Wet-mesic Flatwoods Plant List

Graminoids

  • sedges (Carex grayi, C. intumescens, C. lupulina, C. muskingumensis, C. tuckermanii, and others)
  • fowl manna grass (Glyceria striata)

Forbs

  • jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum)
  • spotted water hemlock (Cicuta maculata)
  • enchanter’s-nightshade (Circaea canadensis)
  • wild geranium (Geranium maculatum)
  • southern blue flag (Iris virginica)
  • common water horehound (Lycopus americanus)
  • northern bugle weed (Lycopus uniflorus)
  • jumpseed (Persicaria virginiana)
  • clearweed (Pilea pumila)
  • may apple (Podophyllum peltatum)
  • bluestem goldenrod (Solidago caesia)
  • broad-leaved goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis)

Ferns

  • wood ferns (Dryopteris spp.)
  • sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis)
  • royal fern (Osmunda regalis)
  • New York fern (Thelypteris noveboracensis)

Woody Vines

  • Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
  • poison-ivy (Toxicodendron radicans)
  • riverbank grape (Vitis riparia)

Shrubs

  • rough-leaved dogwood (Cornus drummondii)
  • witch-hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)
  • winterberry (Ilex verticillata)
  • spicebush (Lindera benzoin)
  • maple-leaved arrow-wood (Viburnum acerifolium)
  • prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum)

Trees

  • black maple (Acer nigrum)
  • red maple (Acer rubrum)
  • silver maple (Acer saccharinum)
  • sugar maple (Acer saccharum)
  • musclewood (Carpinus caroliniana)
  • bitternut hickory (Carya cordiformis)
  • shellbark hickory (Carya laciniosa)
  • shagbark hickory (Carya ovata)
  • hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)
  • hawthorns (Crataegus spp.)
  • American beech (Fagus grandifolia)
  • white ash (Fraxinus americana)
  • green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)
  • pumpkin ash (Fraxinus profunda)
  • ironwood (Ostrya virginiana)
  • sycamore (Platanus occidentalis)
  • cottonwood (Populus deltoides)
  • white oak (Quercus alba)
  • swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor)
  • bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa)
  • chinquapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii)
  • pin oak (Quercus palustris)
  • red oak (Quercus rubra)
  • Shumard’s oak (Quercus shumardii)
  • basswood (Tilia americana)
  • American elm (Ulmus americana)

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 21, 2026).