Vascular Plants
Includes all flowering plants, conifers, ferns and fern-allies.
Browse by scientific name:
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z
Scientific names beginning with U:
6 genera
16 species, 4 subspecies and varieties
16 species, 4 subspecies and varieties
Show only taxa with photos
Display as:
Ulex europaeus – common gorse
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California; also in the eastern U.S.
Habitat: Roadsides, dry hillsides, fields, and other disturbed areas at low elevation.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: April-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California; also in the eastern U.S.
Habitat: Roadsides, dry hillsides, fields, and other disturbed areas at low elevation.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: April-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
Ulmus americana – American elm
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; native to eastern and central North America, though escaped from cultivation elsewhere.
Habitat: Woodlands, pastures, old fields at low to moderate elevations.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: February-April
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; native to eastern and central North America, though escaped from cultivation elsewhere.
Habitat: Woodlands, pastures, old fields at low to moderate elevations.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: February-April
Growth Duration: Perennial
Ulmus parvifolia – Chinese elm, little-leaved elm
Distribution: Occurring in scattered locations east of the Cascades crest in Washington; occurring from scattered locations in North America where escaped from cultivation.
Habitat: Disturbed areas where escaping from cultivation.
Origin: Introduced from Asia
Flowers: April-May
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring in scattered locations east of the Cascades crest in Washington; occurring from scattered locations in North America where escaped from cultivation.
Habitat: Disturbed areas where escaping from cultivation.
Origin: Introduced from Asia
Flowers: April-May
Growth Duration: Perennial
Ulmus procera – field elm
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington, but also known from Kittitas County. Known from states scattered in southwestern, central, and northeastern U.S.
Habitat: Riparian areas, often where disturbed.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: March-April
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington, but also known from Kittitas County. Known from states scattered in southwestern, central, and northeastern U.S.
Habitat: Riparian areas, often where disturbed.
Origin: Introduced
Flowers: March-April
Growth Duration: Perennial
Ulmus pumila – Siberian elm
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; introduced over much of the North America, where commonly escaping and naturalizing.
Habitat: Roadsides, fence rows, waste areas.
Origin: Introduced from Asia
Flowers: February-April
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; introduced over much of the North America, where commonly escaping and naturalizing.
Habitat: Roadsides, fence rows, waste areas.
Origin: Introduced from Asia
Flowers: February-April
Growth Duration: Perennial
Umbellularia californica – California bay laurel
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to California.
Habitat: Forest edges and thickets at low elevations, often where disturbed, escaping cultivation.
Origin: Introduced from southwestern Oregon and California
Flowers: April-June
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to California.
Habitat: Forest edges and thickets at low elevations, often where disturbed, escaping cultivation.
Origin: Introduced from southwestern Oregon and California
Flowers: April-June
Growth Duration: Perennial
Uropappus lindleyi – Lindley's false silverpuffs
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to Idaho, Utah, New Mexico, and Texas.
Habitat: Open hillsides and forest openings, from low to middle elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: March-May
Growth Duration: Annual
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to Idaho, Utah, New Mexico, and Texas.
Habitat: Open hillsides and forest openings, from low to middle elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: March-May
Growth Duration: Annual
Urtica dioica – stinging nettle
Distribution: Widely distributed on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across North America to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: In deep, rich soil or near moisture, sagebrush deserts, shady lowlands and mountain slopes, sea level to subalpine.
Origin: Introduced from Eurasia
Flowers: May-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Widely distributed on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across North America to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: In deep, rich soil or near moisture, sagebrush deserts, shady lowlands and mountain slopes, sea level to subalpine.
Origin: Introduced from Eurasia
Flowers: May-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
• ssp. dioica – stinging nettle
Urtica gracilis – stinging nettle
Distribution: Widely distributed on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across North America to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: In deep, rich soil or near moisture, sagebrush deserts, shady lowlands and mountain slopes, sea level to subalpine.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Widely distributed on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across North America to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: In deep, rich soil or near moisture, sagebrush deserts, shady lowlands and mountain slopes, sea level to subalpine.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
• ssp. gracilis – stinging nettle
• ssp. holosericea – stinging nettle
Urtica urens – burning nettle
Distribution: Introduced sparsely in western Washington; distributed throughout much of North America except parts of the Midwest and Intermountain West.
Habitat: Moist, disturbed soil.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: June-July
Growth Duration: Annual
Distribution: Introduced sparsely in western Washington; distributed throughout much of North America except parts of the Midwest and Intermountain West.
Habitat: Moist, disturbed soil.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: June-July
Growth Duration: Annual
Utricularia gibba – humped bladderwort, swollen-spurred bladderwort
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, also in Idaho and Montana; central and eastern North America.
Habitat: Emergent aquatic in lakes and ponds.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Annual, Perennial
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, also in Idaho and Montana; central and eastern North America.
Habitat: Emergent aquatic in lakes and ponds.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Annual, Perennial
Utricularia inflata – swollen bladderwort
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in Washington; also occurring in eastern North America, where native.
Habitat: Emergent aquatic in lakes and ponds.
Origin: Introduced from southeast United States
Flowers: June-September
Growth Duration: Annual, Perennial
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in Washington; also occurring in eastern North America, where native.
Habitat: Emergent aquatic in lakes and ponds.
Origin: Introduced from southeast United States
Flowers: June-September
Growth Duration: Annual, Perennial
Utricularia intermedia – flat-leaved bladderwort, mountain bladderwort
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; circumboreal; widely distributed throughout North America except in Central Plains, Gulf Coast, and Southeast.
Habitat: Shallow, standing or slowly moving water.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; circumboreal; widely distributed throughout North America except in Central Plains, Gulf Coast, and Southeast.
Habitat: Shallow, standing or slowly moving water.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Utricularia minor – lesser bladderwort
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Atlantic Coast north of Virginia.
Habitat: Shallow, standing or slowly moving water.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Atlantic Coast north of Virginia.
Habitat: Shallow, standing or slowly moving water.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
Utricularia ochroleuca – dwarf bladderwort
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Klickitat County in Washington, but likely occurring elsewhere; Alaska to California, east across northern half of North America to Greenland; Eurasia.
Habitat: Ponds and lakes in shallow to somewhat deeper waters.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Klickitat County in Washington, but likely occurring elsewhere; Alaska to California, east across northern half of North America to Greenland; Eurasia.
Habitat: Ponds and lakes in shallow to somewhat deeper waters.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
Utricularia vulgaris – common bladderwort, greater bladderwort
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across North America to the Atlantic Coast; circumboreal.
Habitat: Lakes, ponds, swamps, and slow-moving streams.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across North America to the Atlantic Coast; circumboreal.
Habitat: Lakes, ponds, swamps, and slow-moving streams.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
• ssp. macrorhiza – bladderwort, common bladderwort, greater bladderwort
