Open Wetlands

Download the Open Wetlands Species List (PDF, 78 KB)

Non–Tidal Freshwater Wetlands

A non-tidal freshwater wetland occurs in low-lying areas along rivers and other fresh bodies of water that are subject to flooding, isolated depressions that collect surface water, as well as areas with high groundwater tables. Water levels fluctuate seasonally and usually drop in mid to late summer. The species lists reflect soils that are circumneutral (neutral, neither acidic nor basic) and soils that are acidic.

Circumneutral– Marsh, Full Sun, Wet to Moist Soils

Shrubs

• Alnus serrulata– Hazel alder
• Aronia arbutifolia– Red chokeberry
• Aronia melanocarpa– Black chokeberry
• Cephalanthus occidentalis– Button bush
• Rosa palustris– Swamp rose
• Cornus amomum– Silky dogwood
• Ilex verticillata– Winterberry
• Salix discolor– Pussy willow
• Other salix spp.– Willows
• Sambucus canadensis– Black elderberry
• Vaccinium corymbosum– High bush blueberry
• Viburnum dentatum– Southern arrowwood
• Spiraea alba var. latifolia– Meadowsweet
• Viburnum nudum– Possum–haw
• Spiraea tomentosa– Steeple bush
• Baccharis halmifolia– Groundsel bush

Emergent Herbs

• Acorus americanus– Sweet flag
• Alisma subcordatum– Water–plantain
• Decodon verticillatus– Water–willow
• Hibiscus moscheutos– Rose mallow
• Iris versicolor– Blue flag iris
• Peltandra virginica– Green arrow arum
• Pontedaria cordata– Pickerel weed
• Rumex verticillatus– Swamp dock
• Sagittaria latifolia– Common arrowhead
• Saururus cernuus – Lizards's tail
• Sparganium americanum – American bur–reed
• Sparganium androcladum – Branched bur–reed
• Sparganium eurycarpum– Broadfruit bur–reed
• Typha latifolia– Broadleaf cattail

Emergent Graminoids

• Carex radiata– Eastern star sedge
• Carex stricta– Tussock sedge
• Eleocharis spp.– Spike–rush
• Juncus effusus– Smooth rush
• Scirpus americanus – Chainmaker’s bulrush
• Scirpus pungens– Common three square
• Scirpus validus– Soft stemmed bulrush
• Zizania aquatica– Wild rice

Herbs

• Asclepias incarnata– Swamp milk weed
• Symphyotrichum novae–angliae– New England aster
• Chelone glabra– White turtleheads
• Eupatorium dubium – Coastal plain joe–pye weed
• Eupatorium fistulosum– Hollow–stemmed joe–pye weed
• Eupatorium maculatum– Spotted joe–pye weed
• Eupatorium perfoliatum– Common boneset
• Helenium autumale– Sneeze weed
• Helianthus giganteus– Giant sunflower
• Hibiscus moscheutos– Rose mallow
• Iris versicolor– Blue flag iris
• Iris prismatica– Slender blue
• Lilium superbum– Turk's cap lily
• Lobelia cardinalis– Cardinal flower
• Lobelia siphilitica– Great blue lobelia
• Ludwigia alternifolia– Water primrose
• Lycopus americanus– American water horehound
• Lycopus uniflorus– Bugle weed
• Lycopus virginicus– Water–horehound
• Lysimachia ciliata– Fringed loosestrife
• Lysimchia terrestris– Loosestrife
• Mimulus ringens– Allegheny monkeyflower
• Penthorum sedoides– Ditch–stonecrop
• Teucrium canadensis– Wood–sage
• Thalictrum pubescens– Late meadow rue
• Triadendum virginicus– Marsh St. John's wort
• Verbena hastata– Blue vervain
• Vernonia novaboracensis– Ironweed

Ferns

• Onoclea sensibilis– Sensitive fern
• Osmunda regalis– Royal fern
• Thelypteris palustris– Marsh fern

Graminoids

• Andropogon virginicus– Broom sedge
• Calamagrostis canadensis– Blue joint reed grass
• Carex comosa– Longhair sedge
• Carex crinita– Fringed sedge
• Carex intumescens– Greater blade sedge
• Carex lupulina– Hop sedge
• Carex lurida– Shallow sedge
• Carex scoparia– Broom sedge
• Carex stipata– Owl fruit sdege
• Carex tribuloides– Tufted sedge
• Carex vulpinoidea– Fox sedge
• Cyperus strigosus– False nutsedge
• Dulichium arundinaceum–Three-way sedge
• Glyceria canadensis– Rattlesnake mannagrass
• Juncus acuminatus– Tapertip rush
• Juncus effusus– Smooth rush
• Juncus marginatus– Grassleaf rush
• Leersia oryzoides– Rice cutgrass
• Panicum clandestinum– Deer tongue
• Scirpus atrovirens– Bulrush
• Scirpus cyperinus– Wool grass
• Scirpus pungens– Common three square
• Tripsacum dactyloides– Gamma grass
• Spartina pectinata– Prairie cord

