Landscaping With Wetland Plants

Planting for Beauty, Biodiversity, Wildlife Habitat Improvement and Conservation of Natural

Resources

Jay Archer

Where, When and Why You Should Plant Wetland, Native and Moisture Loving Plants

Regulated Wetlands providing Valuable purpose, reason or design can be proposed Permits are obtainable through local or state agencies Expectations of success are possible

Disturbed wetlands (providing jurisdiction is determined), I.E Mitigation, Restoration, Enhancement and/or Improvement (may

or may not be regulated) Poor drainage areas ( isolated and undisturbed ) ex. Low

lying,poorly drained areas with heavy clay soil Disturbed Sites ex. New construction or steam bank restoration Constructed wetlands ( may include rain gardens/bioretention for

stormwater management ) as an alternative to conventional drainage methods

Where, When and Why You Should Plant Wetland, Native and Moisture Loving Plants

Mitigation is required due to legislation or violation thereof

Restoration to a natural condition is desiredAesthetic enhancement to improve

environmental conditions and protect property values

Wildlife habitat improvement is desiredReduce or eliminate pesticides

Opportunities for Wetland Planting include:

Water GardensContainer GardensBog GardensRain GardensStreamside Planting and/or RestorationDemonstration Gardens

Types of Plants Determined by Soil/Moisture Gradient and Indicator Status:

Aquatic plantsMarginal Plants (emergent)Moisture Loving Plants

Wetland Cross SectionSoil Moisture Gradient

Indicator Status: Obligate Wetland: Occur almost always (estimated probability

> 99%) under natural conditions in wetlands Facultative Wetland: Usually occur in wetlands (estimated

probability 67%-99%) , but occasionally found in nonwetlands Facultative: Equally likely to occur in wetlands or nonwetlands

(estimated probability 34%-66%) Facultative Upland: Usually occur in nonwetlands (estimated

probability 67%-99%), but occasionally found in wetlands (estimated probability 1%-33%).

Upland

Marshes

Lakes and Ponds

Container Plants

Rain Gardens

Rain Gardens

Rain Gardens

Rain Gardens

Rain Gardens

Rain Gardens

Nymphaea odorata sulphurea grandiflora Water Lily

*Flowers open Late *Morning to Early Afternoon*Native

Iris versicolor Wild Iris, Blue Flag

Moist to wet soil- Native

Carex elataMoist to wetMarginalNative

Bowles golden sedge

Carex pendula Pendulous Sedge

Graceful PlantWet to shallow waterMarginalIdeal for wildlife

Bowles golden sedge

Aruncus dioicus Goat’s Beard

Moisture loving

Bowles golden sedge

Cimicifuga simplex Bugbane

Light shadeLate flowering Possibly to fall

Bowles golden sedge

Chelone obliqua Turtlehead

Part sunBlooms late summer and fallNative

Bowles golden sedge

Lysmachia nummularia Moneywort, Pennywort

Summer bloom-YellowNative

Osmunda regalis Royal fern

Part Shade- Native

Parnassia palustris Grass of Parnassus

Flowers late in spring and summerSeed in fall

Phalaris arundinacea var.Picta Ribbon Grass

Bright and cheerful,Invasive

Primula proliferaPart shade (dry) Plant by streams in masses

Primula bulleyanaGood ground cover in moist shade

Rodgersia podophyllaMoist Shade

Shelter from wind

Veratrum album White False Helleborine

Moist Shade

Woodland

Mertensia virginica Bluebells

Woodland Native

Bergenia cordifolia Pigsqueak

Early spring flowers

Ligularia The Rocket Mid to late summer

Good rain garden plant

Lobelia cardinalis Cardinal Flower

Good luck

NativeMoist well drained soilTolerates wet

Myosotis scorpioides Forget Me Not

Moist and boggy soil by stream

Osmunda clayoniana Interrupted Fern

Deep shadeGround coverAcid soil

Trillium grandiflorum Wake Robin

Native woodlandMoist, part shade

Metasequoia glyptostroboides Dawn Redwood

Tolerates wet soilGrows fast

Pulmonaria longifolia Lungwort

Good for moist shade

Adiantum pedatum Maidenhair Fern

Likes to be damp Native Good for waterfalls

Acorus calamus Sweet Flag

MarginalPart shadeWater FowlNative

Houttuynia cordata plena

Moist soilCreeping plant for shallows of pool

Eupatorium purpureum Joe Pye Weed

Good Bog Plant

Eupatorium maculatum Bartered Bride

Butterflies July to Sept.

Eupatorium perfoliatum Boneset

Moist meadows.

Onoclea sensibilis Sensitive Fern

Ground coverStreamsideNative

Asclepias incarnata Swamp Milkweed

Butterflies

Agrostis stolinifera alba Redtop Grass Seed 5lbs per acre- Nurse cropDrought tolerantNative

Arisacma triphyllum Small Jack in the

Pulpit

Full ShadeBogs, Forested Seasonal WetlandsWildlife (Wood Thrush & Turkey)Native

Calamagrostis canadensis Reed Grass. Blue Joint Grass

Good for flood plainsFood cover for nesting water fowlNative

Carex comosa Bottle Brush Sedge Good for Wet Meadows,Swamps, Pond Edges

Wildlife-Lincoln Sparrows, Grouse, Snipe, Seed Eating Songbirds, Larkspurs, Redpoll,and Ruffled Grouse

Native

Hibiscus moscheutos Marsh Hibiscus

Part ShadeGood for MarshesHummingbirdsNative

Aster novae-angliae New England Aster

Moist soilForested Wetlands and ShoresNative Small Game

Caltha palustris Marsh Marigold StreamsideUpland Game BirdsNative

Carex muskingumenis Palm Sedge

Sun or ShadePin Wheel Shape2’ Tall Ground CoverNative

Carex platyphylla Silver Blue Sedge Deep ShadeNative

Carex stricta Sedge

Plant Near WaterlineNative

Carex vulpinoidea Sedge GroundcoverNative

Chasmanthium latifolia River Oats

Beautiful Seed HeadsBamboo LikeSun or ShadeWet or DryNative

Chelone glabra Turtle Head ButterfliesWet to Moist Soil

Iris pseudacorus Yellow Flag

Iris virginiana

Juncus effuses “Frenzy” Variegated Corkscrew Rush

Osmunda cinnamonea Cinnamon Fern

Thelypteris palustris Marsh Fern

FAC WetFull Shade

Solidago graminifolia (Eothamia) Grass Leafed Goldenrod

Butterflies

Shrubs

White FlowersRed Berries Cedar WaxwingBrown Thrasher

Aronia arbutifolia Red Chokeberry

Full ShadeSalt Tolerant SongbirdsUpland Game Birds

Clethra alnifolia Summersweet

Full ShadeObligateWet Stream SideHummingbirdsRedwing Blackbird

Cephalanthus occidentalis Buttonbush

Cul. “Red Spirte”WildlifeFAC wet

Ilex verticillata Winterberry, Sparkleberry

Full ShadeWildlifeWide Range of ConditionsFac wet

Sambuccus canadensis Elderberry

Part ShadeWildlifeFac wet

Viburnum dentatum Arrowwood

Ilex glabra Inkberry

Itea virginica Virginia Sweetspire

Larix laricina Tamarack

Lindera benzoin Spicebush

Salix purpurea Purpleosier Willow