From: Illinois Wetland Restoration and Creation Guide

 

Plants that recolonize without planting in restored wetlands may need to be planted at created wetlands.
Stage 1 species can be mechanically seeded,
Stage 2 plants are hand-seeded, and
Stage 3 plants are transplanted as seedlings or plugs. 
            Sedges and those otherwise noted should be planted using plugs. 
            Modified from Galatowitsch and van der Valk 1994.

 

Plants often recolonizing without planting Stage 1 Plants Stage 2 Plants Stage 3 Plants Weedy Plants To Be Avoided

Wet prairie

Aster simples
 

Ambrosia spp.

 Bur Marigold
 

Bidens spp.

Elymus canadensis

Erigeron spp.

Verbana hastata

 

Andropogon gerardil 
 

Calamagrostis canadensis 
 

Desmodium canadense 
 

Elymus canadensis 
 

Epilobium coloratum 
 

Helenium autumale 
 

Panicum virgarum 
 

Ratibida pinnata 
 

Silphium perfoliatum
 

Silphium lanciniata 
 

 Spartina pectinata (plugs)

 		 Anemone canadensis

Asclepias incarnata

Aster novae-angliae

Aster puniceus

Eupatorium perfoliatum

Liatris pycnostachya

Phlox pilosa

Pycnanthemum virginianum

Stachys palustris

Teucrium canadense

Veronicastrum virginicum

Zizla aurea
 		 Carex gravida

Carex stricta

Chelone glabra

Cicuta inaculara

Gentiana andrewsii

Gentiana puberulenta

Lilium michiganense

Lythrum alatum

Pedicularis lanccolata

Phlox glaberrima

Thelypteris palustris

Tradescatia chiensis		 Agropyron repens

Cirsium arvense

Helianthus grosseseratus

Lythrum salicaria

Melilorus alba

Phalaris arundinacea

Phragmites australis
western strains of
Prairie grasses. e.g.
Blackwell switchgrass
 

Sedge meadow
Bur Marigold
Bidens spp.
 

Sedge
Carex vulpinoidea
 

Sedge
Cyperus spp.
 

Rush
Juncus dudleyi
Juncus torreyi 

Leersia aryzoides

Rumex altissimus

 

 Aster spp.

Eupatorium perfoliatum
Eupatorium maculatum

Glyceria striata

Mimulus ringens

Stachys palustris

Verbena hastata		 Milkweeds
Asclepias incarnata
A. novae-angliae

Aster puniceus

Aster umbellatus

Calamagrostis Canadensis

Chelone glabra

Lycopus spp.

Lysimachia spp.

Scutellaria spp.
 		 Sedges
Carex lacustris
Carex lanuginosa
Carex stricta

Gentiana andrewsii

Gentianopsis crinita

Pedicularis lanceolata
 		 Cirsium arvense
Helianthus grosseseratus
Lythrum salicaria

Phalaris arundinacea

Phragmites australis

Cattails
Typha angustifolia
Typha latifolia
Shallow emergent plants
Spike Rush
Eleocharis erythropoda
Eleocharis obtusa

Smartweeds
Polygonum amphibium
Polygonum hydropiper
Polygonum pennsylvanicum

Rumex orbiculatus
Rumex verticillatus

Bulrush
Scirpus atrovirens
Scirpus fluviatilus

Cattail
Typha latifolia		 Water Plantain
Alisma spp.

Sedges
Carex cormosa
Carex lupulina (S. IL)
Carex lupuliformis (S. IL)
Carex squarrosa
Carex spp.

Spike Rush
Eleocharis palustris
Eleocharis spp.

Arrowhead
Sagittaria spp.

Giant Bur-reed
Sparganium eurycarpum
None

 		 Sweetflag
Acorus calamus

Iris
Iris virginica

Lysimachia thrysiflora

Sium suave

Sedges

Carex atherodes
Carex lacustris

 

 Lythrum salicaria

Phalaris arundinacea

Phragmites australis

 
Submerged aquatic
Coontail
Ceratophyllum spp.

Naiad
Najas spp.

Pondweeds
Potamogeton foliosus
Potamogeton nodosus
Potamogeton pectinatus
Potamogeton zosteriformis

Common  Bladderwort
Utricularia vulgaris		 None

Pondweed
Potamogeton spp. 

Yellow Water Buttercup
Ranunculus flabbelaris

 White Water Buttercup
Ranunculus spp.

 

Eel Grass
Vallisneria americana
   (N. IL)

 

Water Milfoil
Myriophyllum spp.


Curly Leaf Pondweed
Potamogeton crispus

 

Floating aquatic
Small Duckweed
Lemna minor

Star Duckweed

Lemna trisulca

Giant Duckweed
Spirodela spp.

Watermeal
Wolffia spp. 

Wolffiella
Wolffiella spp

 None None

Spatter Dock
Nuphar luteum

Macrophyllum

White Water Lily
Nymphaea tuberosa

 None

Mudflat annual Sedge
Cyperus spp.

Spikerush
Eleocharis spp.
Echinochloa crusgalli

Amaranthus spp.

Bur Marigold
Bidens spp.


Smartweed
Polygonum spp.

Sedge
Carex spp.

Spikerush
Eleocharis spp.

 

 None None None

Woody

Acer negundo
Acer saccharinum
Populus deltoides
Salix exigua

 

Buttonbush
Cephalanthus       occidentalis


Dogwood

Cornus spp.

 

Black Birch

Betula nigra
 

Butternut
Juglans cinerea

 

Elderberry
Sambucus canadensis

Populus heterophylla    (S. IL)

Taxodium distichum
   (S. IL)

 

Buckthorn
Rhamus frangula

 
 

Seeding, as well as, transplanting sedges is best accomplished in the spring, rather than in the fall when frost heave and predation by rodents are threats. Successful planting of tubers of other plants such as burreed, bulrush, and arrowhead have been accomplished in the fall. Direct seeding of trees is commonly done in the fall, spring, and early summer. Stage 1 species are fast growing, aggressive grasses and forbs that complement or enhance the composition of naturally colonizing species. These species can be mechanically seeded. After one year, wet prairie and sedge meadow communities can be burned to control annual weeds. Weedy vegetation usually declines after 2-3 years, and slower growing, Stage 2 species can be hand seeded into the area. These Stage 2 species should be sowed in patches to help reduce competition from grasses. Stage 3 species usually inhabit more stable environments and are more sensitive to competition from weeds or other native species. Seedlings of these species can be transplanted to pots for a season and then in the second year transplanted into the wet lands. These are the last plants to be introduced.