Appalachian Spring Wildflower Art Contest

2025 Wildflower Art Entry (must be wildflower art created by hand)
Art subject:
Entry MUST be inspired by a native blooming Appalachian wildflower from the attached contest wildflower checklist. If the art includes a background, it should be representative of the plant’s natural habitat (local forest, river edge, or field) and in the appropriate blooming season. Multiple plants may be included in the piece, but all blooms must be from the contest list. The blossoms should be the focal point of the art, though appropriate wildlife from the same habitat may be included in the piece. It is inappropriate for contest entries to include wildflowers in a pot, picked bouquets, flowers on a bridge or roadway, or with domestic animals. Please remember that a contest goal is to teach people about the region's diverse natural ecology through art.


Medium:
All wildflower entries must be an original work of art. Entry may be of any medium type (pencil, ink, acrylic, oil, glass, charcoal, pastel, watercolor, clay, paper, wood, etc.). Computer generated art or photography will NOT be accepted as art entry medium in this category.

Sizes: two-dimensional art size 8" x 10" ONLY, portrait or landscape in orientation; OR three-dimensional art size between 4" and 18" square. Do NOT frame or mat art. Entry must not require assembly. 

Quantity:
Each student can enter only ONE piece in this individual wildflower art in this category. Upload image of your contest entry here. Multiple images of this entry is permissible for the purpose of showing fine details of the piece. Image submissions must be in .JPG format. Image resolution should be at least 300 dpi. Please title your wildflower entry as wildflower_grade_Lastname_Title (EXAMPLE: individual_6_Smith_StarFlower). Be sure to include title, medium, and brief description in the corresponding Submittable text boxes.


2025 Contest Wildflower Species Checklist
(wildflower art created by hand)
All contest entries MUST be inspired by a native blooming Appalachian wildflower from this checklist. If a background is included in the piece, it should represent the plant’s natural habitat (local forest, river edge, or field) and in the appropriate blooming season. Multiple plants may be incorporated into the piece, but all blooms included must be from this list. The blossom should be the focal point of the piece, though appropriate wildlife from the same habitat may be included in the art. It is inappropriate for contest entries to include flowers in a pot, picked bouquets, flowers on a bridge or roadway, or with domestic animals.
This list highlights 100 native herbaceous and woody plants that bloom throughout the New River Gorge during spring and early summer. These species are a small sample of the over 1,500 types of plants that grow in this area of Appalachia.
One hundred works of art created by hand will be selected for this year's contest exhibit, twenty pieces per county (five pieces from each grade group per county).

Sedge Family (Cyperaceae)

 

• Fraser’s sedge     Carex fraseri

Arum Family (Araceae)


 

• Jack-in-the-pulpit     Arisaema triphyllum

Spiderwort Family (Commelinaceae)


 

• Ohio spiderwort     Tradescantia ohiensis

Lily Family (Liliaceae)


 

• Large-flowered bellwort     Uvularia grandiflora
• Yellow trout lily     Erythronium americanum
• False Solomon’s seal     Smilacina racemosa
• Fairy bells     Disporum lanuginosum
• Solomon’s seal     Polygonatum biflorum
• Nodding trillium      Trillium cernuum
• Red/ill-scented trillium     Trillium erectum
• Large-flowered trillium     Trillium grandiflorum
• Painted trillium     Trillium undulatum

Iris Family (Iridaceae)


 

• Crested iris     Iris cristata

Orchis Family (Orchidaceae)


 

• Pink lady’s slipper      Cypripedium acaule
• Large yellow lady’s slipper     Cypripedium pubescens
• Showy orchis     Orchis spectabilis

Lizard’s Tail Family (Saururaceae)


 

• Lizard’s tail     Saururus cernuus

Birthwort Family (Aristolochiaceae)


 

• Wild ginger     Asarum canadense
• Dutchman’s pipe     Aristolochia macrophylla

Purslane Family (Portulacaceae)


 

• Spring beauty     Claytonia virginica

Pink Family (Caryophyllaceae)


 

• Great chickweed     Stellaria pubera
• Fire Pink     Silene virginica

Buttercup Family (Ranunculaceae)


 

• Hooked crowfoot     Ranunculus recurvatus
• Rue anemone     Anemonella thalictroides
• Hepatica     Hepatica nobilis
• Wood anemone     Anemone quinquefolia
• Wild columbine     Aquilegia canadensis
• Dwarf larkspur     Delphinium tricorne
• Goldenseal     Hydrastis canadensis

Barberry Family (Berberidaceae)


 

• May-apple     Podophyllum peltatum
• Twinleaf     Jeffersonia dipylla
• Blue cohosh     Caulophyllum thalictroides

Magnolia Family (Magnoliaceae)


 

• Umbrella magnolia     Magnolia tripetala
• Tulip poplar     Liriodendron tulipifera

Custard Apple Family (Annonaceae)


 

• Pawpaw     Asimina triloba

Laurel Family (Lauraceae)


 

