Floodplain and Terrestrial Plants, Mississippi River

The Mississippi River supports a wide variety of floodplain and terrestrial plants, thanks to its fertile soils, seasonal flooding, and shifting waters.  Along the river, birch groves with their smooth, silvery bark cast dappled shade, wild cottonwood and tulip poplar trees rise above the floodplain, their roots well adapted to wet soils.

The buttonbush, with its spherical, almost fluffy clusters of small, tubular flowers, blooms in creamy white to pale pink.  Its fragrance attracts pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

Meadows and wetlands along the river burst with colour, from bright yellow coneflowers to the deep crimson of cardinal flowers.  

In spring, the floodplains are dotted with pale blue and purple wildflowers, while grasses like prairie cordgrass ripple in the wind.  These plants stabilize the soil, reduce erosion, and provide vital habitat for pollinators, amphibians, and small mammals.