Pelham Bay Park is the largest park in the city system. Its rocky shore of gneiss outcrops feels more like New England than the Bronx. This intertidal marine ecosystem is rare in New York State. Along the coastline are a number of state rare species including Post Oak (Quercus stellata), Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) -see above photo- and Eastern Gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides) fringing the salt marshes . The view from here is glorious.
The woodlands range from wet forests dominated by red maple and sweet gum to dry uplands where oak-hickory community dominates. The understory is extremely diverse in native wildflowers, sedges and shrubs. We hope to catch some of these in bloom - Dwarf Shadbush (Amelanchier spicata) - see top photo-, Wood Anemone (Anemone quinquefolia), Black Huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata), Lowbush Blueberry (Vaccinium pallidum), locally rare Alumroot (Heuchera americana) and the hemiparasite Wood Betony (Pedicularis canadensis).
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Walk Leader: Marielle Anzelone is the founder of NYC Wildflower Week. She talks local flora on WNYC's Brian Lehrer Show. Follow @nycbotanist on instagram
NYC Wildflower Week thanks Con Edison for their generous support of these botanical tours.
