Natural Communities of North Georgia
  • Home
  • Piedmont
    • Piedmont Overview
    • Mesic (Moist) Forests
    • Oak-Pine-Hickory Forests
    • Bottomland/Floodplain Forest
    • Pine-Oak Woodlands
    • Montane Longleaf
    • Prairies and Savannas (Upland)
    • Wet Meadows and Marshes
    • Granite Outcrops
    • Glades, Barrens, and Woodlands
    • 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 Rock Outcrops
  • Plant Adaptations to Deciduous Forests

Blue Ridge Floodplains, Bottomlands, and Riparian Zones

TFloodplains, bottomlands, and riparian zones occur along rivers and streams.  Usually this community is not well developed in the mountains, and consists of a narrow strip along the stream. The riparian zone is the area right by the stream channel.  Here, plants root among the rocks and are able to withstand the strength of floodwaters.  Alluvial forests (bottomlands and floodplains) grow  on flat areas  beyond the stream channel and if wide and flat enough will experience soggy soils after flooding.

Indicator species: river birch, box elder, green ash,  sycamore and yellow root

What's special: Provides habitat for a diversity of mammals, amphibians, and birds.  The churning whitewater, overhanging trees, and picturesque boulders create a beautiful habitat.
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Related communities: O
ften grades into acidic Mesic Forests, which can grow right down to the  stream channel. Seepage Wetlands often occur along the stream bank.
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Plants

Click on a plant name to see  images.  Plant names are in order by scientific name. 

 
Trees
Box elder Acer negundo
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Red maple Acer rubrum
River birch Betula nigra
Southern hackberry/Sugarberry Celtis laevigata
Musclewood/American hornbeam Carpinus caroliniana
Green ash  Fraxinus pennsylvanica
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Common silverbell Halesia tetraptera
Sweet gum Liquidambar styraciflua
Tulip-tree Liriodendron tulipifera
Sycamore Platanus occidentalis
Swamp chestnut oak  Quercus michauxii
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Water oak Quercus nigra
Cherrybark oak Quercus pagoda
Willow oak Quercus phellos
Shumard oak Quercus shumardii
Black willow Salix nigra
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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
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Strawberry bush Euonymus americanus
Witch-hazel Hamamelis virginiana
Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica

Doghobble Leucothoe fontanesiana 
Hairy northern spicebush  Lindera benzoin
Swamp azalea  Rhododendron viscosum
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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
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Ground Layer
Wildflowers 
Green dragon  Arisaema dracontium
Jack-in-the-pulpit  Arisaema triphyllum ​
Hollow-stem Joe-pye-weed Eutrochium fistulatum
Orange jewelweed Impatiens capensis
American water-willow  Justicia americana
Cardinal flower  Lobelia cardinalis
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Great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
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Fringed loosestrife Lysimachia ciliata
Monkey flower Mimulus ringens
Cutleaf coneflower   Rudbeckia laciniata
Lizard's-tail  Saururus cernuus

Common wingstem Verbesina alternifolia

Graminoids
River cane Arundinaria gigantea

Shallow sedge Carex lurida
River oats Chasmanthium latifolium
Longleaf spikegrass Chasmanthium sessiliflorum
Common rush Juncus effusis
​Nimblewill/Nimbleweed  Muhlenbergia schreberi
Beaked panic grass  Panicum anceps/Coleataenia anceps  
Woolgrass bulrush Scirpus cyperinus
​Gamma grass Tripsacum dactyloides

Ferns
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Sensitive fern  Onoclea sensibilis 
Royal fern  Osmunda spectabilis
Cinnamon fern  Osmundastrum cinnamomeum
Netted chain fern  Lorinseria areolata
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New York fern Parathelypteris novaboracensis
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​Representative Trees in order by scientific name
Representative Shrubs and Woody Vines in order by scientific name

Ground layer (in order by color)

Orange jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) J. Pakchar
Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis). J. Pakchar
Great blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica). L. Edwards
Monkey flower (Mimulus ringens) L. Edwards
Fringed loosestrife (Lysimachia ciliata) by J. Pakchar
Cutleaf coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata) J. Pakchar
Common wingstem (Verbesina alternifolia) J. Pakchar
Graminoids, in order by scientific name
Ferns, in order by scientific name
Picture

​Contents of this site are based on the book The Natural Communities of Georgia, which can be purchased from the University of Georgia Press, Amazon, and other vendors.
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This site is a work in progress: comments and suggestions are welcome.  Email: ​naturalcommsga@gmail.com

  • Home
  • Piedmont
    • Piedmont Overview
    • Mesic (Moist) Forests
    • Oak-Pine-Hickory Forests
    • Bottomland/Floodplain Forest
    • Pine-Oak Woodlands
    • Montane Longleaf
    • Prairies and Savannas (Upland)
    • Wet Meadows and Marshes
    • Granite Outcrops
    • Glades, Barrens, and Woodlands
    • 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 Rock Outcrops
  • Plant Adaptations to Deciduous Forests