Rare Plant Fact Sheet

1. Bristly Rose - Rosa acicularis

Found only at Ice Mountain in West Virginia. It is a species common to Siberia the Yukon and other extreme northern climates. The plant grows circum boreal - meaning in a circle around the North Pole. Bristly Rose is a true rose, with very prickly stems. The Rose usually blooms in early June.

2. Twinflower - Linnaea borealis or Linnaea americana

Twinflower is found several other places in West Virginia, but usually around 4,000 feet in elevation (such as the Sinks of Gandy in Randolph County), compared to the 700 feet here at Ice Mountain. The plant is common in New England forests. The Ice Mountain location is the lowest known elevation site for this plant. Small twin, pink tube flowers bloom in June and into July. The Twinflower is a member of the Honeysuckle family.

3. Bunchberry - Cornus canadensis

A small woody species of Dogwood that looks like the tree but is only 5-6 inches high. The Bunchberry is also a high elevation species in West Virginia, and Ice Mountain is the lowest place that it is found. The plant reaches the southern limit of its range in West Virginia. The white bloom is noticeable in June.

4. Appalachian Wood Fern - Gymnocarpium appalachianum

This fern is almost indistinguishable from the common Oak Fern. However once genetic analysis was performed, the Appalachian Wood Fern was found to be a separate, older species. Ice Mountain is one of the only places where this newly discovered “old” fern is found.

5. Purple Virgin’s Bower - Clematis verticillaris

One or two plants have been found at Ice Mountain - but it is very rare in the entire state. Other locations of this showy purple Clematis are much higher in elevation. The plant blooms very early, in late April and early May. Clematis is a vine with large flowers.