Vegetation

Upland vegetation is highly variable among watersheds depending on forest management practices and soils. Peatland vegetation also varies greatly depending on hydrology. Below are the primary species for upland, bog, and fen ecosystems.

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Primary Upland Species
Upland Overstory Species	Common Name
Abies balsamea	balsam fir
Acer saccharum	sugar maple
Betula papyrifera	paper birch
Picea glauca	white spruce
Pinus banksiana	jack pine
Pinus resinosa	red pine
Pinus strobus	white pine
Populus tremuloides	trembling aspen
Populus grandidentata	bigtooth aspen
Quercus rubra	red oak
Tilia americana	basswood
Upland Understory Species	Common Name
Acer spicatum	mountain maple
Acer rubrum	red maple
Amelanchier spp.	serviceberry
Aquilegia canadensis	red columbine
Aralia nudicaulis	sarsaparilla
Aster macrophyllus	big-leaved aster
Cornus stolonifera	red-osier dogwood
Cornus rugosa	round-leaved dogwood
Corylus cornuta	beaked hazel
Corylus americana	American hazel
Lathyrus venosus	veiny pea
Prunus pensylvanica	pin cherry
Prunus virginiana	choke cherry
Pteridium aquilinum	bracken fern
Rubus pubescens	dwarf raspberry
Uvularia grandiflora	largeflower bellwort
Vaccinium angustifolium	lowbush blueberry
Viburnum dentatum	arrowwood

 

Primary Bog Species
Bog Overstory Species	Common Name
Larix laricina	tamarack
Picea mariana	black spruce
Bog Understory Species	Common Name
Andromeda glaucophylla	bog rosemary
Betula pumila	bog birch
Calopogon tuberosus	grass pink orchid
Chamaedaphne calyculata	leatherleaf
Cypripedium acaula	pink lady's slipper
Drosera rotundifolia	round-leaved sundew
Equisetum arvense	horsetail
Gaultheria hispidula	creeping snowberry
Kalmia polifolia	bog laurel
Ledum groenlandicum	labrador tea
Menyanthes trifoliata	buckbean
Pleurozium schreberi	Schreber's feathermoss
Polytrichum spp.	haircap moss
Sarracenia purpurea	pitcher plant
Smilacina trifolia	three-leaved false Solomon's seal
Sphagnum spp.	sphagnum moss

 

Primary Fen Species
Fen Overstory Species	Common Name
Fraxinus nigra	black ash
Larix laricina	tamarack
Picea mariana	black spruce
Salix spp.	willow
Thuja occidentalis	northern white cedar
Fen Understory Species	Common Name
Alnus rugosa	speckled alder
Athyrium filix-femina	lady fern
Caltha palustris	marsh marigold
Carex spp.	sedges
Cornus canadensis	bunchberry
Impatiens capensis	jewelweed
Iris versicolor	blue flag iris
Sphagnum spp.	sphagnum moss
Typha spp.	cattail
Vaccinium oxycoccus	small cranberry