• White sassafras     Sassafras albidum

Poppy Family (Papaveraceae)


 

• Bloodroot     Sanguinaria canadensis

Fumitory Family (Fumariaceae)


 

• Squirrel corn   Dicentra canadensis
• Dutchman’s breeches  Dicentra cucullaria

Mustard Family (Cruciferae)


 

• Cutleaf toothwort     Dentaria laciniata

Orpine Family (Crassulaceae)


 

• Wild stonecrop     Sedum ternatum

Saxifrage Family (Saxifragaceae)


 

• Early saxifrage     Saxifraga virginiensis
• Foamflower     Tiarella cordifolia
• Miterwort/bishop’s cap     Mitella diphylla

Rose Family (Rosaceae)


 

• Common serviceberry     Amelanchier arborea
• Wild black cherry     Prunus serotina

Purse Family (Leguminosae)


 

• Redbud     Cercis canadensis
• Black locust     Robinia pseudo-acacia

Wood Sorrel Family (Oxalidaceae)


 

• Great yellow wood sorrel     Oxalis grandis

Geranium Family (Genaniaceae)


 

• Wild geranium     Geranium maculatum

Cashew Family (Anacardiaceae)


 

• Poison ivy     Toxicodendron radicans

Holly Family (Aquifoliaceae)


 

• American holly     Ilex opaca

Maple Family (Aceraceae)


 

• Striped maple     Acer pensylvanicum

Horse-chestnut Family (Hippocastanaceae)


 

• Yellow buckeye     Aeculus octandra

Violet Family (Violaceae)


 

• Common blue violet     Viola papilionacea
• Halberd-leaf yellow violet     Viola hastata
• Downy yellow violet     Viola pubescens
• Canada violet     Viola canadensis
• Long-spurred violet     Viola rostrata

Sour Gum Family (Nyssaceae)


 

• Black gum     Nyssa sylvatica

Ginseng Family (Araliaceae)


 

• Dwarf ginseng     Panax trifolius

Carrot Family (Umbelliferae)


 

• Hairy sweet cicely     Osmorhiza claytoni
• Golden alexander      Zizia aurea

Dogwood Family (Cornaceae)


 

• Flowering dogwood      Cornus florida

Wintergreen Family (Pyrolaceae)


 

• Spotted wintergreen     Chimaphila maculata
• Indian pipe     Monotropa uniflora

Heath Family (Ericaceae)


 

• Great rhododendron     Rhododendron maximum
• Catawba rhododendron     Rhododendron catawbiense
• Flame azalea     Rhododendron calendulaceum
• Mountain laurel     Kalmia latifolia
• Sourwood     Oxydendrum arboreum
• Trailing arbutus     Epigaea repens
• Lowbush blueberry     Vaccinium angustifolium

Diapensia Family (Diapensiaceae)


 

• Galax     Galax aphylla

Primrose Family (Primulaceae)


 

• Fringed loosestrife     Lysimachia ciliata

Storax Family (Styracaceae)


 

• Carolina silverbells     Halesia carolina

Milkweed Family (Asclepiadaceae)


 

• Butterfly weed     Asclepias tuberosa
• Common milkweed     Asclepias syriaca

Polemonium Family (Polemoniaceae)


 

• Moss phlox     Phlox subulata
• Wild blue phlox     Phlox divaricata

Waterleaf Family (Hydrophyllaceae)


 

• Appendaged waterleaf     Hydrophyllum appendiculatum

Borage Family (Boraginaceae)


 

• Smaller forget-me-not     Myosotis laxa
• Virginia bluebells     Mertensia virginica

Mint Family (Labiatae)


 

• Hairy skullcap     Scutellaria elliptica
• Lyre-leaved sage     Salvia lyrata
• Bee balm/oswego tea     Monarda didyma
• Hoary mountain-mint     Pycnanthemum incanum

Figwort Family (Scrophulariaceae)


 

• Foxglove beardtongue     Penstemon digitalis
• Culver’s-root     Veronicastrum virginicum
• Winged monkey-flower     Mimulus alatus
• Common lousewort/wood betony     Pedicularis canadensis
• Smooth yellow foxglove     Aureolaria flava

Madder Family (Rubiaceae)


 

• Common bedstraw     Galium aparine
• Buttonbush     Cephalanthus occidentalis
• Partridge berry     Mitchella repens
• Bluets     Houstonia caerulea

Honeysuckle Family (Caprifoliaceae)


 

• Hobblebush     Viburnum alnifolium
• Red elderberry     Sambucus pubens

Composite Family (Compositae)


 

• Daisy fleabane     Erigeron strigosus
• Golden ragwort     Senecio aureus
   

2025 Digital Art Critter Challenge entry
(must be wildlife art created on a computer)

Art subject:
Digital art entry in this CRITTER category MUST be inspired by a creature that lives in the New River Gorge from the contest critter checklist below and created on a computer. If the art includes a background, it should represent the creature’s natural habitat (local forest, field, or river). The creature should be the focal point of the art, though appropriate plants from the same habitat may be included in the piece. It is inappropriate for contest entries to include humans interacting with or handling animals; creatures should not be depicted in a classic human setting, like on a road, in a house or car, on a porch, or at a picnic table. Please remember that a contest goal is to teach people about the region's diverse natural ecology and the wildlife that lives here through art.

