Lakeplain Wet-mesic Prairie Plant List

Graminoids

  • big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)
  • blue-joint (Calamagrostis canadensis)
  • sedges (Carex aurea, C. buxbaumii, C. crawei, C. prairea, C. stricta, C. tetanica, and others)
  • twig-rush (Cladium mariscoides)
  • western panic grass (Dichanthelium implicatum)
  • slender wheat grass (Elymus trachycaulus)
  • rushes (Juncus brachycephalus, Juncus greenei, Juncus torreyi, and others)
  • switch grass (Panicum virgatum)
  • common reed (Phragmites australis subsp. americanus)
  • little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
  • bulrush (Scirpus pendulus)
  • nut-rush (Scleria verticillata)
  • Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans)
  • cordgrass (Spartina pectinata)

Forbs

  • purple false foxglove (Agalinis purpurea)
  • common false foxglove (Agalinis tenuifolia)
  • swamp agrimony (Agrimonia parviflora)
  • colic root (Aletris farinosa)
  • Canada anemone (Anemone canadensis)
  • tuberous Indian plantain (Arnoglossum plantagineum)
  • tall green milkweed (Asclepias hirtella)
  • swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
  • purple milkweed (Asclepias purpurascens)
  • Sullivant’s milkweed (Asclepias sullivantii)
  • butterfly-weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
  • hedge bindweed (Calystegia sepium)
  • tall coreopsis (Coreopsis tripteris)
  • white lady-slipper (Cypripedium candidum)
  • bottle gentian (Gentiana andrewsii)
  • small fringed gentian (Gentianopsis virgata)
  • sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale)
  • tall sunflower (Helianthus giganteus)
  • marsh blazing-star (Liatris spicata)
  • Michigan lily (Lilium michiganense)
  • small yellow flax (Linum medium)
  • pale spiked lobelia (Lobelia spicata)
  • whorled loosestrife (Lysimachia quadriflora)
  • winged loosestrife (Lythrum alatum)
  • balsam ragwort (Packera paupercula)
  • swamp-betony (Pedicularis lanceolata)
  • foxglove beard-tongue (Penstemon digitalis)
  • prairie fringed orchid (Platanthera leucophaea)
  • silverweed (Potentilla anserina)
  • common mountain mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum)
  • blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium spp.)
  • goldenrods (Solidago gigantea, S. ohioensis, and S. riddellii)
  • nodding ladies’-tresses (Spiranthes cernua and S. magnicamporum)
  • asters (Symphyotrichum ericoides, S. lanceolatum, and S. novae-angliae)
  • wingstem (Verbesina alternifolia)
  • Missouri ironweed (Vernonia missurica)
  • Culver’s root (Veronicastrum virginicum)
  • golden alexanders (Zizia aurea)

Shrubs

  • dogwoods (Cornus spp.)
  • shrubby cinquefoil (Dasiphora fruticosa)
  • Kalm’s St. John’s-wort (Hypericum kalmianum)
  • prairie rose (Rosa setigera)
  • dewberries and raspberries (Rubus spp.)
  • willows (Salix spp.)
  • meadowsweet (Spiraea alba)

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, M.E. Anderson, M.R. Parr, T.J. Bassett, and K.M. Korroch. 2025. Michigan Natural Community Classification [web application]. Michigan Natural Features Inventory, Michigan State University Extension, Lansing, MI. Available https://mnfi.anr.msu.edu/communities/classification. (Accessed: March 18, 2026).