Cattails
Cattails are a common plant in many aquatic environments. They are best described as having long, slender, grass-like stalks that can grow up to 10 feet in height. In late summer and fall, they form the brown seed heads that so many of us associate with cattails. A small area of cattails can be visually pleasing as well as provide a fish and wildlife habitat. However, cattails rapidly spread via seeds and roots. In just a few short years without proper management, cattails can take over aquatic areas. It is not unusual to see ponds that are completely surrounded by cattails. This ruins the pond’s aesthetic and recreational benefits. Fortunately, cattails can be successfully managed with the proper program.
Purple Loosestrife
Purple loosestrife is an invasive perennial plant that is spreading rapidly in North American wetlands, shorelines, and roadside ditches. Thick stands of purple loosestrife crowd out native plants and reduce food, shelter, and nesting sites for wildlife, birds, turtles, and frogs. It is an erect perennial weed that is easily identified by the pinkish purple flower spike it bears from July through August. Its leaves are opposite on the stem and lanceolate with a cordate base. The stiff stems may be 2 to 7 feet tall and are four-sided.
Spike Rush
There are many species of spike rush. In general, spike rushes are small (although some reach heights of 4 feet) perennial plants are often confused with the smaller species of rushes, grasses, or sedges. Spike rushes can grow in shallow water or moist soils and grow from rhizomes. Stems are unbranched with sheaths around the base but can be round, square, or flattened. All Spike Rushes have small fruiting spikes at the tips of the stem.
Bulrush
There are several species of bulrushes. Bulrushes are perennial grass-like plants and can grow to 10 feet tall in shallow water or in moist soils. Soft-stem bulrush can grow to 10 feet and grows in dense colonies from rhizomes. Soft-stem bulrush has a round (in cross section), light gray-green, relatively soft stem that comes to a point with no obvious leaves (only sheaths at the base of the stems). Flowers usually occur just below the tip of the stem.
Horse Tail
Horsetail is a very primitive perennial plant with dark-green hollow, jointed or segmented stems 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick with no true leaves. Stems may be singular or have whorls of branches. Only single stems produce the cone-shaped spore producing body at the tip. Horsetails can be standing in water or in wet areas.
Phragmites
Phragmites or Common Reed Grass, is a tall, invasive perennial wetland grass ranging in height from 3-15 feet. The plant produces horizontal rhizomes that grow on or beneath the ground and produce roots and vertical stalks. The rhizomes allow the plant to form large colonies. The stiff, hollow stalks support leaf blades which are smooth, broad and flat (1-1/2 – 2 inches wide).
Water Primrose
Water primrose is a perennial plant that stands erect along the shoreline but also forms long runners (up to 16 feet) that creep across wet soil or float out across the water surface. These runners form roots at their nodes. Leaves range from lance-shaped or willow-like (2 to inches long by 1/2 to 1 inch wide) on the erect stems to round or oval 9 to 12 inches in diameter on the floating stems. Leaves can be green to reddish depending on the species. The single flowers are yellow with 4 or 5 petals depending on the species. Flowers vary in size from 1 inch to 2 inches in diameter.
Smartweed
Smartweed is a perennial plant that forms dense colonies in shallow water or moist soils and can grow to 3 feet tall. Stems are jointed or have swollen leaf nodes that are surrounded by a tubular sheath. Roots can develop from the leaf nodes. Leaves are alternate, lance-shaped up to 4 inches long but usually less than 1/2 inch wide. Flowers are on spikes at the end of stems (often numerous spikes on the same plant). Flowers begin as greenish then turn whitish or light pink in color as they mature. Fruits are flat, triangular (1/8 inch), dark brown to black.