Great Lakes Marsh Plant List

Submergent Plants

  • coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum)
  • common waterweed (Elodea canadensis)
  • slender naiad (Najas flexilis)
  • pondweeds (Potamogeton obtusifolius, P. pectinatus, P. richardsonii, P. robbinsii, P. zosteriformis, Stuckenia pectinata, and others)
  • bladderworts (Utricularia intermedia, U. vulgaris, and others)
  • water-celery (Vallisneria americana)

Rooted Floating-leaved Plants

  • water-shield (Brasenia schreberi)
  • variegated yellow pond-lilies (Nuphar advena and N. variegata)
  • sweet-scented waterlily (Nymphaea odorata)
  • pondweeds (Potamogeton gramineus, P. illinoensis, P. natans, and others)

Non-rooted Floating Plants

  • small duckweed (Lemna minor)
  • star duckweed (Lemna trisulca)
  • red duckweed (Lemna turionifera)
  • great duckweed (Spirodela polyrhiza)
  • water meal (Wolffia spp.)

Emergent Plants

Graminoids

  • ticklegrasses (Agrostis hyemalis and A. scabra)
  • blue-joint (Calamagrostis canadensis)
  • narrow-leaved reedgrass (Calamagrostis stricta)
  • sedges (Carex aquatilis, C. bebbii, C. comosa, C. hystericina, C. lacustris, C. lasiocarpa, C. stricta, C. viridula, and others)
  • twig-rush (Cladium mariscoides)
  • tufted hair grass (Deschampsia cespitosa)
  • Lindheimer’s panic grass (Dichanthelium lindheimeri)
  • spike-rushes (Eleocharis acicularis, E. elliptica, E. palustris, E. quinqueflora, and others)
  • rushes (Juncus balticus, J. brevicaudatus, J. canadensis, and others)
  • cut grass (Leersia oryzoides)
  • common reed (Phragmites australis subsp. americanus)
  • beak-rush (Rhynchospora capillacea)
  • hardstem bulrush (Schoenoplectus acutus)
  • threesquare (Schoenoplectus pungens)
  • softstem bulrush (Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani)
  • bulrushes (Scirpus atrovirens and S. cyperinus)

Forbs

  • Canada anemone (Anemone canadensis)
  • swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
  • hedge bindweed (Calystegia sepium)
  • marsh bellflower (Campanula aparinoides)
  • water hemlock (Cicuta bulbifera)
  • limestone calamint (Clinopodium arkansanum)
  • marsh cinquefoil (Comarum palustre)
  • common boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)
  • grass-leaved goldenrod (Euthamia graminifolia)
  • joe-pye-weed (Eutrochium maculatum)
  • small bedstraw (Galium trifidum)
  • small fringed gentian (Gentianopsis virgata)
  • swamp mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos)
  • jewelweed (Impatiens capensis)
  • wild blue flag (Iris versicolor)
  • marsh pea (Lathyrus palustris)
  • Kalm’s lobelia (Lobelia kalmii)
  • common water horehound (Lycopus americanus)
  • balsam ragwort (Packera paupercula)
  • grass-of-Parnassus (Parnassia glauca)
  • water smartweed (Persicaria amphibia)
  • pickerel-weed (Pontederia cordata)
  • silverweed (Potentilla anserina)
  • bird’s-eye primrose (Primula mistassinica)
  • common arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia)
  • common skullcap (Scutellaria galericulata)
  • Ohio goldenrod (Solidago ohioensis)
  • bur-reeds (Sparganium spp.)
  • nodding ladies’-tresses (Spiranthes cernua)
  • panicled aster (Symphyotrichum lanceolatum)
  • bog arrow-grasses (Triglochin maritima and T. palustris)
  • broad-leaved cat-tail (Typha latifolia)
  • horned bladderwort (Utricularia cornuta)
  • blue vervain (Verbena hastata)

Ferns

  • marsh fern (Thelypteris palustris)

Fern Allies

  • common horsetail (Equisetum arvense)
  • water horsetail (Equisetum fluviatile)

Shrubs

  • tag alder (Alnus incana)
  • silky dogwood (Cornus amomum)
  • red-osier dogwood (Cornus sericea)
  • shrubby cinquefoil (Dasiphora fruticosa)
  • Kalm’s St. John’s-wort (Hypericum kalmianum)
  • sweet gale (Myrica gale)
  • willows (Salix candida, S. exigua, S. petiolaris, and others)
  • meadowsweet (Spiraea alba)

Trees

  • paper birch (Betula papyrifera)
  • green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)
  • balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera)
  • quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides)

Citation

Cohen, J.G., M.A. Kost, B.S. Slaughter, D.A. Albert, J.M. Lincoln, A.P. Kortenhoven, C.M. Wilton, H.D. Enander, and K.M. Korroch. 2020. Michigan Natural Community Classification [web application]. Michigan Natural Features Inventory, Michigan State University Extension, Lansing, Michigan. Available https://mnfi.anr.msu.edu/communities/classification. (Accessed: December 12, 2024).