Green Mountain Maidenhair Fern, Adiantum viridimontanum

• Leaves are three times compound (divided into leaflets, divided into more leaflets, and so on)
• The Green Mountain Maidenhair Fern is an incredibly rare, Endangered species

• Prefers moist, humus-rich, acidic soil 
• Prefers full shade

• Difficult to identify in the field because of its similarity to Northern Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum pedatum) which is another native fern spread throughout New England

Cinnamon Fern, Osmunda cinnamomea

• Twice-compound leaves
• Leaves grow from a rhizome beneath the ground
  
• No scales on the leaf stalk
  

• Found in wetlands, forest, swamps and marshes
• Fruiting structure that appears bright green before turning cinnamon brown
  

• 1-3 feet tall
• ​Thrives in shade
  

Interrupted Fern, Osmunda claytoniana

• Smooth, overlapping leaflets
• Rhizomic growth
• Commonly mistaken for the Cinnamon fern (see above)

• Spore-bearing leaflets interrupt the green, fertile fronds in summer
• Grow to about 3-4 feet tall
• Deciduous, turning yellow in fall
• Thrives in shady wetland conditions

• Upright fertile fronds indicate the "interruption" compared to the drooping sterile fronds at the top of the fern

Sensitive Fern, Onoclea sensibilis

• Pale red fiddleheads in spring
• Sterile fronds have characteristic netted veins and wavy edges
• Grows from 1-3 feet tall

• Fertile fronds have bead-like spores that persist through winter
• Prefers rich, well-drained, moist soils
• 60 million-year-old fossils look quite similar, indicating that this species is remarkably resilient despite its name

• Sterile fronds die after first frost, leading to its common name as the sensitive fern

Kinnikinnick or Bearberry, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

• Excellent groundcover with year-round interest
• Grows well in poor, infertile soils; do not fertilize
• Likes exposed open sites, but will tolerate some shade. 

• Grows up to 1 foot tall, but can spread 3 - 6 feet horizontally 
• Blooms in April and May
• Rounded, berry-like fruits (drupes) ripen in August-September. 

• Kinnikinnick is an Algonquin word meaning "smoking mixture". Native Americans smoke the dried leaves of bearberry (alone or mixed with tobacco and/or the dry inner bark of red osier dogwood).

Wintergreen, Gaultheria procumbens

• Commonly found in forests, forest edges, meadows and woodlands
• Contains medicinal properties; infused can aid with stomach discomfort and sore throats

• Commercially used for chewing gum, candy and toothpaste
• Classify as a ground cover
• Edible berries used to replace any other type of berry in a baking recipe
  

• Alternative, waxy green leaves
• White, bell-shaped flowers 
  

Cranberry, Vaccinium vitis-ideae

• Technically a shrub, this plant has a trailing growth pattern
  
• Smooth, simple leaves
  
• Leaves have an evergreen effect, lasting through winter 

• Grows on open ledges, baldfaces and open summits at mid to high elevations, and lower elevations in peatlands and boreal regions
• Pinkish-white bell-shaped flowers
  

• Edible berries that can be eaten raw or processed into jam
• Important grazing for wildlife due to its berries and leaves

Prickly Dewberry, Rubus flagellaris

• Relative of blackberry, red raspberry and black raspberry
• Trails on the ground, 6-12" in length
  
• Often mistaken for poison ivy due to it's similar growth pattern and leaf shape
  

• Flattened, trifoliate, dark green leaves
• Short thorns from stem

• Flowers and produces berries June-September
• Found in forest margins, rocky outcrops, meadows and waterside thickets
  

Creeping Juniper, Juniperus horizontalis

• Mat-forming ground cover
• Spreads by layering over itself and putting down roots from branches touching the ground

• Grows on cliffs, ledges, and bald rock, or in meadows and fields
• Blue-green hue on leaves
• Berries provide food for birds and small mammals

• Flattened, needle-like leaves
• Tightly overlapping leaves that hide twig surface
• Prefers sunny, open conditions

Virginia Creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia

• Despite it's native status, has a very aggressive growing habit
• Palmate, compound leaves​

• Classified as a dense, woody vine
• Can climb up to 40' at maturity​

• Very adaptable, thriving in sun or shade, dry or moist soils, a range of pH types, and even heavily-polluted urban environments

Groundnut, Apios americana

• Climbing vine with pea-like flowers 
• Blooms July through September

• Has edible tubers with a flavor profile of a starchy chestnut
• Tubers can be eaten raw, fried, or cooked in a soup similar to a potato 
• Spread rapidly if tubers are not harvested!
• Will aggressively take over garden plots if not managed

• Grows in moist, low spots and thickets