STERLING FOREST (EAGLE LAKE)
Eagle Valley Road, Sterling Forest, Orange County, NY
Directions:
Tappan Zee Bridge; US 87 west; at the little mile marker 31.3 exit at exit 15A; set odometer to 0; turn left on Route 17 at the light and travel 1.4 miles to green mile marker 10 37 and exit just behind a tan building to get onto Rt. 72 west; at 4.4 miles you will turn right onto the main route through the Sterling Forest area, Route 84. First right turn (within 0.1 of a mile) after turning right and heading north on Route 84 from Route 72. Drive a short distance and the lake is on the right. Park.
Trails:
You can walk all around the lake and take some short spurs off the circular walk. Also you can cross the road where there is another lake (unfortunately it abuts private property at one end).
PLANT LIST:
Dr. Patrick L. Cooney
Trees:
Acer rubrum (red maple) 4/15/02
Acer saccharum (sugar maple)
Betula lenta (black birch)
Betula populifolia (gray birch)
Carpinus caroliniana (musclewood)
Carya tomentosa (mockernut hickory)
Cornus florida (flowering dogwood)
Fagus grandifolia (American beech)
Fraxinus americana (white ash)
Juglans nigra (black walnut)
Juniperus virginiana (red cedar)
Populus deltoides (cottonwood)
Prunus serotina (black cherry)
Quercus alba (white oak)
Quercus rubra (red oak)
Robinia pseudoacacia (black locust)
Salix nigra (black willow)
Sassafras albidum (sassafras)
Tilia americana (American basswood)
Shrubs:
Alnus serrulata (smooth alder)
Berberis thunbergii (Japanese barberry)
Cephalanthus occidentalis (button bush)
Clethra alnifolia (sweet pepper bush)
Cornus amomum (swamp dogwood)
Cornus racemosa (gray dogwood)
Decodon verticillata (yellow loosestrife)
Elaeagnus umbellata (autumn olive)
Euonymus alatus (winged euonymus)
Ligustrum sp. (privet )
Lonicera morrowii (Morrow's honeysuckle)
Philadelphus sp. (mockorange)
Rhamnus cathartica (common buckthorn)
Rhus glabra (smooth sumac)
Rhus typhina (staghorn sumac)
Rosa multiflora (multiflora rose)
Rubus occidentalis (black raspberry)
Rubus sp. (blackberry)
Salix discolor (pussy willow) 4/15/02
Salix sp. (willow)
Spiraea alba var. latifolia (meadowsweet) 7/18/02 8/05/01
Syringa vulgaris (lilac)
Vaccinium corymbosum (highbush blueberry)
Vaccinium pallidum (hillside blueberry)
Viburnum dentatum (arrowwood viburnum)
Viburnum prunifolium (blackhaw viburnum)
Vines:
Ampelopsis brevipedunculata (porcelain berry)
Apios americana (ground nut) 8/05/01
Campsis radicans (trumpet creeper) 8/05/01
Celastrus orbiculatus (Asiatic bittersweet)
Clematis virginiana (virgin's bower) 8/05/01
Cuscuta sp. (dodder)
Ipomea sp. (wild potato vine)?
Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper)
Polygonum scandens (climbing false buckwheat)
Solanum dulcamara (bittersweet nightshade) 7/18/02 8/05/01
Toxicodendron radicans (poison ivy)
Vitis labrusca (fox grape)
Herbs:
Acalypha sp. (three-seeded mercury)
Achillea millefolium (yarrow) 7/18/02 8/05/01
Agrimonia sp.(agrimony)
Alisma sp. (water plantain)
Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard)
Allium vineale (field garlic) 7/18/02
Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed)
Antennaria sp. (pussytoes)
Apocynum cannabinum (Indian hemp)
Artemisia vulgaris (common mugwort)
Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed)
Aster cordifolius (heart-leaved aster) 9/30/02
Aster divaricatus (white wood aster) 9/30/02
Aster novi-belgii (New York aster) 9/30/02
Barbarea vulgaris (common wintercress) 4/15/02 soon
Bidens cernua (nodding bur marigold)
Bidens discoidea (few-bracted beggar ticks)?
