Wetland Plants

Wetland plants are adapted to grow in low-oxygenated soils periodically saturated with surface or groundwater. They are highly adaptable and tolerant to a variety of conditions, including fluctuating water depths and depleted nutrient concentrations. They can be found in swamps, marshes, bogs and floodplains.

Emergent plants  have roots that grow in waterlogged soils, with stems and leaves extending above the water's surface. Some native plant examples are cattails (Typha), sedges (Carex) , pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata) & American water-plantain (Alisma subcordatum).

Floating-leaf plants are rooted in the soil underwater with leaves that float on the water's surface. Most of these plants are aquatic but some are wetland plants as well.  Some examples are spatterdock (Nuphar advena), watershield (Brasenia schreberi) & fragrant waterlily (Nymphaea odorata).

Shrubs and other woody plants:  Some wetlands also support shrubs and small trees adapted to saturated soils.  Some examples are buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), swamp rose (Rosa palustris) & diamond willow (Salix eriocephala) and alders (Alnus).

Carnivorous plants:  Certain wetlands, especially nutrient-poor bogs, are home to carnivorous (insect-digesting) plants. Examples are sundews (Drosera) and pitcher-plant (Sarracenia).

Other herbaceous plants can be well-adapted to the moist, saturated conditions of wetlands. Some examples of native plants include swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), purplestem beggarticks (Bidens connata), golden ragwort (Packera aurea) and American marsh-pennywort (Hydrocotyle americana).