edge, or in a clearing if you want to grow some understory plants.

How do I make a small woodland garden?

How to make a small woodland garden will very much depend on where you live, the hardiness zone and climate, and what the conditions are like in your woodland area. 

If the woodland garden area has a particularly dense canopy, you will need to select plants that are more adapted to full shade rather than partial shade.  If the soil in your woodland is particularly damp, you will need to select plants that are adapted for moist soils that are not free draining. 

It's always worth visiting a local woodland and finding out what grows naturally in your area. Alternatively, you can speak with a local nursery or woodland plant specialist and find out what would be the best woodland plants to grow in your garden.

Plant a mix of foliage plants, evergreen plants and flowers to add interest and create a natural look.

What can I plant in cleared woodland?

Cleared woodland tends to have good quality soil that is fast-draining and rich in organic matter. If this is the case with your cleared area, then you can plant anything from vegetables to flower beds – the choice is yours. 

Always choose plants that are suitable for your local climate and for the soil and light conditions that you have to offer. Be careful not to grow anything that could be invasive.

If you are planting into a small woodland clearing, that is surrounded by trees, it’s a good idea to stick to woodland plants in areas that benefit from partial shade.  

Becky is a freelance writer, blogger, and podcaster. Her blog, Sow Much More and her podcast The Seed Pod are aimed at making organic gardening more accessible and encourage others to grow their own food. 

Forest plants, photos and names of plants

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Berry shrubs

Blueberries

Taiga berries are small shrubs. Berries and blueberry leaves are used in folk medicine. It grows in the taiga zone, in swamps. Berries have a pleasant, sweet taste. They are used in the treatment of eyes, gastrointestinal tract, etc. Blueberries fix, it is used for diarrhea, with an overabundance, it causes constipation.

Strawberries

Found in almost any forest - pine or mixed, likes clearings. Strawberries are considered one of the most delicious forest berries, because of this, the average person can consume a very large number of berries at a time, forgetting about what he was collecting for the future. Strawberries contain many useful substances, vitamins, acids and trace elements. It is used to treat atherosclerosis, neurasthenia, insomnia and hypertension, as well as in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Cowberry

Cowberry grows in peat bogs, as well as in dry forests with a predominance of various vegetation. Berries are widely used for food, they are used to make jam or eat fresh. Cowberry berries, like cranberries, never spoil due to the content of a natural preservative in them - benzoic acid, an analogue of which (sodium benzoate) is used in the food industry. In medicine, lingonberry leaves are used, and they are also brewed and a wonderful drink is obtained. Lingonberries are used for kidney diseases, diabetes, rheumatism, tuberculosis and high blood pressure.

Cranberries

Cranberries grow everywhere in swamps. Usually where there are cranberries, there are also sphagnum thickets. Even the photo shows this friendship between the moss Sphagnum and the taxon Cranberry. The chemical composition of this berry is diverse, it contains a large number of various acids, which is felt by its sour taste. Just like lingonberries, they contain benzoic acid and never spoil. The photo shows already ripe cranberries, dark in color, it is the least sour in taste. Cranberries are full of vitamins and minerals - it's just a storehouse of useful substances. It removes radionuclides, which is extremely important for the city dweller. Portal Free-Will! recommends you this wonderful berry!

Blueberry

Grows throughout the northern hemisphere. Likes to grow in mountainous areas, on the border of taiga and tundra. In the mountain tundra, this berry is easier to meet than in the lowland forest. The berries are similar to blueberries. The antioxidants found in blueberries are said to inhibit the growth of cancer cells. Berries strengthen the walls of blood vessels, normalize the work of the digestive organs and the heart. With regular use, berries relieve eye strain and help restore vision.

Crowberry (Shiksha)

Many of you will say: "What kind of crowberry is this?" And here is such a berry! It grows mainly on the border of forest and tundra, at least I met it only in such a zone. Also grows in swamps. It tastes watery, which justifies its name. Crowberry contains various useful substances, vitamin C, carotene, sugars and manganese.