Bidens vulgata (tall beggar ticks) 9/30/02
Boehmeria cylindrica (false nettle)
Cardamine hirsuta (hairy bittercress) 4/15/02
Carduus acanthoides (plumeless thistle) 8/05/01
Centaurea maculosa (spotted knapweed ) 7/18/02 8/05/01 9/30/02
Chenopodium album (pigweed)
Chrysanthemum leucanthemum (ox-eye daisy) 7/18/02 8/05/01
Circaea lutetiana (enchanter's nightshade) 7/18/02 8/05/01
Cirsium arvense (Canada thistle)
Cirsium discolor (field thistle)
Cirsium vulgare (bull thistle) 9/30/02
Convallaria majalis (lily of the valley)
Conyza canadensis (horseweed)
Daucus carota (Queen Anne's lace) 7/18/02 8/05/01 9/30/02
Desmodium sp. (tick trefoil ) 8/05/01
Dianthus armeria (Deptford pink) 7/18/02 8/05/01 9/30/02
Echium vulgaris (viper's bugloss) 7/18/02 8/05/01
Elodea canadensis (common waterweed)
Epilobium coloratum (purple willowherb) 9/30/02
Erechtites hieraciifolia (pileweed)
Erigeron annuus (daisy fleabane) 7/18/02 8/05/01 9/30/02
Erythronium americanum (trout lily)
Eupatorium fistulosum (trumpet Joe-Pye weed) 7/18/02 soon; 8/05/01
Eupatorium perfoliatum (boneset) 7/18/02 soon; 8/05/0; 9/30/02 waning
Eupatorium purpureum (sweet-scented joe-pye-weed) 7/18/02 soon; 8/05/01
Euphorbia cyparissias (cypress spurge)
Euphorbia maculata (spotted spurge) 7/18/02 8/05/01
Euthamia graminifolia (grass-leaved goldenrod) 8/05/01
Fragaria virginiana (common strawberry)
Galium circaezans (wild licorice)
Galium tinctorium (Clayton's bedstraw) 7/18/02
Geranium carolinianum (Carolina cranesbill)
Geranium sibericum (Siberian geranium) 8/05/01
Geum canadense (white avens)
Gnaphalium obtusifolium (sweet everlasting) 9/30/02
Hackelia virginiana (Virginia stickseed) 8/05/01
Hieracium sp. (hawkweed) 8/05/01
Hypericum mutilum (dwarf St. Johnswort) 7/18/02 9/30/02 only 1 in bloom
Impatiens sp. (jewelweed)
Lactuca canadensis (wild lettuce) 8/05/01
Lathyrus latifolius (everlasting pea) 8/05/01
Lemna sp. (duckweed)
Lepidium virginicum (wild pepper grass) 7/18/02 8/05/01
Linaria vulgaris (butter and eggs) 8/05/01 9/30/02
Lindernia dubia (false pimpernel) 8/05/01
Lotus corniculatus (birdfoot trefoil) 7/18/02 8/05/01
Ludwigia palustris (water purslane)
Lycopus americanus (water horehound) 7/18/02 8/05/01
Lysimachia terrestris (swamp candles) 7/18/02
Lythrum salicaria (purple loosestrife) 7/18/02 8/05/01
Melilotus alba (white sweet clover) 7/18/02 8/05/01
Mentha arvensis (wild mint) 7/18/02
Mimulus ringens (monkey flower) 7/18/02
Mollugo verticillata (carpet weed) 8/05/01
Myosotis laxa (smaller forget me not) 7/18/02 8/05/01 9/30/02 one in bloom
Myriophyllum sp. (water milfoil)
Nymphaea odorata (white water lily) 8/05/01
Oenothera biennis (common evening primrose) 7/18/02 8/05/01 9/30/02
Oxalis sp. (yellow wood sorrel ) 7/18/02 8/05/01 9/30/02
Phlox paniculata (garden phlox) 8/05/01
Phytolacca americana (pokeweed)
Plantago aristata (bracted plantain)
Plantago lanceolata (English plantain) 7/18/02 8/05/01
Plantago major (common plantain)
Plantago hydropiper (water pepper)
