Top Plants to Build Your Own Mini-Wetland
It happens every day. Precious land that provides habitats for many different types of wildlife is being destroyed, but you’re not as powerless as you may feel. It’s entirely possible to create your own mini-wetland area in your own back yard. With a little research, you’ll find that most of your typical wetland plants don’t require a large reservoir of water to thrive. If you can find an area of your land that is naturally damp and equipped with a heavy clay soil, then you’ve got everything you need to get started.
Building your own personal wetland area will not only benefit your immediate environment, but you’ll be providing a nurturing habitat for many different types of creatures. Butterflies, bees, frogs, and several different types of birds will find your creation delightful. Your mini-wetland will also serve to store and filter your lawn’s runoff water when it rains. The bottom line benefit is that you’ll enjoy the true essence and beauty of nature in your own back yard. Here is a quick overview of a few plants you may want to consider integrating into your aquascape.
These trees are wetland soil tolerant.
Cottonwood Tree: You’ll usually find these being used for timber, but they don’t even produce the best of wood. It’s not the best for burning either. It doesn’t produce a high enough level of energy due to its quality and consistency. It does, however, provide a beautiful backdrop for nature and a home for several types of birds.
Swamp White Oak: Just another good addition to bring depth to your landscape. These trees are big, bushy, and strong.
Sycamore Trees: This tree’s distinctive bark coloring will add beauty to any mini-wetland area.
These shrubs are good for your wetlands.
Winterberry: This is a great ornamental shrub. It’s also very durable and easy to grow. Native American’s were known to use the berries from this shrub for medicinal purposes. They nicknamed the shrub a “fever bush”.
Inkberry: These are excellent, full bodied, hedge plants. They grow thick, and don’t take very much maintenance.
Pussy Willow: The look of the Pussy Willow’s furry catkins adds a subtle touch of color to any aquascape.
Herbaceous and flowering plants that thrive in shady, wet soils.
Ironweed: This plant will bloom with tiny purple blooms in the Spring to add unsuspecting color to your setup.
Blue Flag Iris: Everyone knows how beautiful the Iris can be in a pot. How much more beautiful would the blue flag iris plant be in its natural habitat?
Boneset: The Boneset will bring butterflies to your area. They love their clusters of white blossoms early in the spring.
Herbaceous and flowering plants that thrive in sunny, wet soils.
Jack-in-the-Pulpit: The flowers of this plant are something to behold. When they bloom, you’ll see a flower striped with purple and brown. It almost pops out of the stalk of the plant like a Jack-in-the-Box.
Cinnamon Fern: Named for its spore-bearing fronds, the Cinnamon Fern’s fronds look like cinnamon sticks.
Skunk Cabbage: This plant has extensive medicinal uses, but it’s also quite beautiful. With the coloring and shape of a red cabbage, there’s no mistaking how this plant got its name.
