Flora and Fauna of Hilltop

Hilltop has an extensive collection of more than 150 species of plants and 186 species of animals that have been documented to date through a partnership with the Louisiana Master Naturalist program.

We hope you enjoy the picture collections of flora and fauna that call Hilltop home throughout the year in the Ravines, along the Pond Walk, in the Cajun Prairie Inspired Meadow, and Courtyard. Linda Medine, a Hilltop volunteer and amazing photographer, has been working with us for a couple of years to capture images. We will systematically add more pictures over time, please visit this webpage often.

 

Flora of Hilltop

Click on each picture to view more information about each plant or animal, and the date on which the picture was taken. Many of the plant pictures were taken during their peak bloom periods, or see and fruit production. Use the site map and information as your guide as to when and where to explore Hilltop's rich diversity of life on your own.

 

Fauna of Hilltop

 

 

Plant Definitions:

Tree: A tree is a woody perennial plant, typically having a simple stem or trunk growing to a considerable height and bearing lateral branches at some distance from the ground.

Shrub: A shrub is a small to medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above ground. They are distinguished from trees by their multiple stems and shorter height, less than 20 ft. to 33 ft. tall.

Herbaceous Perennial: Herbaceous perennials are garden plants that die back to the soil line when winter temperatures arrive. The plants enter a dormant period and strengthen the root system while waiting for the coming of spring.

Annual: An annual plant is a plant that completes its life cycle, from germination to the production of seeds, within one growing season, and then dies.

Spring Ephemeral: Spring ephemeral, refers to perennial plants that emerge quickly in the spring and die back to their underground parts after a short growth and reproduction phase.

Fern: A fern is a member of a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. 

Rush: A rush, is any of several flowering plants distinguished by cylindrical stalks or hollow, stem-like leaves.

Aquatic Plant: Aquatic plants are plants that have adapted to living in aquatic environments (saltwater or freshwater).