Wetland in Transportation Materials for

LOUISIANA TRANSPORTATION CONFERENCE 2011 BATON ROUGE,

Prof. Buck Abbey, ASLA Landscape Architect Louisiana State University

Photos courtesy of Abbey Associates, Inc. Les marécages de la Louisiane Landscape Architects-Planners sont un trésor à l'état Baton Rouge – Wetland Plant Material Specifications Louisiana Series Hexagonae

Iris brevicaulis Woods Iris Copper Iris Zig Zag Iris Big Blue Iris Abbeville Iris les Series Laevigatae glis Blue Flag Iris de Non native marais Yellow Flag Iris Big Blue Iris Giganticaerulea

Form: up to 2’ tall and grasslike

Foliage:straplike leaves 1-3’ long and 1-1 ½” wide fan out from base of plant; can be soft and arching or stiff and upright

Flower: typical six-petal iris flowers appear on zig-zag stems; each plant typically produces four to ten flowers which bloom in succession.

Growing Conditions: performs best in full sun to partial shade in moist acidic soils with high fertility and organic matter content. Blue Flag Iris Iris virginica

Photo Plants

Characteristics: Herbaceous perennial with sword-like leaves that grow in clumps from thick horizontal root (corm). Flowers: March - April Fruit: capsule with seeds in late summer Growth: up to 4 feet, slow rate of spread (+/- 0.2 ft per year) Shade: full sun to partial shade Habitat: wet meadows, pond and lake edges, forested wetlands Hydrology: obligate wetland species (OBL), regularly to permanently inundated up to 0.5 ft. Comments: requires full sun for flowering, limited wildlife value Native Louisiana Plant Copper Iris Iris fulva

Photo Abbey Associates Landscape Architects

Photo James Henderson Leighton Gardens Characteristics: Herbaceous perennial with sword-like leaves that grow in clumps 12” to 18” in height.. Flowers: March - April Fruit: capsule with seeds in late summer, seeds float and populate freely. Growth: up to 2 feet, slow rate of spread (+/- 0.2 ft per year) Shade: full sun for proper flowering and growth. Habitat: wet meadows, pond and lake edges, open forested wetlands Hydrology: obligate wetland species (OBL), regularly to permanently inundated up to 0.5 ft. Comments: requires full sun for flowering, limited wildlife value Native Louisiana Plant Hybrid Louisiana Iris Iris sp.

Kristi g Hybrid Louisiana Iris Iris sp

Her Highness Giant Cutgrass Zinaniopsis miliaceae

Form: up to 4’ tall and grasslike; lower branches are whorled becoming alternate above

Foliage:pale green leaves around 3’ long with sharply toothed margins

Flower: whispy, riceplant-like tufts on the ends of foliage; not very promonant

Growing Conditions: performs best in full sun to partial shade in wet boggy soils Switchgrass Panicum virgatum

Photo North Creek Nurseries

Characteristics: herbaceous clumping perennial, Flowers: Slender long stalks July-September. Growth: Slow growing. Height: 2-4’ Shade: Prefers full sun but will tolerate partial shade. Habitat: Fresh marshes, open woods and wet meadows. Hydrology: Facultative wetland +. Irregular inundation and upland. Comments: Beautiful fall color with red seed heads. Adds texture to the landscape and adds a winter interest to the landscape. Controls erosion. Seeds provide a food source to birds and it provides cover for wildlife. Ground cover in wet to moist areas, used for wetland restoration. Fakahatchee Grass Tripsacum dactyloides

Photo Shirley Denton L Roger Hammer R Characteristics: largeherbaceousgrass,3-4’, Flowers: Vertical stalks, anthers , purple July Growth: Slow growing. Height: 2-4’ Shade: Prefers full sun but will tolerate partial shade. Habitat: Marshes, swamps, wet pinelands. Hydrology: Fresh water, full sun to light shade. Moist to wet poorly drained soils, some drought tolerant. Comments: Eastern Gamma Grass native to the Everglades and can be grown from seeds and divisions. Fruit attractive to birds and butterflies Horsetail, Scouring Rush Equisetum hymale

Form: 2-3’verticle rush-like, reedy perennial herb with hollow bamboo- like stems that are not true leaves. A plant that dates to the carboniferous period.

