Natural Communities of North Georgia
  • Home
  • Piedmont
    • Piedmont Overview
    • Piedmont Mesic (Moist) Forests
    • PIedmont Oak-Pine-Hickory Forests
    • Piedmont Bottomland/Floodplain Forest
    • PIedmont Pine-Oak Woodlands
    • Montane Longleaf
    • Piedmont Prairies and Savannas (Upland)
    • Piedmont Wet Meadows and Marshes
    • Granite Outcrops
    • Piedmont Glades and Barrens
    • Ultramafic Barrens and Woodlands
    • Cliffs and Bluffs
    • Flatwoods (Upland Depression Swamps)
  • Blue Ridge
    • Blue Ridge Overview
    • Northern Hardwoods
    • Montane Oak Forests
    • Fertile Cove Forests
    • Acidic Cove Forests
    • Oak Forests
    • Pine-Oak Woodlands
    • High Elevation Outcrops
    • Mafic Dome Rock Outcrops
    • Rock Outcrops, Cliffs and Bluffs
    • Ultramafic Barrens and Woodlands
    • Mountain Bogs
    • Seepage Wetlands
    • Spray Cliffs
    • Montane Bottomlands and Flooplains
  • Cumberland Ridge & Valley
    • Cumberland Ridge & Valley Overview
    • Mesic Forests
    • Dry Calcareous Forests
    • Acidic Oak-Pine Forests
    • Pine-Oak Woodlands
    • Montane Longleaf
    • Calcareous (Cedar) Glades
    • Calcareous Cliffs
    • Calcareous Prairies and Barrens
    • Acidic Glades and Barrens
    • Acidic Cliffs and Outcrops
    • Flatwoods
    • Acidic Seepage Wetlands
    • Bottomlands and Flooplains
  • Plant Adaptations to Deciduous Forests
  • Plant Adaptations to Rock Outcrops
  • Impact of Rock Type on Plant Composition

Cumberland/Ridge & Valley Bottomlands, Floodplains, and Riparian Zones

This natural community includes:
1)  Bottomland Forest: flat, low-lying areas that are not directly next to the river channel.  They are close to the water table and occasionally to often flooded.  This community is a very narrow ribbon along many rocky streams, but is fully developed and broad along some stretches of the Coosa River.  Plants are adapted to shady conditions with soils that are sometimes soggy and low in oxygen.
2)  Riparian zone - the strip  next to the river. It is flooded often with the  strongest flood waters, so plants must be strong and flexible, with many shrubs and non-woody plants. 
Indicator species: river birch, box elder, green ash, and sycamore.
What's special:   lush vegetation and a variety of habitats that support a large diversity of animals. ​
This includes a special "stream scour" community, which forms chute-like areas in sandstone.  Rocky areas in limestone often support unusual wildflowers and ferns.
Related communities: Hi
gh areas in the bottomland forest, and those farthest from the flood zone grade into Mesic Forest. ​
​
Plants
Click on a plant name to see images. Plant are listed in alphabetical order by scientific name. 

 
Trees
Box elder Acer negundo
​Red maple Acer rubrum
River birch Betula nigra
Southern hackberry/Sugarberry Celtis laevigata
Musclewood/American hornbeam Carpinus caroliniana
Green ash  Fraxinus pennsylvanica
​
Common silverbell Halesia tetraptera
Sweet gum Liquidambar styraciflua
Tulip-tree Liriodendron tulipifera
Sycamore Platanus occidentalis
Overcup oak Quercus lyrata
Swamp chestnut oak  Quercus michauxii
Water oak Quercus nigra
Cherrybark oak Quercus pagoda
​
Willow oak Quercus phellos
Shumard oak Quercus shumardii
Black willow Salix nigra
​
 
Shrubs
Shrubs
Tag alder Alnus serrulata
Beautyberry Callicarpa americana
Sweet shrub Calycanthus floridus
Buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis
Swamp dogwood/Silky dogwood Cornus amomum
Stiff dogwood Cornus stricta
​
Strawberry bush Euonymus americanus
Witch-hazel Hamamelis virginia
Possum haw Ilex decidua
Virginia sweetspire/willow Itea virginica

Doghobble Leucothoe fontanesiana
Spicebush  Lindera benzoin
Swamp azalea  Rhododendron viscosum
​
Elderberry Sambucus canadensis
​
Virginia spiraea Spiraea virginiana
Yellowroot Xanthorhiza simplicissima

Vines
Ground nut Apios americana
Crossvine  Bignonia capreolata
Trumpet vine Campsis radicans
Climbing hydrangea  Decumaria barbara
​
Wild potato vine Ipomoea pandurata
Climbing hempweed Mikania scandens
Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans
​
Muscadine Vitis rotundifolia
​
Ground Layer
Wildflowers 
Green dragon  Arisaema dracontium
Jack-in-the-pulpit  Arisaema triphyllum ​
False nettle  Boehmeria cylindrica