Medium:
Wildlife art in this category MUST be created on a computer. Photographs can be incorporated into the art entry, but piece cannot be a stand-alone photo image. This is an art contest, NOT a photography contest. This challenge will help others learn more about regional wildlife through art.

Size:
All entries must be an original work of two-dimensional digital art size 8" x 10" ONLY, portrait or landscape in orientation. Image submissions must be in .JPG format and be no smaller size than 1600 x 1200 pixels.  


Quantity:
Each student can enter only ONE piece in this individual digital CRITTER art in this category. Upload image of your contest entry here. Image submissions must be in .JPG format and be no smaller size than 1600 x 1200 pixels. Please title your critter entry as critter_grade_Lastname_Title (EXAMPLE: critter_6_Smith_RiverOtter). Be sure to include title and brief description in the corresponding Submittable text boxes.

2025 Digital Art Critter Challenge entry species list
(must be wildlife art created on a computer)
All contest entries in this digital art category must be created on a computer and MUST be inspired by a wildlife species from this checklist. If a background is included in the piece, it should represent the creature’s natural habitat (local forest, field, or river). The animal should be the focal point of the art, though plants from the same habitat may be included in the piece. It is inappropriate for contest entries to include humans interacting with or handling animals; creatures should not be depicted in a classic human setting such as on a road, in a house or car, on a porch, or at a picnic table or tent. Please remember that a contest goal is to teach people about the region's diverse natural ecology and the wildlife that lives here through art.
This list highlights 52 wildlife species of the New River Gorge. Some live here year-round, some take up residence here only during certain seasons of the year, while others pass through in route to other seasonal homes. This species list is a small sample of the over 38 reptiles, 48 amphibians, 65 mammals, 90 fish, 250 birds, and hundreds of insect species that walk on the land, swim in the waters, and fly in the air in this area of the central Appalachian Mountains.
Twenty pieces of digital art in this category will be selected for this year's contest exhibit, five works from each grade group.

Mammals
 

• American beaver    Castor canadensis
• Black bear    Ursus americanus
• Eastern cottontail (rabbit)    Sylvilagus floridanus
• Eastern chipmunk    Tamias striatus
• North American river otter   Lutra canadensis
• Virginia opossum     Dedelphis virginiana
• Red Fox    Vulpes vulpes
• Striped skunk     Mephitis mephitis
• White-footed mouse     Peromyscus leucopus
• White-tailed deer     Odocoileus virginianus

Birds

 

• American crow     Corvus brachyrhynchos
• Bald eagle     Haliaeetus leucocephalus
• Belted kingfisher     Megaceryle alcyon
• Carolina wren     Thryothorus ludovicianus
• Eastern bluebird     Sialia sialis
• Eastern screech-owl     Megascops asio
• Great blue heron    Ardea herodias
• Hooded warble     Setophaga citrina
• Northern cardinal    Cardinalis cardinalis
• Ovenbird     Seiurus aurocapilla
• Peregrine falcon     Falco peregrinus
• Pileated woodpecker    Dryocopus pileatus
• Ruby-throated hummingbird     Archiloshus colubris

Amphibians and Reptiles

 

• Eastern American toad      Anaxyrus americanus
• Eastern box turtle      Terrapene carolina
• Eastern milk snake     Lampropeltis triangulum
• Five-lined skink     Plestiodon fasciatus
• Northern copperhead      Agkistrodon contortrix mokasen
• Northern leopard frog     Lithobates pipiens
• Northern red salamander    Pseudotriton ruber
• Red-spotted newt     Notophthalmus viridescens
• Spring peeper     Pseudacris crucifer
• Wood frog     Lithobates sylvaticus

Insects and Spiders

 

• Black-and-gold bumble bee     Bombus auricomus
• Common buckeye (butterfly)     Jumonia coenia
• Common water strider     Gerris lacustris
• Common whitetail (dragonfly)     Plathemis lydia
• Eastern comma (butterfly)     Polygonia comma
• Eastern tiger swallowtail     Papilio glaucus
• Giant mayfly     Hexagenia limbata
• Golden jumping spider     Paraphidippus aurantius
• Large milkweed bug     Oncopeltus fasciatus
• Marbled orbweaver (spider)     Araneus marmoreus
• Monarch butterfly     Danaus plexippus
• Northern crab spider     Mexaphesa asperata
• Red admiral (butterfly)    Vanessa atalanta

Fish and Crayfish

 

• Bluegill     Lepomis macrochirus
• Brook trout     Salvelinus fontinalis
• Candy darter     Etheostoma osburni
• Common crayfish    Cambarus bartonii
• Flathead Catfish     Pylodictis olivaris
• Smallmouth bass     Micropterus dolomieu