Foliage:no true leaves but dark green stems are erect and cylindrical with thick mid-rib blackened ribs. Cone structures at ends of stems release spores. Photo ViversBarri Flower: no true flower . . Growing Conditions: performs best Photo in full sun infertile soils in wet, Missouri marshy areas of fresh water. Can Plants escape and become a plant pest if not . constrained. Cuttings root easily. . excellent water filtering plant. Three Square Bulrush Scirpus americanus (Schoenoplectus pungens)

Form: Native fresh water marsh plant

Foliage: dark green triangular stems and long slender leaves that provide animal food source

Flower: white flowers April-May

Growing Conditions: performs best in full sun in wet, marshy areas of fresh water or intermediate marshes and in water edge locations within wetlands. Excellent water filtering plant. Photo University of . . Photo Avi sBoutell . Soft Rush Juncus effusus

Form: 2-5’ tall and grasslike; leafy, reddish sheaths wrap the bottom of the plant

Foliage:pale green stems are erect and cylindrical with thick midrib grow in fan-shaped clusters from base of plant

Flower: each stalk has clusters of 30-100 small, greenish-brown flowers

Growing Conditions: performs best in full sun to partial shade in wet, fresh or saltwater soils Photo Soft Rush used along edge of golf course ponds. The dark green Ecoshores, Inc. color contrasts greatly with the edge of fairway. . Bullrush Scirpus californicus

Form: 3-6’ tall and grasslike

Foliage:pale green stems are erect and triangular

Flower: Multiple florets with pistils and stamens in a single cluster of more than 5 brownish- red spikelets; toward top of stem.

Growing Conditions: performs best in full sun to partial shade in wet, freshwater soils

Photo Giant Bulrush- 6 weeks after planting. Will eventually hide bridge Ecoshores, Inc. deck. This species often used to hide drainage structures. . Pickerelweed Pontaderia cordata

Form: 18-24” stems terminating in single leaves.

Foliage: heart shaped dark green leaves.

Flower: Multiple florets with pistils and stamens in a single cluster of more than 5 brownish-red spikelets; toward top of stem.

Growing Conditions: performs best in full sun to partial shade in wet, freshwater soils; can grow in water up to 18” deep Lizard’s Tail Sauruus cernuus

Photo Environmental Concern

Characteristics: Herbaceous, perennial, non-persistent; leaves are heart-shaped and alternate. Flowers: Fragrant, 12” long, nodding spike, white blooms; June-September. Growth: Range in height from1.5’- 4.5’. Shade: Full sun in moist soil to partial shade. Habitat: Fresh tidal and non-tidal marshes, swamps and shallow water. Hydrology: Classified as an obligate wetland (OBL) plant; low salinity tolerance; tidal zone is from near mid-tide or permanent inundation; 0-12”. Comments: Thrives in moist, wet conditions. Hardy in zones 5-9. Valued by wood duck. Bulltongue Sagittaria latifolia

Form: stems up to 3’ terminating in single leaves.

Foliage: arrowhead shaped leaves.6-12” long

Flower: Three petaled white flowers with yellow centers appear on tall stalks from spring to fall

Growing Conditions: performs best in full sun to partial shade in wet, freshwater soils Broadleaf Cattail Typha latifolia Narrowleaf Cattail Typha angustifolia Photo Florida Aquatic Nursery

Photo Honeysome Aquatic Nursery Characteristics: Herbaceous/ Perennial/ Persistent Flowers: Inconspicuous in large, dense, brown terminal spike. Flowers May into June. Growth: Height: up to 6’. Growth rate: Rapid or fast growing. Shade: Requires full sun. Habitat: Fresh tidal marshes, non-tidal marshes, pond and stream edges, ditches. Hydrology: Obligate wetland, fresh water; less than 0.5 ppt in upper tidal zones. Comments: Good soil stabilizer, tolerates drought. Provides cover and nesting for canvasback, gadwall, wood duck, marsh wren, red-winged blackbird and fish. Provides food in the form of rootstock and seed for snow geese, teals, Useful References Plants http://alabamaplants.com/index.html

Aquatic Plants of Florida Inc www.aquaticplantsofflorida.com/plants.asp Baker Environmental Nursery http://bakerenvironmentalnursery.com/index.html Blue Thumb http://www.bluethumb.org/ Emerald Coast Growers http://www.ecgrowers.com/Aquatic-Plants-s/39.htm Environmental Concern www.wetland.org/nursery_plantlist.htm Florida Aquatic Nurseries http://www.floridaaquatic.com/ Storm Water Manual http://www.georgiastormwater.com/vol2/F.pdf Natives Neighborhood, http://regionalconservation.org/beta/nfyn/default.asp

N C Wetland Plants http://www.coastalplainnursery.com/pdf/SWW%20plants.pdf

Splash - Splash Web Site http://www.abbey-associates.com/splash-splash Credits Prepared for the new Wetlands Golf Course, Lafayette, Louisiana Credits Special thanks to the photographers who have supplied images for this document.

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