Rare Plants of Fort Washington Park

Fort Washington Park is one of very few places where we can still see the natural shoreline of the island of Manhattan. The rocky coast and ridges in the park are the last refugia for a variety of locally rare species such as Fibrous-root Sedge (Carex communis) and the hemi-parasite Bastard Toadflax (Comandra umbellata). The shrub Nantucket Juneberry (Amelanchier nantucketensis) should still be blooming. This globally rare plant would the highlight for this field trip.

The park is also home to one of the last salt marshes in Manhattan. Here we'll see the rare Seacoast Bulrush (Bolboschoenus robustus) and Big Cordgrass (Spartina cynosuroides) among the more common salt marsh graminoids.

Notable bryophytes growing on moist slope include: Aulacomnium heterostichum, Radula complanata, Solenostoma hyalinum.

Please note: this is very difficult terrain - walking/scrambling on steep slopes and slippery rocky shoreline is required to see the target species.

Meeting location: Plaza Lafayette, on the intersection of W 181st Street & Riverside Drive (in front of 875 W 181st Street, click here to view location on Google Maps).

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Host or Publisher The Torrey Botanical Society