Species library

Field marks, habits, and camera tips for the wildlife that visits backyard habitats.

217–252 of 583 species

Golden-bell

Golden-bell

Forsythia suspensa

The Golden-bell is spring's first masterpiece, draping backyards in a waterfall of brilliant yellow blooms. Its archi...

Plants
Golden Leather Fern

Golden Leather Fern

Acrostichum aureum

A true titan of the wetlands, the Golden Leather Fern stands as a leathery, salt-defying giant. Its massive fronds an...

Plants
golden shrimp plant

golden shrimp plant

Pachystachys lutea

With its neon-yellow spikes and delicate white 'shrimp' blooms, this Peruvian native is a tropical masterpiece. It se...

Plants
golden tree fern

golden tree fern

Dicksonia fibrosa

The golden tree fern is a stoic, slow-growing pillar of the New Zealand bush, famous for its thick fibrous trunk and ...

Plants
gorse

gorse

Ulex europaeus

A resilient, gold-bloomed evergreen that thrives where other plants fail, Gorse is a vital sanctuary for songbirds an...

Plants
Goutweed

Goutweed

Aegopodium podagraria

A resilient survivor of the shade, Goutweed creates lush green carpets where other plants struggle. Known for its per...

Plants
graceful sedge

graceful sedge

Carex gracillima

An elegant, fountain-like woodland resident known for its nodding seed heads and regal purple base. The graceful sedg...

Plants
Grape hyacinth

Grape hyacinth

Muscari neglectum

A spring garden staple, the Grape Hyacinth paints the ground in shades of deep indigo just as the winter frost recede...

Plants
Gray's sedge

Gray's sedge

Carex grayi

Featuring otherworldly, star-shaped seed heads that look like ancient weaponry, Gray's Sedge is a striking North Amer...

Plants
great rhododendron

great rhododendron

Rhododendron maximum

The 'Great Laurel' of the Appalachians, this towering evergreen turns shaded woodlands into lush, floral sanctuaries ...

Plants
great stinging nettle

great stinging nettle

Urtica dioica

The Great Stinging Nettle is a misunderstood masterpiece of the backyard wild. A vital host for butterflies and a for...

Plants
Great Willowherb

Great Willowherb

Epilobium hirsutum

A towering beauty of the wetlands, the Great Willowherb lights up damp garden corners with its notched pink petals an...

Plants
Greater celandine

Greater celandine

Chelidonium majus

A resilient member of the poppy family, Greater celandine illuminates shady garden corners with its golden blossoms a...

Plants
Greater Pond-sedge

Greater Pond-sedge

Carex riparia

A towering titan of the wetlands, the Greater Pond-sedge is easily recognized by its sharp triangular stems and stunn...

Plants
greater snowdrop

greater snowdrop

Galanthus elwesii

A defiant burst of life in the mid-winter chill, the Greater Snowdrop is easily recognized by its bold, grey-green fo...

Plants
greater stitchwort

greater stitchwort

Rabelera holostea

Often called the 'Easter Bell,' the greater stitchwort transforms spring hedgerows into a sea of white stars. Its del...

Plants
Greater Straw Sedge

Greater Straw Sedge

Carex normalis

An elegant, clump-forming sedge known for its distinct straw-colored seed heads and exceptional value to local pollin...

Plants
green amaranth

green amaranth

Amaranthus viridis

Often overlooked as a common garden weed, Green Amaranth is a master of survival and a nutritional powerhouse. Its sl...

Plants
Green Arrow Arum

Green Arrow Arum

Peltandra virginica

A structural masterpiece of the marsh, the Green Arrow Arum stands as a lush, emerald guardian of the shoreline. With...

Plants
Green Bristle Grass

Green Bristle Grass

Setaria viridis

The wild ancestor of foxtail millet, Green Bristle Grass is a summer staple that turns backyard edges into shimmering...

Plants
green dragon

green dragon

Arisaema dracontium

A hidden gem of the North American understory, the Green Dragon features a whip-like 'tongue' and a striking crown of...

Plants
Grey Mangrove

Grey Mangrove

Avicennia marina

The resilient architect of the coastline, the Grey Mangrove creates a bustling metropolis for wildlife between the la...

Plants
Grey Samphire

Grey Samphire

Tecticornia halocnemoides

A master of the salt flats, the Grey Samphire is a succulent survivor that paints the Australian landscape in shades ...

Plants
Grey Sedge

Grey Sedge

Carex divulsa

An elegant, fountain-like evergreen sedge, Grey Sedge provides year-round texture and essential habitat for backyard ...

Plants
ground-ivy

ground-ivy

Glechoma hederacea

A fragrant, creeping treasure of the spring garden, ground-ivy creates a lush purple carpet that serves as one of the...

Plants
Hairawn Muhly

Hairawn Muhly

Muhlenbergia capillaris

Transform your backyard into a dreamy autumn landscape with the misty pink plumes of Hairawn Muhly. This hardy native...

Plants
Hairy Crabgrass

Hairy Crabgrass

Digitaria sanguinalis

Often dismissed as a common lawn weed, Hairy Crabgrass is a master of survival and a historical grain crop. Its finge...

Plants
hairy white oldfield aster

hairy white oldfield aster

Symphyotrichum pilosum

A late-season superstar, the hairy white oldfield aster transforms autumn landscapes into a sea of white blossoms. It...

Plants
Halberd-leaf Rosemallow

Halberd-leaf Rosemallow

Hibiscus laevis

A towering wetland beauty, the Halberd-leaf Rosemallow commands attention with its massive, tropical-looking blooms a...

Plants
Hanging sedge

Hanging sedge

Carex pendula

The Hanging Sedge is a dramatic, arching perennial that brings a touch of wild woodland elegance to damp garden corne...

Plants
hard fescue

hard fescue

Festuca trachyphylla

The unsung hero of the low-maintenance backyard, hard fescue is a hardy, bunch-forming grass that thrives where other...

Plants
Hard Rush

Hard Rush

Juncus inflexus

The Hard Rush is a striking, blue-hued sentinel of the wetlands, easily recognized by its stiff, ridged stems. A favo...

Plants
hard shield fern

hard shield fern

Polystichum aculeatum

A resilient survivor of the ancient forest, the hard shield fern boasts glossy, leathery fronds that stay green even ...

Plants
hay-scented fern

hay-scented fern

Dennstaedtia punctilobula

Transforming the forest floor into a fragrant, lacy carpet, the hay-scented fern is a hardy survivor of the eastern w...

Plants
heath speedwell

heath speedwell

Veronica officinalis

A resilient traveler from the old world, heath speedwell paints the ground in delicate shades of lilac and blue. This...

Plants
hedge bamboo

hedge bamboo

Bambusa multiplex

A lush, non-invasive clumping bamboo that transforms backyards into private sanctuaries. Its dense, feathery foliage ...

Plants

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