American basswood is an indicator tree.
Other canopy trees of cove forests may include tulip poplar, sugar maple, red maple, yellow birch, beech, white ash, bigleaf magnolia, Allegheny chinquapin, bitternut hickory, and Eastern hemlock. Farther south, Carolina silverbell is an important indicator tree for cove forests. A colorful understory is characteristic of cove forests and may include such trees as Eastern redbud, sourwood, Fraser magnolia, witch-hazel, and flowering dogwood. However, the dark, dense canopy at Ramseys Draft has shaded out most undergrowth. Birds tend to sort themselves out in tall forests.