Devil's-bit Chamaelirium luteum
Mist flower Conoclinium coelistinum
Dimpled trout lily Erythronium umbilicatum
Hollow-stem Joe-pye-weed Eutrochium fistulatum
​
Soapwort gentian Gentiana saponaria
Orange jewelweed Impatiens capensis
Cardinal flower  Lobelia cardinalis
​
Great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica

Virginia bluebells Mertensia virginica 
Monkey flower Mimulus ringens
Arrow arum  Peltandra virginica
​
May-apple Podophyllum peltatum
Cutleaf coneflower   Rudbeckia laciniata
Broadleaf arrowhead Saggitaria latifolia
Lizard's-tail  Saururus cernuus
​
Foamflower Tiarella wherryi
Common wingstem Verbesina alternifolia

Graminoids
Bushy bluestem Andropogon glomeratus
River cane  Arundinaria gigantea
Shallow sedge Carex lurida
River oats Chasmanthium latifolium
Common rush Juncus effusis


Ferns
Rattlesnake fern Botrypus virginianus ​
Netted chain fern   Lorinseria areolata​​
Sensitive fern  Onoclea sensibilis 
Royal fern  Osmunda spectabilis
Cinnamon fern  Osmundastrum cinnamomeum

New York fern Parathelypteris novaboracensis

Representative Trees, in order by scientific name
Representative Shrubs, in order by scientific name
Tag alder (Alnus serrulata). J. Pakchar
Sweet shrub (Calycanthus virginiana). J. Pakchar
Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis). J. Pakchar
Swamp dogwood (Cornus amomum). Richard and Teresa Ware
Strawberry bush (Euonymus americanus) in fruit. J. Pakchar
Witch-hazel in flower by R&T Ware
Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifiolia). J. Pakchar
Dog hobble (Leucothoe fontanesiana). J. Pakchar
Spicebush, female in fruit by Richard and Teresa Ware
Spicebush flower by Richard and Teresa Ware
Yellowroot (Xanthorhiza simplicissima) in flower. J. Pakchar
Representative Vines, in order by scientific name

​Representative Wildflowers in order by scientific name

Green dragon (Arisaema draconitium) by Richard and Teresa Ware
Mist flower (Conoclinium coelistinum) J. Pakchar
Devil's bit (Chamaelirium luteum). Also found in mesic forests. J. Pakchar
Trout lily (Erythronium umbilicatum) J. Pakchar
Soapwort gentian (Gentiana saponaria) Hugh and Carol Nourse
Orange jewelweed (Impatiens capensis). J. Pakchar
Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis). J. Pakchar
Great blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica) L. Edwards
Monkey flower (Mimulus ringens) J. Pakchar
Arrow arum (Peltandra virginica) J. Pakchar
May-apple (Podophyllum peltatum) J. Pakchar
Cutleaf coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata) J. Pakchar
Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis). Grows in areas that grade to mesic forest. J. Pakchar
Common wingstem (Verbesina alternifolia) J. Pakchar
Representative Graminoids in order by scientific name
Representative Ferns in order by scientific name
Picture

​Contents of this site are based on the book The Natural Communities of Georgia,

This site is a work in progress: comments and suggestions are welcome.  Email: ​[email protected]

  • Home
  • Piedmont
    • Piedmont Overview
    • Piedmont Mesic (Moist) Forests
    • PIedmont Oak-Pine-Hickory Forests
    • Piedmont Bottomland/Floodplain Forest
    • PIedmont Pine-Oak Woodlands
    • Montane Longleaf
    • Piedmont Prairies and Savannas (Upland)
    • Piedmont Wet Meadows and Marshes
    • Granite Outcrops
    • Piedmont Glades and Barrens
    • Ultramafic Barrens and Woodlands
    • Cliffs and Bluffs
    • Flatwoods (Upland Depression Swamps)
  • Blue Ridge
    • Blue Ridge Overview
    • Northern Hardwoods
    • Montane Oak Forests
    • Fertile Cove Forests
    • Acidic Cove Forests
    • Oak Forests
    • Pine-Oak Woodlands
    • High Elevation Outcrops
    • Mafic Dome Rock Outcrops
    • Rock Outcrops, Cliffs and Bluffs
    • Ultramafic Barrens and Woodlands
    • Mountain Bogs
    • Seepage Wetlands
    • Spray Cliffs
    • Montane Bottomlands and Flooplains
  • Cumberland Ridge & Valley
    • Cumberland Ridge & Valley Overview
    • Mesic Forests
    • Dry Calcareous Forests
    • Acidic Oak-Pine Forests
    • Pine-Oak Woodlands
    • Montane Longleaf
    • Calcareous (Cedar) Glades
    • Calcareous Cliffs
    • Calcareous Prairies and Barrens
    • Acidic Glades and Barrens
    • Acidic Cliffs and Outcrops
    • Flatwoods
    • Acidic Seepage Wetlands
    • Bottomlands and Flooplains
  • Plant Adaptations to Deciduous Forests
  • Plant Adaptations to Rock Outcrops
  • Impact of Rock Type on Plant Composition