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What to plant on the edge of a wetlands

6 years ago

My daughter recently bought a home in the Oshkosh area and the lot backs up to a wetland. What plants can they plant on the edge of it to help the prevent possible flooding.

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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

6 years ago

I hate to be obvious but wetland plants are what should be planted adjacent to any wetlands :-) And preferrably native wetland plants, so as to reduce any possibility of introducing an invasive exotic species.

The attached pdf outlines the types of wetlands and the plants common to them. I could find no source that suggested how regulated wetlands may be but checking with the DNR first is always suggested.

Basic Guide to Wisconsin Wetlands

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Comments (9)

tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
6 years ago
No plants will prevent flooding.

tj
loreleicomal
Original Author
6 years ago
I know that, but what plants can be planted at the edge of wetlands. Well planted wetlands can help minimize flooding.
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Wildflower seeds would probably fail. There are, however, a number of things you could plant that would not harm the wetland but spruce it up a bit. You could plant things like sedges, rushes, water iris, pickerel weed. These would add color to the area and still be very natural so that there would not be any problems with the agencies that established and/or oversee the area.
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zeedman Zone 5 Wisconsin
6 years ago
As someone who lives just outside a flood plain (also close to Oshkosh) I would have to agree that no plants will prevent or reduce flooding. However, a healthy wetland cover will reduce or eliminate erosion. Cattails will generally serve that purpose on their own, they will colonize wetlands very quickly.

Before making plans for a wetland, it would be wise to consult with Wisconsin DNR. Wetlands are regulated, and there are limits to what can be done legally. Better safe now, than fined later.
loreleicomal
Original Author
6 years ago
The link does not work. Thanks for a start though. Coming from Texas, she is unfamiliar with native Wisconsin plants and would like to get an idea of what she can plant int this naturally wet area.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
6 years ago
Sorry about that!! I hate when they discontinue a publication but do not pull it from online archives.

Try this: Wetland plants and plant communities. This one works for me :-) It is important to identify the type of wetland you are working with and then select plants appropriate to that situation.
spartanapples
6 years ago
Lots of plants are native in Wisconsin that survive wet sites. The key is periodic flooding as most will not tolerate being wet all the time. Some that tolerate lowlands and wet in spring are: silver maple, river birch, speckled alder, nannyberry viburnum, black willow, sandbar willow, hackberry, swamp white oak, American linden, buttonbush, elderberries, tamarack, ironweed, red milkweed, blue flag iris ect.

Some of these will tolerate more wetness than others. Speckled alder can practically grow in standing water it is so water tolerant. Bald cypress will take water well too and does survive in S.E. Wisconsin.
loreleicomal thanked spartanapples
loreleicomal
Original Author
6 years ago
Thank you very much!
PRO
Green Room Landscape
6 years ago
She should consider the mature height of the plants. If she wants to maintain her views out over the wetland (assuming it's not a forested wetland), she will want to plant shrubs and herbaceous plants rather than trees. Try to identify native plants that are already growing near the area where she wants to plant and plant more of the same. She could check with her local extension office or watershed council for more ideas about what to plant.

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