The Greenbelt Native Plant Center (GNPC), a facility of the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, is a 13–acre greenhouse, nursery, and seed bank complex located on Staten Island, NY.

Open Upland

The open upland is characterized by a tree canopy of less than 25%. The following species are specific for upland wet meadows, moist to dry meadows, and dry meadows.

Download the Open Upland Species List (PDF, 62 KB)

Wet Meadows

Dominated by herbs, grasses, sedges, and scattered shrubs.

Shrubs/Vines

  • Cornus amomum– Silky dogwood
  • Cornus racemosa– Gray dogwood
  • Myrica pensylvanica– Bayberry
  • Rhus copallinum– Winged sumac
  • Rosa carolina– Pasture rose
  • Rubus allegheniensis– Allegheny blackberry
  • Sassafras albidum– Sassafras
  • Spiraea alba– Meadowsweet
  • Spiraea tomentosa– Steeple bush
  • Vaccinium corymbosum– High bush blueberry
  • Viburnum dentatum– Southern arrowwood
  • Apios americana– Common ground nut

Herbs

  • Apocynum cannabinum– Dogbane
  • Asclepias incarnata– Swamp milkweed
  • Asclepias tuberosa– Butteryfly weed
  • Asclepias syriaca– Common milkweed
  • Eupatorium fistulosum– Hollow–stemmed joe–pye–weed
  • Eupatorium hyssopifolium– Hyssopleaf thoroughwort
  • Eupatorium maculatum– Spotted joe–pye–weed
  • Eupatorium perfoliatum– Common boneset
  • Euthamia graminifolia– Flat–top goldenrod
  • Helenium autumnale– Sneeze weed
  • Helianthus giganteus– Giant sunflower
  • Geum laciniatum– Rough avens
  • Iris versicolor– Blue flag iris
  • Lobelia cardinalis– Cardinal flower
  • Lobelia spicata– Great blue lobelia
  • Lycopus virginicus– Water–horehound
  • Mimulus ringens– Allegheny monkey flower
  • Monarda fistulosa– Wild bergamont
  • Penstemon digitalis– Tall white beard tongue
  • Pycnanthemum virginianum– Mountain mint
  • Rudbeckia hirta– Black–eyed Susan
  • Senecio aureus– Grounsel ragwort
  • Sisyrinchium spp.– Blue–eyed grass
  • Solidago canadensis– Common goldenrod
  • Solidago juncea– Early goldenrod
  • Solidago rugosa– Wrinkle leaved
  • Symphyotrichum ericoides– White heath aster
  • Symphyotrichum pilosum– Awl aster
  • Symphyotrichum novae–angliae– New York aster
  • Verbena hastata– Blue vervain
  • Vernonia novaboracensis– Ironweed

Graminoids

  • Andropogon virginicus– Broom sedge
  • Carex albolutescens– Greenwhite sedge
  • Carex lupulina– Hop sedge
  • Carex lurida– Shallow sedge
  • Carex scoparia– Broom sedge
  • Carex squarrosa– Squarrose sedge
  • Carex vulpinoidea– Fox sedge
  • Juncus acuminatus– Tapertip rush
  • Juncus canadensis– Canada rush
  • Juncus effusus– Smooth rush
  • Leersia oryzoides– Rice cutgrass
  • Panicum clandestinum– Deer tongue
  • Scirpus cyperinus– Wool grass
  • Tridens flavus– Tall redtop

Back to Top

Moist to Dry Meadows – Successional Woodland

May be dominated by shrubs with few scattered trees.

Shrubs/Vines

  • Betula populifolia– Black birch
  • Juniperus virginiana– Eastern red cedar
  • Myrica pensylvanica– Bayberry
  • Rosa carolina– Pasture rose
  • Rosa virginiana– Low–pasture rose
  • Rhus copallinum– Winged sumac
  • Rhus glabra– Smooth sumac
  • Rubus allegheniensis– Allegheny blackberry
  • Rubus flagellaris– Northern dewberry
  • Sassafra albidum– Sassafras
  • Spirea latifolia– Meadowsweet
  • Smilax glauca– Cat greenbrier

Herbs

  • Asclepias syriaca– Common milkweed
  • Chamaecrista fasciculata– Partridge pea
  • Eupatorium altissimum– Tall thoroughwort
  • Eupatorium fistulosum– Trumpetweed
  • Eupatorium hyssopifolium– Hyssopleaf thoroughwort
  • Eupatorium maculatum– Spotted Joe–Pye–Weed
  • Eupatorium serotinum– Lateflowering thoroughwort
  • Euthamia graminifolia– Common flat top goldenrod
  • Euthamia tenuifolia– Coastal plain flat top golden rod
  • Helianthus divaricatus– Woodland sunflower
  • Helianthus strumosus– Pale leafed woodland sunflower
  • Oenothera biennis– Evening primrose
  • Pityopsis mariana– Shaggy golden aster
  • Pycnanthemum tenuifolium– Mountain mint
  • Rhexia mariana– Dull meadow–pitcher
  • Solidago canadensis– Common goldenrod
  • Solidago juncea– Early goldenrod
  • Solidago nemoralis– Gray goldenrod
  • Symphyotricum laeve– Smooth blue aster

Graminoids

  • Andropogon glomeratus– Bushy bluestem
  • Andropogon virginicus– Broom sedge
  • Eragrostis spectabilis– Purple love grass
  • Panicum virgatum– Switch grass
  • Schizachyrium scoparium– Little bluestem
  • Sorgastrum nutans– Indian grass
  • Tridens flavus– Tall purpletop

Back to Top

Dry Meadows–Successional Woodland

May occur on shallow soils over bedrock outcroppings. The resulting successional woodland may be dwarf.

Shrubs/Vines

  • Rosa carolina– Pasture rose
  • Rhus copallinum– Winged sumac
  • Rhus glabra– Smooth sumac
  • Rubus flagellaris– Northern dewberry
  • Sassafras albidum– Sassafras
  • Vaccinium angustifolium– Low bush blueberry
  • Smilax glauca– Cat greenbrier

Herbs

  • Baptisia tinctoria– Horsefly weed
  • Desmodium paniculatum– Panicledleaf ticktrefoil
  • Eupatorium hyssopifolium– Hyssopleaf thoroughwort
  • Lespedeza capitata– Bush–clover lespedeza
  • Lysimachia quadrifolia– Whorled yellow loosestrife
  • Oenothera biennis– Evening primrose
  • Solidago nemoralis– Gray goldenrod

Graminoids

  • Carex pensylvanica– Pennsylvania sedge
  • Eragrostis spectabilis– Purple love grass
  • Panicum virgatum– Switch grass
  • Schizachyrium scoparium– Little bluestem

Back to Top