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Plants of Mammoth Cave National Park

The plants most often spotted in Mammoth Cave, ranked by recent research-grade observations.

5,062
recent observations
50
species listed
50
plants

Naturalists have logged 5,062 research-grade observations across the 50 most-recorded species in Mammoth Cave. The most frequently seen is the Woodland Stonecrop, with 230 recorded sightings.

Rarer finds confirmed in Mammoth Cave include Walking Fern and Spotted Wintergreen - uncommon enough that a sighting is worth logging.

Walking FernSpotted Wintergreen

Most-observed plants in Mammoth Cave

Woodland Stonecrop
Sedum ternatum
230 observations
Christmas Fern
Polystichum acrostichoides
216 observations
Virginia Saxifrage
Micranthes virginiensis
187 observations · iNaturalist
Northern Maidenhair Fern
Adiantum pedatum
182 observations
Fire Pink
Silene virginica
163 observations
Celandine Poppy
Chelidonium diphyllum
155 observations · iNaturalist
Blue Phlox
Phlox divaricata
153 observations
Toadshade
Trillium sessile
148 observations
Dwarf Larkspur
Delphinium tricorne
145 observations · iNaturalist
Cut-leaved Toothwort
Cardamine concatenata
143 observations
Virginia Springbeauty
Claytonia virginica
129 observations
American Tuliptree
Liriodendron tulipifera
125 observations
Crane-fly Orchid
Tipularia discolor
124 observations · iNaturalist
Common Pawpaw
Asimina triloba
117 observations
Wild Geranium
Geranium maculatum
113 observations
Cross Vine
Bignonia capreolata
112 observations · iNaturalist
Mayapple
Podophyllum peltatum
111 observations
American Beech
Fagus grandifolia
108 observations
Rue Anemone
Thalictrum thalictroides
107 observations
Dwarf Crested Iris
Iris cristata
103 observations
Jack-in-the-Pulpit
Arisaema triphyllum
99 observations
Drooping Trillium
Trillium flexipes
97 observations
Lyreleaf Sage
Salvia lyrata
92 observations
Walking Fern
Asplenium rhizophyllum
92 observations
Wild Comfrey
Andersonglossum virginianum
91 observations · iNaturalist
Jacob's Ladder
Polemonium reptans
89 observations · iNaturalist
Star Chickweed
Stellaria pubera
88 observations · iNaturalist
Sharp-lobed Hepatica
Hepatica acutiloba
88 observations · iNaturalist
Azure Bluet
Houstonia caerulea
85 observations · iNaturalist
Eastern Redbud
Cercis canadensis
80 observations
Virginia Bluebells
Mertensia virginica
76 observations
Yellow Trout Lily
Erythronium americanum
72 observations
Northern Spicebush
Lindera benzoin
72 observations
Yellow Corydalis
Corydalis flavula
70 observations · iNaturalist
Guyandotte Beauty
Synandra hispidula
69 observations · iNaturalist
Partridgeberry
Mitchella repens
68 observations
Snakewort
Conocephalum salebrosum
66 observations · iNaturalist
Strawberry Bush
Euonymus americanus
66 observations · iNaturalist
Ground-ivy
Glechoma hederacea
65 observations · iNaturalist
Wingstem
Verbesina alternifolia
65 observations
White Snakeroot
Ageratina altissima
65 observations
Striped Wintergreen
Chimaphila maculata
64 observations
River Cane
Arundinaria gigantea
63 observations · iNaturalist
Downy Pagoda Plant
Blephilia ciliata
60 observations
American Holly
Ilex opaca
59 observations
Ebony Spleenwort
Asplenium platyneuron
59 observations
Garlic Mustard
Alliaria petiolata
58 observations
Coralberry
Symphoricarpos orbiculatus
58 observations · iNaturalist
Narrow-leaved Glade Fern
Homalosorus pycnocarpos
58 observations · iNaturalist
American Sycamore
Platanus occidentalis
57 observations

Built from recent research-grade iNaturalist observations. Identifications are community-sourced and may occasionally be wrong, and the ranking reflects where people record and photograph wildlife, so a species seen often here is not necessarily rare elsewhere. Some plants and animals are only out in certain seasons. Treat this as a lively snapshot of what people are finding, not a formal checklist.

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