Polygonum hydropiperoides (mild water pepper) 8/05/01 9/30/02
Polygonum lapathifolium (nodding smartweed) 7/18/02 9/30/02
Polygonum sagittatum (arrowhead tearthumb)
Pontederia cordata (pickerelweed) 7/18/02 8/05/01
Portulaca oleracea (common purslane) 8/05/01
Potentilla argentea (silvery cinquefoil) 7/18/02 8/05/01
Potentilla norvegica (rough cinquefoil) 7/18/02 8/05/01
Potentilla recta (rough-fruited cinquefoil)
Prunella vulgaris (self-heal) 7/18/02 8/05/01
Rudbeckia hirta var. pulcherrima (black-eyed Susan) 7/18/02 8/05/01
Rudbeckia laciniata (green-headed coneflower) 8/05/01
Rumex obtusifolius (broad dock)
Saponaria officinalis (bouncing bet) 9/30/02
Satureja vulgaris (wild basil) 7/18/02
Sedum sp. (garden sedum)
Silene vulgaris (bladder campion) 8/05/01
Solidago caesia (blue-stem goldenrod) 9/30/02
Solidago canadensis var. scabra (tall goldenrod) 9/30/02
Solidago juncea (early goldenrod) 7/18/02 8/05/01
Solidago rugosa (rough-leaved goldenrod) 9/30/02
Sparganium sp. (burreed) 7/18/02
Taraxacum officinale (common dandelion) 4/15/02 7/18/02 9/30/02
Trichostema dichotomum (blue curls) 9/30/02
Trifolium arvense (rabbit foot clover) 7/18/02
Trifolium pratense (red clover) 7/18/02 8/05/01 9/30/02
Utricularia sp. (yellow bladderwort) 8/05/01
Verbascum thapsus (common mullein) 7/18/02 8/05/01
Verbena hastata (blue vervain) 7/18/02 lots
Verbena urticifolia (white vervain) 7/18/02
Veronica officinalis (common speedwell)
Viola sororia (common blue violet) 4/15/02
Rushes:
Juncus effusus (soft rush)
Juncus tenuis (path rush)
Sedges:
Carex laxiflora type (loose-flower sedge type)
Carex lurida (sallow sedge)
Carex pensylvanica (Pennsylvania sedge)
Carex stricta (tussock sedge)
Carex vulpinoidea (fox sedge)
Cyperus strigosus (umbrella nutsedge)
Eleocharis acicularis (needle spikerush)
Eleocharis ovata (blunt spikerush)
Fimbristylis sp. (fimbristylis)
Scirpus atrovirens (dark-green bulrush)
Scirpus cyperinus (woolly grass bulrush)
Scirpus pungens (common three-square bulrush)
Scirpus validus (soft-stemmed bulrush)
Grasses:
Anthoxanthum odoratum (sweet vernal grass)
Eragrostis spectabilis (purple love grass)
Cinna arundinacea (wood grass)
Dactylis glomerata (orchard grass)
Digitaria sanguinalis (hairy crab grass) 8/05/01
Echinochloa muricata (barnyard grass)
Eragrostis spectabilis (purple love grass)
Leersia oryzoides (rice cut grass)
Microstegium vimineum (Japanese stilt grass)
Panicum capillare (witch panicgrass)
Panicum clandestinum (deer-tongue panicgrass)
Panicum dichotomiflorum (fall panicgrass)
Panic sp. (panic grass)
Phragmites australis (giant reed grass)
Schizachyrium scoparium (little blue stem grass)
Tridens flavus (red top grass)
Ferns and Fern Allies:
Equisetum arvense (horsetail)
Onoclea sensibilis (sensitive fern)
Poa compressa (Canada bluegrass)
Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas fern)
Pteridium aquilinum (bracken fern)
Thelypteris noveboracensis (New York fern)
Thelypteris palustris (marsh fern)