Check out what’s in bloom on Gov­er­nors Island, updat­ed sea­son­al­ly. For this winter’s Plant Watch, we’re high­light­ing sev­er­al trees that can be found through­out the Island and pro­vid­ing tips on iden­ti­fy­ing them using their bark as a guide. Don’t for­get: you can locate any tree on Gov­er­nors Island with our inter­ac­tive tree map!

Summer

'Ruby Spice' (Summersweet)

Clethra alnifolia

This incredibly fragrant shrub produces bright pink bottlebrush-like flowers in mid to late summer, and is a particular favorite of the Island’s pollinators. Flowers last for up to six weeks, and its foliage provides incredible colors in the fall months.

Where to find them: ADA entrance to Outlook Hill

Rattlesnake master

Eryngium yuccifolium

This popular native plant produces flowers in July and August. Flowers grow in dense, ball-shaped umbels, resembling a flowerhead and containing greenish-white petals with a faint sweet scent. Their common name is attributed to early European settlers, who mistook the plant as an antidote for rattlesnake venom.

Where to find them: Liggett Terrace and The Hills

Purple coneflower

Echinacea purpurea

These herbaceous perennials bloom throughout the summer months and into fall, with cone-shaped flowering purple heads. It attracts pollinators like butterflies and bees, and its seeds provide an important food source for the many birds passing through Governors Island—particularly finches.

Where to find it: Liggett Terrace

Pho­tos by Sar­ma Ozols