Northern Shrub Thicket Plant List

Graminoids

  • blue-joint (Calamagrostis canadensis)
  • lake sedge (Carex lacustris)
  • retrorse sedge (Carex retrorsa)
  • tussock sedge (Carex stricta)
  • rattlesnake grass (Glyceria canadensis)
  • fowl manna grass (Glyceria striata)
  • cut grass (Leersia oryzoides)
  • fowl meadow grass (Poa palustris)
  • green bulrush (Scirpus atrovirens)

Forbs

  • marsh-marigold (Caltha palustris)
  • marsh bellflower (Campanula aparinoides)
  • marsh cinquefoil (Comarum palustre)
  • common boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)
  • joe-pye-weed (Eutrochium maculatum)
  • rough bedstraw (Galium asprellum)
  • jewelweed (Impatiens capensis)
  • wild blue flag (Iris versicolor)
  • northern bugle weed (Lycopus uniflorus)
  • wild mint (Mentha canadensis)
  • monkey-flower (Mimulus ringens)
  • golden ragwort (Packera aurea)
  • great water dock (Rumex orbiculatus)
  • common skullcap (Scutellaria galericulata)
  • mad-dog skullcap (Scutellaria lateriflora)
  • Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis)
  • late goldenrod (Solidago gigantea)
  • rough goldenrod (Solidago rugosa)
  • panicled aster (Symphyotrichum lanceolatum)
  • swamp aster (Symphyotrichum puniceum)
  • skunk-cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus)
  • purple meadow-rue (Thalictrum dasycarpum)

Ferns

  • sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis)
  • cinnamon fern (Osmunda cinnamomea)
  • royal fern (Osmunda regalis)
  • marsh fern (Thelypteris palustris)

Fern Allies

  • common horsetail (Equisetum arvense)

Shrubs

  • tag alder (Alnus incana)
  • black chokeberry (Aronia prunifolia)
  • bog birch (Betula pumila)
  • silky dogwood (Cornus amomum)
  • red-osier dogwood (Cornus sericea)
  • winterberry (Ilex verticillata)
  • sweet gale (Myrica gale)
  • wild black currant (Ribes americanum)
  • swamp rose (Rosa palustris)
  • swamp dewberry (Rubus hispidus)
  • dwarf raspberry (Rubus pubescens)
  • wild red raspberry (Rubus strigosus)
  • willows (Salix bebbiana, S. discolor, S. exigua, S. petiolaris)
  • meadowsweet (Spiraea alba)
  • wild-raisin (Viburnum cassinoides)
  • American highbush-cranberry (Viburnum trilobum)

Trees

  • balsam fir (Abies balsamea)
  • red maple (Acer rubrum)
  • black ash (Fraxinus nigra)
  • tamarack (Larix laricina)
  • black spruce (Picea mariana)
  • white pine (Pinus strobus)
  • northern white-cedar (Thuja occidentalis)

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: April 17, 2026).