Existing comment:
Marsh Zones:
Wetland plants are specially adapted to live in wet soils. How long the soils are wet determines what plants will grow. Marsh plants can be thought of as growing in zones characterized by the amount of soil moisture. At Kenilworth marsh, hibiscus (Hisbisus sp.) and buttonbush (Cephalanthus accidentalis) are typical in the high-marsh zone, while cattails (Typha sp.), wild rice (Zizania aquatica), arrow arum (Pettandra virginica) and duck potato (Sagittaria latifolia) are characteristic of mid-marsh zones. Squatterdock (Naphar advena) is typical of the low-marsh zone and is often inundated with water.
Some areas with emergent wetland vegetation seen from the Boardwalk are remnants of the old Anacostia Marshes. Other emergent wetland areas were reconstructed on mud flats in 1993 during a cooperative effort between the National Park Service, the District of Columbia government, the US Army Corps of Engineers, and the Washington Metropolitan Council of Governments.
Invasive non-native plants such as common reed (Phragmites australia) and purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) thrive in disturbed areas such as parts of Kenilworth Marsh. They often displace native plants and are a major concern of land managers. |