Species Guide
Every species in this journal is ecologically native to the Pocono Plateau at two thousand feet — validated against PA Flora, USFS Silvics, and current disease research.
A Forest is Layers
A healthy northern hardwood forest at this elevation has six distinct layers, each with its own ecological role. This guide covers the five woody layers — canopy, understory, conifers, shrubs, and fruiting — that you actively plant. The sixth, the herbaceous forest floor of spring ephemerals like trillium and bloodroot, returns on its own decadal timeline once the conditions you build allow it. Filter above to focus on a single layer; click any species card to see images, planting instructions, and references.
Lepidoptera species counts (moths & butterflies supported by each host plant) are from Tallamy, D.W. & Shropshire, K.J. (2009). "Ranking Lepidopteran Use of Native Versus Introduced Plants." Conservation Biology 23(4). doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2009.01202.x →