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Plants and Animals

at Castlewood State Park

a purple wildflowerWildflowers decorate the park every spring and summer. The most spectacular blooms come from the huge patches of bluebells in the bottomland adjacent to the river.

Native plants and animals have lost large amounts of habitat because of the encroachment of exotic species within the park and the entire St. Louis metropolitan area. The principal offenders are the bush honeysuckle (lonicera maackii) and Japanese honeysuckle (lonicera japonica). These plants have no natural enemies and grow so densely that they smother any growth of native vegetation. 

Volunteer opportunities are available for groups interested in assisting in the removal of the aggressive invasive species. Please call 636-227-4433 or click here if you would like to help.