Skip to global NPS navigation
Skip to this park navigation
Skip to the main content
Skip to this park information section
Skip to the footer section






National Park Service Search Search
This Site
All NPS
 Open
Menu
Close
Menu
Explore This Park
Explore the National Park Service


Exiting nps.gov
  Cancel


Voyageurs
National Park
Minnesota


Info
Alerts
Maps
Calendar
Fees


Alerts In Effect Dismiss
 more information on current conditions...
 Dismiss View all alerts


Contact Us
  Native Plants & Fungi
 bearberryBearberry creeping over the rocks.

Voyageurs National Park lies in a transition area between the southern boreal forest to the north and temperate deciduous forest to the south and east. It is composed of a variety of ecological systems, including conifer forests, hardwood forests, bogs, swamps, marshes, rocky outcrops, and lakeshore environments. The park is home to over 50 tree and shrub species, over 40 fern and moss species, over 200 grass, sedge, and rush species, and over 400 wildflower species.
Historically, fire and wind were the primary influences on the park's ecosystems. Today, past logging, beavers, exotic plants, and climate change affect these ecosystems. To increase awareness of some of these issues and promote the benefits of native plants, the park created an ethno-botanical garden on the grounds of the Rainy Lake Visitor Center. In addition, the park is cultivating a native plant nursery to assist with re-vegetation efforts in disturbed areas.
Visit one of the three visitor centers and ask for a Plant and Animal Guide.

Trees & Shrubs
Traveling the waters of Voyageurs, one can enjoy the same views the French-Canadian voyageurs witnessed – majestic white and red pine interspersed with spruce, fir, aspen, birch, jack pine, and red maple. Disembarking on a rocky shoreline, one can find the same delicious blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and hazelnuts that sustained the voyageurs on their journeys as well as the bearberry they smoked in their pipes and the birch bark they used to patch their canoes. Woody plants, whether six inches or 100 feet in height, continue to thrive in the park as they have done for thousands of years.

Asclepias Incarnata (Milkweed)Asclepias Incarnata (Milkweed)WildflowersFrom the earliest violets in spring, to the last asters in fall, the forests and wetlands of Voyageurs are alive with color. Over the course of the season, watch the colors change as over 400 wildflowers bloom.
Ethnobotanical GardenMany of the plants found in the park have been used by people for centuries. Some of these plants are important sources of food, while others have been used for shelter and clothing. Visitors to the garden can learn what these plants are, how they were used by earlier residents of the area, why they are important, and how exotic plants harm native plant communities.

Exotic Plants
The forests and wetlands of Voyageurs are healthy, but they are also threatened. One of the more significant threats is exotic plants. These are plants that are not native to the region. Some of these exotics are relatively harmless, while others have the potential to take over large swathes of habitat, displacing the native plants and the animals that depend on them. Staff work diligently to prevent these invaders from establishing in the park, and to remove them when found.

Birch Bolete MushroomBirch Bolete Mushroom NPS, Anita VarnonMushrooms & Other Fungi
Everywhere we walk or build or garden, mushrooms and fungi can be found. They thrive in Voyageurs. With so much diversity of species, the park has an unknown number and variety of mushrooms and fungi.
 Last updated: May 28, 2024
 Park footer Contact Info Mailing Address: Voyageurs National Park Headquarters
360 Hwy 11 East
International Falls,
MN
56649
 Phone: (218)-283-6600 Contact Us
 Tools Site Index
 Stay Connected


This Site
All NPS 
  National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior
 Accessibility
Privacy Policy
FOIA
Notices
Contact The National Park Service NPS FAQ
No Fear Act
Disclaimer
Vulnerability Disclosure Policy
USA.gov Facebook
Youtube
Twitter
Instagram
Flickr