Aruncus dioicus; Rosaceae (rose family)

According to one expert from the Maryland Native Plant Society, goatsbeard grows in the coastal plain and is rare in the piedmont, so I’m a little tickled that I found it near Cabin John Creek.  It can grow up to six feet tall, and likes wet soils.  The plants I found were growing right out of a steep hillside next to the water.

Goatsbeard is one of the few native perennials showy enough to be a common garden plant.  You can find cultivars for sale at any decent plant nursery.

extreme closeup: