North Fork Native Plants - Hardy Plants for the Mountain Environment

North Fork Native Plants has experience growing many different wetland and riparian plant species for both custom projects and our speculative inventory. If you have custom needs not met by any of the plants below, please call us to inquire on our ability to grow your exact specifications. Various combinations of sedges /rush and bulrush monocultures make up the vast majority of our speculative mat production.


Field-testing consistently points to sedge and sedge/rush effectiveness for erosion control and fluctuating water level tolerance. These plants generally range from 6-18” in height with various green-colored stems and textures. All of these mixes are great cover and forage for many waterfowl species.
Mix	Attributes	Water Depth

Beaked Sedge Water sedge Baltic rush Carex utriculata, Carex aquatilis, Juncus balticus	Great erosion control Tolerates long periods of inundation and high pH soils Provides persistent residual waterfowl nesting cover Foliage: blue/green, green, and dark green More texture then sedge-only mixes Avg. stem height 18"	Slightly inundated to 9” deep

Nebraska sedge Beaked sedge Baltic rush Carex nebrascensis, Carex utriculata, Juncus balticus	Best all-around erosion control mix Tolerates fluctuating hydrology at the water's edge Performs well on a range of soil types Provides persistent residual waterfowl nesting cover Foliage: Mix of light to dark green stem shapes Avg. stem height 24”	Moist soil to 6” deep

Nebraska sedge Wooly sedge Baltic rush Carex nebrascensis, Carex lanuginosa, Juncus balticus	Great erosion control Tolerates fluctuating hydrology at the water's edge Performs well on a range of soil types Provides persistent residual cover for early nesting waterfowl Foliage: Mix of light to dark green stem shapes Avg. stem height 18"	Moist soil to 9" deep

Water sedge Carex aquatilis	Great erosion control Tolerates long periods of inundation Grows best on organic soils along water's edge Less invasive than Nebraska sedge but grazing intolerant Foliage: blue/green and green Avg. stem height 18"	Moist soil to 9” deep

Creeping Spikerush Eleocharis palustris	Tolerates long periods of inundation Tolerates partial shade and alkaline soils Plants, rhizomes, and seeds are consumed by wildlife Foliage: dark green cylindrical stems Avg. stem height 6-12” tall	2” to 9” deep


Bulrush mats are grown in monocultures and provide an excellent barrier for dissipating wave energy and structure for a host of wetland-dependent wildlife. Mature plants have beautiful blue and green stems that will grow to heights of 18-48”. All of these mixes are great cover and forage for many waterfowl species.
Mix	Attributes	Water Depth

Hardstem bulrush Schoenoplectus (Scirpus) acutus	Good off–shore barrier to wave activity Tolerates long periods of inundation Performs well across a range of soil pH and textures Provides wetland dependent songbird nesting habitat Foliage: densely growing, dark green cylindrical stems Stem height: up to 48” tall	6” to 24+” deep Will handle temporary drawdown once established.

Three-square bulrush Schoenoplectus (Scirpus) americanus	Tolerates long periods of inundation and Tolerates alkaline soil conditions Waterfowl consumes seeds Foliage: attractive dark green triangular stems Avg. stem height 18-36”	2” to 16” deep

Panicled bulrush Scirpus microcarpus	Good erosion protection Waterfowl consumes seeds Very attractive inflorescence provides aesthetic appeal Foliage: densely growing, flat green blades Avg. stem height 24”	Moist soil to 12” deep

Fowl Mannagrass Glyceria striata	Performs best on seasonally saturated wetland soils Very palatable to livestock and utilized by nesting waterfowl Tall attractive grass with large inflorescence Foliage: green Stem height: up to 60” tall	2” to 6” deep

Northern arrowhead Sagittaria cuneata	Grows best on mud substrates Toleres permanent saturation Food source for waterfowl and wildlife Very attractive non-persistent arrow-shaped leaves	6” to 24” deep

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