Rosehip

Another wonderful taiga product. Grows everywhere in the taiga forest. It contains a large amount of vitamin C, also carotene, vitamins P, B1, B, K, E and trace elements. Rose hips are ready for consumption in autumn, from September to October. But even with the first frosts, they can also be eaten, only they will taste dry, overripe. In folk medicine, rosehip tea is used, as well as steam, water infusion and alcohol tincture for scarlet fever, typhoid fever, tuberculosis, inflammation of the kidneys, diseases of the intestines, liver, and stomach.

Raspberry

Also one of our popular and favorite wild berries. It grows mainly in mixed or pine forests. And also in your garden) Raspberry is a very tenacious shrub, growing, it occupies the entire undergrowth of a mixed forest. Raspberries contain vitamins C, A, B, sugars, acids. The seeds contain ~20% fatty oil. Raspberries are used to treat colds and flu. After you have eaten raspberries to satiety, you should not be in a draft, otherwise you can easily be blown out, since raspberries are a diaphoretic.

Black currant

Another berry that grows in the first place in every gardener's garden. But it can also be found in the wild, in the taiga zone, but rarely, because it does not like acidic soil. Currant has a diaphoretic, diuretic property, and, like rose hips, contains a large amount of vitamin C. As well as other useful substances that I don’t want to list. And what to list them - you need to take and eat! Personally, among other things, I also like to brew leaves with tea. It turns out a very fragrant forest tea. In medicine, currant berries are used to treat the gastrointestinal tract, ulcers, gastritis.

Cloudberry

Honestly, I have never tried it. Probably because it grows mainly in mountainous regions and in the northern hemisphere, in the tundra. For example, in Yamal, beyond the Arctic Circle. It can also be seen in sphagnum bogs. Contains sugars, proteins, acids and vitamins. Contains a lot of potassium, phosphorus, iron, cobalt, anthocyanins, tannins and pectin. Cloudberries are used in dietary and clinical nutrition, for the treatment of cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases, burns and skin diseases, for heavy metal poisoning, as an anti-febrile agent. Cloudberry berries have antimicrobial, diaphoretic, antispasmodic effects. In terms of provitamin A content, cloudberries are superior to carrots.

Fruits and leaves in the form of an infusion are taken in folk medicine as a diuretic, for gastritis with low acidity, malignant tumors. Cloudberry roots are used as a diuretic, for nephrolithiasis, beriberi, metabolic disorders, for colds and malaria. Cloudberry juice lubricates the areas of skin affected by scabies. Cloudberry is effective in the treatment of non-healing wounds. In this case, berries and other parts of the plant are used: leaves, roots, sepals.

Mosses and lichens

Sphagnum

In my opinion, the most popular type of moss in the taiga forest. Its presence indicates the waterlogging of the soil. By the way, peat is formed from sphagnum. Sphagnum is very hygroscopic and almost all water. It is widely used in construction, plugging the gaps between the logs with it. It prevents rotting due to the preservatives it contains. During the two world wars, soldiers, in the absence of medicines, used sphagnum as a dressing that promotes the rapid healing of wounds.

Kukushkin lyon

Another representative of mosses. In Russia, it is found in the northern and middle lane, mainly in forest areas. Grows in damp taiga forests, wet meadows and swamps.

Moss moss

Moss, or white moss, edible. It is also called reindeer moss due to the fact that it is eaten by reindeer. Yagel is not afraid of any frost and contains ustic acid, which has antibacterial properties. Indigenous peoples of the north put raw meat into the reindeer moss, which does not spoil in it for many days. Reindeer moss has a great nutritional value: 1 part of moss replaces 3 parts of potatoes. Therefore, it can be eaten even by humans.

Author: Oleg Prikhodko

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Medicinal plants>>




90,000 plants of Russian forests - names of species, photo and description - nature of the world

Content

      Siberian cedar oreshop0003

      See also: Wildlife of the forest

      Siberian cedar pine

      Evergreen tree typical for dark coniferous taiga. It grows up to 44 m, the diameter of the trunk reaches 2 m. Life expectancy can exceed 500 years. The tree has a straight, even trunk, a dense crown, soft, bluish needles and large, ovoid cones filled with seeds - pine nuts. There can be up to 150 of them in each cone. For season 1, a tree is capable of producing about 12 kg of “nuts”.

