10 Rare and Endangered Plants of Maine To Look Out For On Your Outdoor Summer Adventures

The Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry on the State of Maine website shares a list of plants that have gone extinct, are on the verge of extinction, or some other classification that raises concerns for our flora species here in the State of Maine.

Here are some plants to look out for in your outdoor adventures here in the State of Maine this summer. Maybe it will be a find of a lifetime!

Allegheny Vine

This plant is endangered in the State of Maine and is found around eastern Quebec to Minnesota, through New England, and in the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee.

In scarce amounts, it has been found in Cumberland, Hancock, Knox, Oxford, Penobscot, Waldo, and York counties. You'll be able to see its flowers between June and October and is found on rocky, wooded slopes.

Nova Scotia False-foxglove

This plant is threatened in Maine and is found in just a few places in the world, including growing along Maine shores, on Sable Island, and in western Nova Scotia. It is so rare that it has only been found in three towns in Washington county.

This rare plant is found along the shore and edges of tidal pools and flowers between mid-July and early October.

Large-purple False- foxglove

This plant is considered endangered here in the State of Maine and is found across a wide area of North America, including Nova Scotia to Minnesota, South Dakota down south in Florida, Mexico, and even in the West Indies.

This plant can be found in saltwater tidal marshes and flowers between late July and September. These plants are so rare that they've only been found in one town in Sagadahoc county.

Unicorn Root

The Unicorn Root is endangered in Maine and is found in sandy ground, prairies, and meadows. It is found in the eastern U.S. and in Ontario. It is considered rare to find in northeastern states and into Ontario.

A small patch of this plant has recently been found near Bowdoin but historically has been found in Wells, Brunswick, and near Lewiston.

Cut-leaved Anemone

This threatened species of plant is found across the cooler zones of North America, specifically on rocky ledges from Newfoundland to Alaska, south into New England, and west to Oregon.

This plant flowers between May and June and has only been found in 8 towns in Aroostook county.

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Alpine Sweet Grass

This species of grass is considered threatened and found in mountainous areas in New England and New York. This plant is considered rare in Maine due to the location being the southernmost point for the plant's distribution.

This plant fruits between July and August and has been found in 6 Maine towns in Franklin, Oxford, Piscataquis, and Somerset counties.

Robbins' Milk-vetch

Another plant found on ledges, cliffs, and mountainous areas, the Robbins' Milk-vetch is considered endangered in the State of Maine. It is found in eastern points of North America, including Newfoundland, Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Vermont.

This plant has been found in two towns in Aroostook county, historically found on the Aroostook River in Wade and in Fort Kent.

Screwstem

This threatened plant species is found in wet peat and sandy locations. It has a wide range including southern states of Florida to Louisiana, southern New England up to Nova Scotia, and between New York state and Oklahoma.

It has been found in Maine in 8 towns in the counties of Cumberland, Hancock, Knox, Sagadahoc, and York. You might be able to spot it when it flowers between August and October.

Missouri Rockcress

This quick flowering plant is found on ledges and rocky wooded areas and is considered a threatened plant species in Maine. It is found from Quebec to Ontario and stretches south into Georgia and west to Oklahoma.

This plant flowers in June and has been found in 6 towns in Maine in the counties of Cumberland, Oxford, and York. It's rare to find in Maine due to our location reaching the northern edge of its thriving zone.

Marsh Bulrush

This endangered plant species is found in tidal wetlands on coastal shores and marshes on the Atlantic coast, from Maine to Virginia. Maine is the northernmost location where this particular plant has been found and lends itself to being found rarely here.

It fruits between July and October and doesn't have a lot of locations to thrive here in the State of Maine but has been found in 6 towns in Maine in Cumberland, Sagadahoc, and Waldo counties.

For more information about the endangered and threatened plants and animals of Maine, check out the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry website.