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Acidic– Marsh, Full Sun, Wet to Moist Soils

Shrubs

• Alnus serrulata– Hazel alder
• Aronia arbutifolia– Red chokeberry
• Aronia melanocarpa– Black chokeberry
• Clethera alnifolia– Sweet pepperbush
• Leucothoe racemosa– Fetterbush
• Ilex verticillata– Winterberry
• Lyonia ligustrina– Male berry
• Lyonia mariana– Piedmont staggerbush
• Vaccinium corymbosum– High bush blueberry
• Viburnum dentatum– Southern arrowwood
• Vaccinium macrocarpon– Cranberry

Emergent Herbs

• Sparganium americanum– American bur–reed
• Sparganium androcladum– Branched bur–reed
• Sparganium eurycarpum– Broadfruit bur–reed

Ferns

• Osmunda regalis– Royal fern
• Onoclea sensibilis– Sensitive fern
• Thelypteris palustris– Marsh fern

Graminoids

• Andropogon glomeratus– Bushy blue stem
• Carex folliculata– Northern long sedge
• Carex stricta– Tussock sedge
• Cyperus echinatus– Globe–flatsedge
• Juncus canadensis– Canada rush
• Panicum virgatum– Switch grass
• Scirpus americanus– Chainmaker’s bulrush

Alkaline– Marsh, Full Sun, Wet to Moist Soils

Shrubs

• Cephalanthus occidentalis– Button bush
• Cornus amomum– Silky dogwood
• Cornus sericea– Red osier
• Ribes americanum– Easter black current
• Sambucus canadensis– Black elderberry
• Viburnum dentatum– Southern arrowwood

Herbs

• Eupatorium maculatum– Spotted joe–pye weed
• Iris versicolor– Blue flag iris
• Pontedaria cordata– Pickerel weed
• Senecio aureus– Heart leaved groundsel
• Solidago rugosa– Wrinkle leaved
• Solidago canadensis– Common goldenrod
• Symphyotrichum novae–angliae– New England aster
• Vernonia novaboracensis– Iron weed

Gramionoids

• Carex lupulina– Hop sedge
• Carex squarrosa– Squarrose sedge
• Juncus torreyi– Torrey’s rush
• Scirpus americanus– Three square
• Scirpus cyperinus– Wool grass
• Scirpus pungens– Common three square
• Scirpus validus– Soft stemmed bulrush

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Tidal Wetlands

Tidal wetland habitats occur in low-lying areas along the coast where plants can tolerate periodic soil saturation. The twice-daily tides allow soil to drain and become aerated for a period of time. The following species list can tolerate brackish and tidal saline waters.

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Brackish Tidal Wetlands

Shrubs

• Aronia arbutifolia– Red choke berry
• Baccharis halimifolia– Groundsel bush
• Cornus amomum– Silky dogwood
• Cornus racemosa– Gray dogwood
• Iva frutescens– Salt Marsh elder
• Myrica pensylvanica– Bayberry

Emergent Herbs

• Pontedaria cordata– Pickerel weed

Herbs

• Hibiscus moscheutos– Rose mallow
• Iris versicolor– Blue flag iris

Graminoids

• Juncus gerardii– Black grass
• Panicum virgatum– Switch grass
• Scirpus americanus– Three square
• Scirpus pungens– Common three square
• Scirpus robustus– Saltmarsh bulrush
• Scirpus validus– Soft stemmed bulrush
• Spartina cynosuroides– Big cordgrass
• Spartina pectinata– Prairie cordgrass
• Tripsacum dactyloides– Gamma grass
• Zizania aquatica– Wild rice

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Saline Tidal Marshes

High Marsh

Herbs

• Aster tenuifolius–Perennial Salt Marsh Aster
• Limonium caroliniana– Sea–lavendar
• Salicornia virginica– Glasswort
• Solidago sempervirens– Seaside goldenrod

Graminoids

• Distichlis spicata– Salt grass
• Juncus gerardii– Black grass
• Scirpus robustus– Salt marsh bulrush
• Spartina patens– Salt meadow cordgrass

Low Marsh

• Spartina alterniflora– Smooth cord grass

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