      Spruce

      Coniferous tree, which is a forest-forming species. Plant height usually does not exceed 30 m, but there are also 50-meter specimens. The spruce trunk is straight, covered with grayish bark. The crown is cone-shaped, formed by outstretched and drooping branches. The needles are arranged in a spiral, the length of each is not more than 2.5 cm. The tree lives up to 300 years or more.

      Silver birch

      Light-loving deciduous tree growing up to 20 m in height. It is a forest-forming species, forms small-leaved forests. The straight, even trunk of the tree is covered with smooth bark, which turns white only by the age of 10. The crown is formed by thin, drooping branches. The leaves are long-petioled, with serrated edges. Birch lives up to 120 years.

      Hazel

      Deciduous shrub of the Birch family. It occurs in coniferous, mixed and broad-leaved forests in the form of undergrowth; it grows rapidly in places of forest clearings and conflagrations. Under optimal conditions, it lives up to 100 years. It reaches a height of 5 m, has an ovoid or spherical crown. The leaves are large, up to 12 cm long, up to 9 cm wide. The fruits ripen in August-September, they are nuts with a dense shell. The kernels are used in the food industry for the preparation of halva, sweets and other products.

      Warty euonymus

      Deciduous shrub growing in coniferous-deciduous and broad-leaved forests. His average life expectancy is 50 years. It grows up to 2-3.5 m, it is also found in the form of a tree up to 6 m high. The branches of the bush are thin, covered with numerous growths. The leaves are simple, smooth, green in spring and summer, pink or reddish in autumn. The flowers are small, exude a "mouse" smell. Ripe fruits have an attractive bright color, but eating them threatens with poisoning, as the plant is poisonous.

      Black elderberry

      Deciduous shrub growing as an undergrowth in deciduous and coniferous forests. It is also found along roads, in wastelands and in settlements. It reaches a height of 6 m, in rare cases it grows up to 10 m. Its stems have a porous soft core, the branches are covered with numerous lenticels. The leaves are complex, large, up to 30 cm long. The flowers are yellowish-white, collected in many-flowered corymbose inflorescences, emit a strong aroma. Fruits are berry-shaped, black-violet. For mammals, the plant is moderately poisonous.

      Common cuckoo flax

      Perennial leafy green moss growing in areas with high humidity. Its stems reach a height of 15 cm, in rare cases they can exceed 40 cm or more, have a brownish tint, and are covered with small dark green leaves along their entire length. On female plants, boxes are formed that resemble a cuckoo on a pole. Moss is used as an interventional insulation.

      Male forest fern

      Forest fern with a short and thick rhizome, on top of which there is a rosette of large leaves. Its lanceolate fronds can reach a length of one and a half meters, leaf petioles are covered with brown scales. Sori are arranged in 2 rows on the underside of the leaf blade. The fern spores until the end of August, the average age of the plant exceeds 30 years.

      Wild strawberry

      Herbaceous perennial, common among shrubs, in clear-cut areas and in light forests. It grows up to 30 cm, has a creeping rhizome. The leaves are toothed, ternate, the flowers are white in color, located in few-flowered inflorescences. The fruits are multi-nuts with a pleasant taste and aroma. Used for human consumption.

      Cowberry

      Evergreen shrub growing in coniferous, deciduous and mixed forests, in bushes and other places. The usual plant height is 15 cm, but some bushes reach 1 m. At the end of spring, lingonberries bloom regular white or pinkish flowers, collected in drooping brushes. The leaves are leathery, wintering, arranged alternately. Bright red berry-like fruits ripen in late summer - early autumn, have a sweet and sour taste.

      Ivan-tea narrow-leaved

      Herbaceous perennial common in coniferous forests. Often found on the outskirts of the forest, in places of clearings and burnt areas, near ditches and along railway embankments. It grows up to 2 m. It has a densely leafy, straight stem, alternate, simple, linear-lanceolate leaves and pinkish flowers collected in a rare apical raceme. Flowering begins in mid-summer and lasts about 35 days. Fruits in the form of fluffy boxes ripen in August-September.

      Zelenchukuka lamb

      Perennial herbaceous plant growing up to 60 cm. Occurs in fir-spruce and coniferous-broad-leaved forests. Many parts of the plant are pubescent. Flowering shoots are erect, wrinkled leaves are ovoid, covered with white hairs on the underside.

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