Vegetation Recommendation for Environmental
Enhancement
City of Rehoboth Beach Lakes and Pond
Shallow Water Bench - 3 12
water depth
Emergent Wetland Plants:
·
Arrowhead, Duck Potato (Sagittaria latifolia)
o
Herbaceous
o
Flowers June November
o Underground
tuber preferred food of 15 species of ducks!
·
Arrow Arum (Peltandra
virginica)
o
Herbaceous
o
Green flowers in late spring
o Seed
preferred by wood ducks
·
Pickerelweed
(Pontederia cordata)
o
Herbaceous
o
Flowers May October to 3 tall
o Touch and
adaptable
·
Lizards Tail (Saururus cernuus)
o
Herbaceous
o
Flowers May July, 2 - 3 tall
o
Grows in shallow water or shallow land, spreads
quickly
·
Blue Flag(Iris virginiana)
o
Herbaceous
o
Flowers April May to 3 tall
o
Likes to be at waters edge
Shoreline Fringe
Regularly inundated:
·
Rushes and Bulrushes (Juncus and Scirpus)
o
Evergreen, good fillers and erosion control
o
Good wildlife cover
o
Common species
§
Soft Rush (Juncus
effuses)
§
Woolgrass (Scirpus
cyperinus)
·
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)
o
Natural
Habitat: Dry to wet, sterile and acid, sandy soil. Upper edges of salt marshes and stream banks
o
Description: A moderately tall (3 6 ft.) perennial, warm
season buchgrass which produces a large amount of leaf biomass. A distinguish characteristic is the fine
fringe of hairs present in the leaf axils.
The large, spreading inflorescence cast a prple tinge when
flowering. Flowers and seed are borne
singly at the ends of the flowering branches.
This plant is a prolific seed producer.
These smooth, shiny seeds mature from September October.
o Uses:
erosion control, forage, wildlife, ornamental
·
Swamp Rose (Rosa palustris)
o
Suckering shrub, to 10 tall
o
Flowers May July
o Attractive
hips in autumn, flowers have wonderful fragrance
·
Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
o
Deciduous shrub, 6 - 12 x 6 - 12
o
Flowers June August
o
Excellent for butterflies, seed eaten by mallards
·
Swamp Doghobble (Leucothoe racemosa)
o
Deciduous shrub, suckering to 10 13 tall
o
Flowers fragrant, March- early June
o
L.
axillaris Coastal Doghobble, similar, evergreen to 5 for shallow
land
·
Atlantic White Cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides)
o
Evergreen Conifer, tree to 50 x 20 tall
o
Excellent winter cover for birds
o
Browsed by deer
·
Willow Species
·
Canada Bluejoint (Calamagrostis canadensis)
o
Natural
Habitat: Open, wet woods,
meadows and bogs
o
Description: Found in small to large tussocks, 1.5 4.5
ft. tall. This grass gets its name from
the bluish-purplish color at the stem nodes and the slender blue-green (1/3
wide) leaves. The seed heads are open,
nodding, and spreading during flowering, then somewhat contracted as the seed
ripens. Each flower has a small tuft of
hairs at the base. The seed matures from
July September
o
Uses: Wetland restoration, erosion
control. Wildlife, ornamental
·
Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
o
Herbaceous
o
Flowers
July - October to 2 - 5 tall
o
Nectar
source for hummingbirds
·
Rose Mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos)
o
Herbaceous perennial, to 6 tall
o
Flowers June September, color variable
o
Nectar source for hummingbirds
·
Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium dubium)
o
Herbaceous perennial, to 5 tall
o
Flowers August October
o
Attracts many species of butterflies
Riparian Fringe
Periodically flooded:
·
Eastern Gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides)
o
Naural
Habitat: Moist to wet, tidal
brackish to freshwater shorelines, drainage ditches
o
Description: A native, perennial, warm season grass
typically 3 4 feet tall but can reach 10 feet. Seed is corn-like and matures in late fall. Tolerates
a wide range of conditions from drought to extended periods of flooding. Related to corn.
o
Uses: Wetland restoration, shoreline stabilization
forage, ornamental screen
·
Freshwater Cordgrass (Spartina pectinata)
o
Natural
Habitat: Sandy, tidal,
brackish to fresh shorelines, wet roadside ditches and alluvial flats
o
Description: A perennial, rhizomatous, warm season grass
that grows from 4 7 feet in height.
The species name means comb-like, referring to the arrangement of
flowers lining only one side of the inflorescence branches. These stiff, upright branches form a
panicle-type inflorescence. The leaves
are long and thin. Seeds mature in
September October.
o
Uses: Erosion
control, wildlife, ornamental
·
Broomsedge/Bushy Beardgrass (Andropogon virginicus/A.
glomeratus)
o
Natural
Habitat: Broomsedge
dry, sterile, acid soil of fields, roadsides, and upper pond edges. Bushy beardgrass wet, open soil
o
Description: Both are perennial, warm season bunchgrasses
which have silvery white appendages attached to the flower scales. Flower stalks are tucked inside the leafy
bracts algon the stem on broomsedge, but are gathered in bunches on
beardgrass. Both turn a yellowish-tan
color when dormant. Seeds mature
September October.
o
Uses: Upland/wetland restoration, wildlife,
ornamental
·
Deertongue (Dichanthelium clandestinum)
o
Natural
Habitat: Moist or dry, acid
sandy soil of shaded wood edges, pon/lake shores, floodplains, and waste
places.
o
Description: A perennial, warm season grass which has
characteristic deers tongue shaped leaves.
