Herbaceous plants and shrubs found growing on a site can tell us a lot about conditions. The photo above and the first photo below show Jack in the Pulpit, which is native throughout the east coast of Canada and the United States. We don't often see this plant, but when we do see it, it is always on rich hardwood sites.
Below is a photo of Red-berried elder with the ripe berries. This shrub, which is a favorite of a variety of songbirds, is fairly common on well-drained sites.
