Cedar Bog

Cedar bog is not actually a bog, but a more unique habitat called a fen. While bogs are compromised by stagnated and warm waters, the waters from fens are mainly fed by aquifers underground, waters that are cool and flushed via flowing streams. Cedar bog sits on the ancient Teays river valley, filled in by sand and gravel. As water flows up through said substrate, the limestone in between gets dissolved, causing the water to be slightly alkaline.

Rosaceae members

Shrubby cinquefoil,  Dasyphora fruticosa

Shrubby cinquefoil is a bush native to the Northern US and into Canada. The bark is shreddy, flowers buttercup-yellow, and leaves alternate and pinnately compound. They produce an achene fruit that overwinters.

Shrubby cinquefoil | The Morton Arboretum

Common blackberry, Rubus allegheniensis

With habitats in woodlands and forests, the common blackberry is a thorny shrub native to the region. They flower in late spring, attracting many bees and butterflies, and fruit in summer that are eaten by many mammals. Only shoots two or more years old will produce fruit.

Rubus allegheniensis (Allegheny Blackberry, Blackberry, Common Blackberry, Dewberry, Graves’ blackberry) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox (ncsu.edu)

Conservative plants and ash species

Shooting star, Dodecatheon meadia (CC: 7)

Roundleaf sundew, Drosera rotundifola (CC: 7)

Northern white-cedar, Thuja occidentalis (CC: 9)

Bog birch, Betula pumila (CC: 10)

Green ash, Fraxinus pennsylvanica (CC: 7)

Green ash is a deciduous tree with opposite and pinnately compound leaves. The leaflets are attached to the stalk by distinctly downy petioles.

Black ash, Fraxinus nigra (CC: 3)

Like all ashes, the leaves of the black ash are opposite and pinnately compound. However, this tree is differentiated by the lack of petioles for the leaflets.

Coefficient of Conservatism

Marsh-marigold, Caltha palustris

Coefficient: 6     WET: OBL (obligate wetland plant)

Virginia Iris, Iris viginica

Coefficient: 6    WET: OBL

Spicebush, Lindera benzoin

Coefficient: 5    WET:  FACW (facultative wetland plant)

Golden ragwort, Packera aureus

Coefficient: 4    WET: FACW

Skunk cabbage, Symplocarpus foetidus

Coefficient: 6    WET: OBL

Swamp buttercup, Ranunculus septentrionalis

Coefficient: 4    WET: FAC (facultative, equally likely to occur elsewhere)

Swamp forest FQAI: I = 31/√6 = 12.7

Shrubby cinquefoil, Dasyphora fruticosa

Coefficient: 10    WET: FACW

Round-leaved sundew, Drosera rotundifolia

Coefficient: 7   WET: OBL

Bog birch, Betula pumila

Coefficient: 10   WET: OBL

Marsh valerian, Valeriana uliginosa

Coefficient: 10    WET: FACW+

Poison sumac, Toxicodendron vernix

Coefficient: 7    WET: OBL

Lesser bladderwort, Utricularia minor

Coefficient: 8    WET: OBL

Sedge meadow FQAI: I = 52/√6 = 21.2