Flowers & Plants Found in Temperate Forests

Temperate forests are woodlands with moderate temperatures that are found between the earth's polar regions and tropical environments. As a result, most temperate forests have deciduous plants, trees and flowers. Deciduous plants lose their foliage during the fall and winter. Regions in the United States with temperate forests include New England, the East Coast, the Midwest and the South.

The common primrose is a native of western Europe, northern Africa and Eurasia; it is found in deciduous forests throughout these regions. This perennial flowering plant grows up to 11 inches when it fully matures. The primrose's flower has a width of approximately 2 inches; it blossoms in April and May. According to the University of California's Agricultural & Natural Resources department, the primrose's flowers grow in clusters in a variety of colors, such as pink, yellow, blue and red. The primrose prefers cool temperatures in both summer and winter.

The American Beech is a deciduous tree that grows in temperate forests in a number of regions in the U.S., including the Southeast and New England. This tree reaches heights of more than 100 feet when it fully matures. The leaves on an American beech are green and grow up to 5 inches long, while the tree's bark has a grayish coloration. While most of the beech's leaves fall during the winter, the leaves on the bottom section of the American beech stay intact, as reported by the University of Kentucky's Department of Horticulture. The American beech prefers full sunlight, but you can grow it in shady areas.

This bulbous plant is native to the temperate forests of Spain, but they were introduced into the East Coast region of the United States. Spanish bluebells grow in North Carolina, Virginia and Delaware, according to the U.S. National Park Service. This plant has bell-shaped flowers with lavender coloration. When it fully matures, the Spanish bluebell grows up to 1? to 2 inches. The Spanish bluebell is considered an invasive species as its growth is harmful to the development of natural species.

The Athyrium, or lady fern, is a plant genus that includes approximately 180 different species. Two lady ferns found in the temperate forests of the U.S. include the northern lady fern, which, as its name implies, grows in the northeastern U.S., and the southern lady fern, found in the Southeast. The lady fern is a deciduous plant; its fronds grow to lengths of 3 feet when it fully matures. Although the lady fern's primary habitat is temperate woodlands, it also grows in swamps and areas with rocky soils.