Blue Ridge Floodplains, Bottomlands, and Riparian Zones
This natural community occurs along rivers and streams. It is a complex community, with several components.
1) Bottomland Forest: flat, low-lying areas that are not directly next to the stream/river channel. They are close to the water table, but only rarely flooded.
2) Floodplains: flat, low-lying areas that are close to the stream/river channel and flood fairly often.
2) Riparian zone - the strip of land directly by the river. It is flooded often with the strongest flood waters. There is more sun in the zone than in the forested areas.
Indicator species include river birch, box elder, green ash, and sycamore and yellow root
What's special: While often not well developed in the Blue Ridge because of the narrow valleys, this natural community provides habitat for a diversity of mammals, amphibians, and birds.
Related communities: In the Blue Ridge, this habitat often grades imperceptibly into acid Mesic Forests, which can grow right down to the river or stream channel. Often there are Seepage Wetland Natural Communities at the edge of the channel. Beaver ponds are a part of the river channel, and are often included within this community.
1) Bottomland Forest: flat, low-lying areas that are not directly next to the stream/river channel. They are close to the water table, but only rarely flooded.
2) Floodplains: flat, low-lying areas that are close to the stream/river channel and flood fairly often.
2) Riparian zone - the strip of land directly by the river. It is flooded often with the strongest flood waters. There is more sun in the zone than in the forested areas.
Indicator species include river birch, box elder, green ash, and sycamore and yellow root
What's special: While often not well developed in the Blue Ridge because of the narrow valleys, this natural community provides habitat for a diversity of mammals, amphibians, and birds.
Related communities: In the Blue Ridge, this habitat often grades imperceptibly into acid Mesic Forests, which can grow right down to the river or stream channel. Often there are Seepage Wetland Natural Communities at the edge of the channel. Beaver ponds are a part of the river channel, and are often included within this community.
|
Plants
Click on a plant name to see images. Plant names are in 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 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 and Woody Vines 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 Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica Hairy northern spicebush Lindera benzoin Swamp azalea Rhododendron viscosum Elderberry Sambucus canadensis Yellowroot Xanthorhiza simplicissima Vines Crossvine Bignonia capreolata Trumpet vine Campsis radicans Climbing hempweed Mikania scandens Climbing hydrangea Decumaria barbara Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia Poison ivy Toxicodendron radicans Ground Layer Wildflowers Ground nut Apios americana Green dragon Arisaema dracontium Jack-in-the-pulpit Arisaema triphyllum False nettle Boehmeria cylindrica Dimpled trout lily Erythronium umbilicatum Hollow-stem Joe-pye-weed Eutrochium fistulatum Shuttleworth's ginger Hexastylis shuttleworthii Orange jewelweed Impatiens capensis American water-willow Justicia americana Cardinal flower Lobelia cardinalis Great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica Fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata Monkey flower Mimulus ringens May-apple Podophyllum peltatum Rustweed Polypremum procumbens Cutleaf coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata Lizard's-tail Saururus cernuus Common wingstem Verbesina alternifolia Atamasco lily Zephyranthes atamasca Graminoids River cane Arundinaria gigantea River oats Chasmanthium latifolium Common rush Juncus effusis Ferns Sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis Royal fern Osmunda spectabilis Cinnamon fern Osmundastrum cinnamomeum Netted chain fern Lorinseria areolata |
Ground layer (in order by color) |