The plant ranges from 2 4 feet in height and often forms clumps of
stiff leaves. It begins flowering in
May; much earlier than most other warm season grasses. Seeds form at the end of the panicle branches
and mature from late June to September.
o
Uses: Wildlife, erosion control,
·
Virginia Wildrye (Elymus virginicus)
o
Natural
Habitat: Forested floodplains
and shady stem banks
o
Description: A
cool season bunch-forming, perennial grass that ranges from 2 4 feet in
height. It has a smooth stem, with a
rough lower leaf surface. The erect seed
heads are in a spike with densely crowded seeds. Short straight, stiff awns are present. Seeds ripen from June through early
September.
o
Uses: Wetland restoration wildlife, erosion
control, ornamental
·
Redoisier/Silky Dogwood
·
Gray Dogwood
·
Elderberry
·
Arrowwood Viburnum
·
Red Chokeberry
·
Winterberry Holly
·
Spicebush
·
Inkberry (Ilex glabra)
o
Evergreen shrub to 12 x 12
o
Small white flowers on separate male and female
plants
o
Black berries in fall, food source for birds
·
Sweet Pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia)
o
Deciduous shrub, 6 12 x 6
o
Flowers July August, beautiful fragrance
o
Yellow fall color
·
Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica)
o
Deciduous shrub, 6 10 tall and wide
o
Flowers May June, fragrant
o
Burgundy autumn color
·
Sweet Bay (Magnolia
virginica)
o
Evergreen
tree to 30 ofeten with multi-trunks
o
Large,
fragrant flowers April July
o
Scarlet
seeds in fall
·
River Birch (Betula nigra)
o
Deciduous
tree to 50 often with multi-trunks
o
Papery
bark and attractive form in winter
o
Grows
rapidly
·
Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)
o
Deciduous
tree, 60 x 50
o
Seeds
eaten by waterfowl and birds
o
Fast
growth to 3/year
·
Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
o
Deciduous
tree 75 x 50
o
Small
red flowers in March, red autumn color
·
Waxmyrtle (Myrica cerifera)
o
Evergreen
shrub to 15 x 15
o
Berries
on female plants valuable winter food source
o
Fixes
nitrogen
Non-Floodable Land
·
Coastal Panicgrass (Panicum amarulum)
o
Natural
Habitat: Dry to wet, sterile
and acid, sandy soil. Back dunes and
upper edges of salt marshes.
o
Description: A moderately tall (3 6 feet) perennial,
warm season bunchgrass which produces a large amount of leaf biomass. A distinguishing characteristic is the fine
fringe of hairs present in the leaf axils.
The Large, closed panicle-type inflorescence casts a purple twinge
when flowering. Flowers and seed are borne singly at
the ends of the flowering branches. This
plant is a prolific seed producer. These
smooth, singly seeds mature from September-October.
o
Uses: erosion control, forage, wildlife, ornamental
·
Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)
o
Natural
Habitat: Dry, sterile, acid
soils of old fields, roadsides, and well-drained floodplain terraces. Serpentine barrens.
o
Description: A tall (3 -6 feet) perennial warm season
bunchgrass. The foliage is blue-green
with long, thin hairs on the stem and upper leaf surfaces. The inflorescences have a characteristic
turkey-foot branching arrangement. The
color of the plant changes with the stage of growth. In flower, the inflorescence varies from
bronze to steely gray-blue; late the whole plant turns shades of red brown, and
purple. Seeds mature in September
October
o
Uses: Upland restoration, erosion control,
wildlife, screen, ornamental
·
Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans)
o
Natural
Habitat: Moist or dry,
sterile fields, roadsides and river banks.
Serpentine barrens.
o
Description: A tall (3 9 ft.) perennial. Warm season
bunchgrass. In flower, the open
inflorescence has a striking golden hue.
After flowering, the inflorescence contracts to form what looks like a
spike-type seed head. The papery thin
ligule at the base of the leaf blade has a rifle-sight notch in the
center. Seeds mature in October
November.
o
Uses: upland
restoration, wildlife, ornamental. screen, forage
·
Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
o
Natural
Habitat: Dry, sterile, acid
soil of old fields, thin woods and waste places. Serpentine barrens
o
Descriptions:
A perennial, warm season
bunchgrass with silvery-white hairs extending from the flower scales. The flowering branches, lined in groups algon
much of the stem, extend out beyond the leaves.
Little bluestem only looks blue when the first shoots arise in the
early summer. During and after flowering
its color is a rich mixture of tan, brown, and wine-red. Seeds mature September October.
o
Uses: Upland restoration, wildlife, erosion
control, ornamental
Eastern most side of Silver Lake recommended flowers
include:
·
Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberose)
·
Orange Coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida)
·
Seaside Goldenrod (Solidago sempervirens)
·
Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
·
Mist Flower (Eupatorium coelestinum)
·
White Joe-Pye Weed (Eupatorium maculatum Bartered Bride)
·
Dogtooth Daisy (Helenium autumnale)
·
American Beachgrass (Ammophila breviligulata)
·
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)
·
Salt Meadow Hay (Spartina patens)
·
New York Ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis)
·
Prickly-Pear Cactus (Opuntia humifusa)
·
Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
·
Smooth Oxeye (Heliopsis helianthoides)