HWP-424 Plants Sign
11/22/07
9:19 AM
Page 1
WETLAND PLANTS LOVE WATER
Wetland plant communities are very interesting
and some are unique. Here you will find plants
that live only in wetland habitats, plants
that live only in dry upland soils, and
plants that thrive in both environments.
Aquatic plants grow beneath the water
and sometimes float on the surface or
emerge into the air. Floating aquatic
plants in this area include spiked watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum), pond
lily (Nuphar lutea), common mare’s tail
(Hippurus vulgaris), and various-leaved
pondweed (Potamogeton gramineus).
WETLAND PLANTS
SEDGES
WILLOWS
WATER SMARTWEED
Look around you. Most of what looks like grass
is actually a grass-like plant called a sedge.
An old rhyme says “sedges have edges”. The stem
of a sedge is triangular instead of round like a rush
or a grass. If you roll a sedge stem between your
fingers you can feel the distinct edges on the stem.
Willows are the most abundant shrub in this
wetland. Willows are like people – each plant
is either male or female. Willow flowers on both
male and female plants are arranged in catkins.
Did you know that Alberta has about 45 species
of willow? They may all seem the same until you
look closely for differences in leaves and catkins.
How many willow species can you find?
Water smartweed is a perennial herb that grows
along the edges of open water. Leaves float on the
water or emerge with stalks that end in pink flower
clusters. Water fowl eat the seeds in the fall.
Aboriginal people used smartweed as an antiseptic
and poisoning cure.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT PLANTS OF THE BEAVER BOARDWALK AREA, INCLUDING A LIST OF ALL THE PLANT SPECIES FOUND IN THE AREA, VISIT THE HINTON WEBSITE WWW.HINTON.CA