Download Facts about the Grassland, Wetland and Woodland plants of the TCDC

Graminoids
Forbs
Common name
Latin name
Birdsfoot trefoil
Canada thistle
Common plantain
Lotus corniculata
Cirsium arvense
Plantago major
Golden alexanders
Zizia aptera
Native
Non-Native
Invasive
Milkweed (Asclepias sp.)
x
Characteristics
x
Used in agriculture as a forage plant; Have bright yellow flowers.
x x Important food for Finches and over 20 different butterflies and moths.
x
Typical lawn weed; used as food for larvae of butterflies and moths.
Early blooming yellow flowers (looks like dill); although they prefer wet
areas, can survive long dry summers.
Some species seen as pests, others considered a sign of good luck.
Typical grassland species; known to attract butterflies.
Monarch butterfly along with several other insects feed on it; Have large
ball-like groupings of small flowers pink in color.
Rarely occurs in abundance; attractive deep purple flowers.
x
Deep red flowers were used as a dye by aboriginal people
grassland wildflower; leaves are smooth or glaucous (like a plum's skin)
Undesirable as it tends to use up nutrients, moisture, and sunlight
x
competing with crops and other wild plants.
x
Large yellow flower heads that constantly turn to face the sun.
A hardy, drought resistant crop; Produces a lot of nectare for bees to
x
make honey.
x x Flower is in an umbel (like dill) and is yellow in color.
Goldenrod
Solidago sp.
Many-flowered aster Symphyotrichum ericoides
x
x
Milkweed
Asclepias sp.
x
New England aster
Pigweed
Smooth aster
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae x
Amaranthus sp.
x
Symphyotrichum laeve
Sow thistle
Sunflower
Sonchus sp.
Helianthus sp.
Sweet clover
Melilotus sp.
Wild parsnip
Cordgrass
Pastinaca sativa
Spartina sp.
Kentucky bluegrass
Poa pratensis
x
Smooth brome
Bromus inermis
x
x
A European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
feeding on Canada Thistle seeds
x
Desirable wetter area grass; used to help reduce erosion.
Common lawn grass.
The most common species in the "grassland"; originally planted for
forage; Hardy species.
Cattails (Typha sp.)
Giant reed grass (Phragmites australis)
Shrubs
Graminoids
Latin name
Native
Non-Native
Invasive
Common name
Sandbar Willow (Salix exigua)
Characteristics
Cattails
Typha sp.
x x
Common reed grass
Giant reed grass
Reed canary grass
Rushes
Sedges
Calamagrostis sp.
Phragmites australis
Phalaris arundinaceaa
Juncus sp.
Carex sp.
x
Sandbar willow
Salix exigua
x
Important riparian shrub; early establishing wetland shrub; excellent for stablization;
easiest willow to identify
Willows
Salix sp.
x
Individual species are difficult to identify; important wetland shrub
Typical wetland plant; needs standing water.
Non-distinctive but typical wetter area grass; Used for erosion control.
x x x Striking, large grass; large fuzzy seeding heads; needs standing water.
x x x Most common species along the Tourond Creek; extensive wetter area grass.
x
Dark green, wiry; typical wetter area plant.
x
Looks like a grass; extensive roots are valuable for stablization
Trees
Shrubs
Forbs
Latin name
Native
Common name
Baneberry
Carrion flower
Poison ivy
Snakeroot
Sweet scented bedstraw
Two-flowered Solomon's seal
Wild columbine
Wild sarsaparilla
Wild raspberry
Alder-leaved buckthorn
Chokecherry
Gooseberry or Currants
Hazelnut
Actaea rubra
Smilax herbacea
Rhus radicans
Sanicula marilandica
Galium boreale
Maianthemum canadense
Aquilegia sp.
Aralia nudicaulus
Rubus idaeus
Rhamnus alnifolia
Prunus virginiana
Ribes sp.
Corylus sp.
Highbush cranberry
Plum
Viburnum trilobum
Prunus sp.
Red-osier dogwood
Cornus stolonifera
x
Saskatoon
Snowberry
Balsam poplar
American elm
Amelanchier alnifolia
Symphoricarpos occidentalis
Populus balsamifera
Umlus americana
x
x
x
x
Bur oak
Quercus macrocarpa
x
Green ash
Manitoba maple
Trembling aspen
White spruce
Fraxinus pensylvanica
Acer negundo
Populus tremuloides
Picea glauca
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
Characteristics
Hazelnut (Corylus sp.)
All parts of the baneberry plant are poisonous.
Twinning vine with tendrils.
May cause skin reaction if touched.
Seeds have a bur attaching to moving animals/humans for seed dispersal.
Pollinated by flies, beetles, and itself; Doesn’t thrive in a hot climate.
Sometimes called wild lily-of-the-valley.
Attractive, early flowering.
Forest floor plant; often confused with poison ivy.
Low growing; edible fruits; can behave invasively.
Low growing; shiny almost metallic sheen to leaves.
Edible berriess; susceptible to black knot fungus.
Low growing; edible fruits.
Edible fruit, rich in protein.
Edible fruit (eating copious amounts of raw berries may cause vomiting);
attractive fall foliage.
Typical river bottom forest species; edible fruits.
Important riparian shrub; red stems; excellent for stream bank stabilization;
wetter area shrub.
Edible fruit; Hardy deciduous shrubs.
Low growing.
Occupies similar but wetter areas than trembling aspen; aromatic sap.
Typical river bottom forest species; susceptible to Dutch Elm Disease.
Long lived slow growing; prefers drier upland (useful for contrasting to more
flood tolerant trees).
Typical river bottom forest species.
Common river bottom forest tree; often planted at homesteads.
Main tree of aspen parkland.
Evergreen; Manitoba's provincial tree.