Native  

Herbaceous Perennial 

Typha angustifolia 

narrowleaf cattail 

Provides food for snow geese, muskrats, and beavers, and cover for nesting ducks and spawning fish. 

indicator   status           OBL           

habitat   Wet meadows, marshes, shores, and ditches; often in calcareous or brackish habitats; pH 3.7-8.5. 

characteristics   A rhizomatous species; grows to 5’ tall; 10” minimum root depth; full sun; low drought tolerance; moderate salt tolerance; blooms from June to July. 

Native 

Herbaceous Perennial 

Typha latifolia 

broadleaf cattail 

Provides food for snow geese, muskrats, and beavers, and cover for nesting ducks and spawning fish. 

indicator   status           OBL           

habitat   Wet shores, swamps, marshes, and ditches; pH 5.5-7.5. 

characteristics  A rhizomatous species; grows to 5’ tall; 14” minimum root depth; moderate shade tolerance; no drought tolerance; low salt tolerance; blooms from May to June. 

Native 

Herbaceous Perennial 

Verbena hastata 

blue vervain 

This species is easily seeded in wetlands. 

indicator   status           FACW 

habitat   Moist thickets, flood plains, wet ditches, and roadsides. 

characteristics   A single-stemmed flowering species; grows from 2’-5’ tall; blooms from June to October; candelabra-like blue to violet flowers. 

Native 

Herbaceous Perennial 

Vernonia noveboracensis 

new york ironweed        

Provides seed for birds; the abundant flowers attract pollinators. 

indicator   status           FACW  

habitat  Stream banks, wet fields, pastures, or meadows; pH 4.5-8.0. 

characteristics  A multiple-stemmed flowering species; grows from 3’-7’ tall; 6” minimum root depth; moderate shade tolerance; moderate drought tolerance; no salt tolerance; blooms from July to September; purple flowers. 

Native   

Herbaceous Perennial  

Zizia aurea  

golden alexanders  

One of our earliest blooming natives; an early source of food for pollinators.  

indicator   status            FAC           

habitat   Wooded bottomlands, stream banks, moist meadows, and flood plains.  

characteristics   Grows to 3’ tall; blooms from May to June; yellow flowers.