Common Plants Of The Mississippi Alluvial Valley And - Louisiana ...

Common Plants of the MississippiAlluvial Valley and Their Use byWildlifeNuttall Oak, more commonly known asstriped oak, is a member of the red oakfamily. It’s large (olive sized) acornrequires two years to mature and iseasily identified by its vertical stripes.The acorn is highly favored by deer,squirrels, turkeys, bears, and ducks. Itis common along the natural leveeridges and banks of rivers and bayous.It is a valuable timber species and canbe identified by its dark, tight bark andsharply lobed leaves.The Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV) is the ecosystemhistorically containing the Mississippi River and its vastfloodplain before the river was extensively leveed in thelast century. This rich, productive area is also referred toas the Delta. Characterized by flat terrain, very fertilesoils, and susceptibility to flooding, only 20% of thesebottomland hardwood forests remain today. Plantsgrowing in the MAV are adapted to varying degrees offlooding .Nuttall Oak (Quercus nuttalli)Bitter pecan ( water hickory) is oftenfound in overflow areas due to itshigh tolerance for flooding. This floodtolerance can occasionally producebitter pecan “flats” which are entirelydominated by the species. The nut isbitter, and the tree is not a reliablemast producer, being subject to anearly drop of undeveloped fruit . Itsleaves are similar to sweet pecan, andthe bark is shaggy and light colored.Landowners For WildlifeBitter Pecan (Carya aquatica)

Overcup oak is a member of the white oakfamily with acorns maturing in one year. It isfound in very wet conditions and is highlytolerant to deep flooding. It is the only oakthat has viable acorns which float due totheir large caps. Older trees often containlarge cavities that are used by squirrels andwood ducks, and are occasionally largeenough for a bear den. The bark is lightcolored and loosely textured, and the leaveshave rounded lobes. The large, round acornsmay be ping pong ball sized. Its leaf litterhosts a very diverse invertebrate communitywhich is an important food source forwintering ducks.Water Oak (Quercus nigra)Willow oak is also commonly but incorrectlyreferred to as pin oak. Although not astolerant to flooding as overcup oak, willowoak is found at lower elevations, often withsweetgum. Its acorn is smaller, but verysimilar to a water oak acorn. Its small sizemakes it a preferred arcon for smallerwildlife such as songbirds. The leaves arenot lobed but are long and narrow,resembling willow leaves, from which it getsits name. It is also a common urban tree inLouisiana towns and produces very highgrade red oak lumber.Overcup Oak (Quercus lyrata)Water oak , despite its name, is found onhigher, drier sites within the MAV. Water oaksproduce a consistent acorn crop from year toyear, and many species of wildlife feed on itsmarble sized acorns. Its dark, tightly texturedbark surrounds a valuable red oak lumber. Itsleaves are not as lobed as other oaks and arewider at the tip than at the base. It is a verycommon tree in urban Louisiana settings due toits longevity, large size, and spreading crown. Itis often confused with willow oak, but neitherwater oak nor willow oak are correctly named“pin oak” which is an oak species found instates much further north than Louisiana.Willow Oak (Quercus phellos)

Muscadine grape is one of many species of grapesthat naturally grow in Louisiana. The maple‐like leafis a distinctive characteristic. This vine is a preferredbrowse for deer, and the fruit provides food forbears, deer, raccoons, skunks, squirrels, turkeys andmany species of birds. Gray squirrels commonly usegrapevines as supporting structures for their leafnests and as travel routes from tree to tree. Theplant is also highly sought by people who makehomemade jams and jellies from its distinctiveflavored fruit.Over twenty species of dewberries and blackberriesgrow in Louisiana. They are low‐growing vines withnumerous small thorns that often grow in thickets.These plants produce fruit in summer, providing animportant food source for bears, songbirds, andsmall mammals. Deer and rabbits will browse thestems and leaves. This plant is probably the mostcommon preferred deer browse species in thesoutheastern United States. The thickets providecover for rabbits and nesting sites for songbirds.This plant is also highly sought by people whoharvest its tasty and distinctive fruit to makehomemade jams and jellies.Greenbriars are a very important wildlife plants.Many species of briar are found in Louisiana, all ofwhich are thorned vines with tendrils that allowthem to climb trees. The vines are tough and wiry,and an encounter with one can produce memorableinjuries for many hunters. Young, succulent, briarshoots are an extremely attractive browse item fordeer. The vines are used as a nesting substrate bymany species of birds. The fruit, produced in latewinter, provide food for turkey, quail, cedarwaxwings, robins, warblers, and other wildlife.Cottontails and swamp rabbits eat the leaves andyoung shoots.Muscadine Grape (Vitis spp.)Dewberry/Blackberry(Rubus spp.)Greenbriar (Smilax spp.)

Contact a local LDWF office for more information www.wlf.la.govSpanish moss is an epiphyte (a plant whichdepends on another plant for support but notfor nutrients) commonly seen in the typicalLouisiana swamps. It is also very abundantthroughout the MAV. Often this moss isfound on baldcypress, bottomland oaks, andcedar elms. Spanish moss hosts numerousinsects which provide an important foodresource for songbirds such as warblers,wrens, and vireos. Two species of birds, thenorthern parula and yellow‐throated warbler,build their nests inside the hanging moss,while other birds line their nests with it.Seminole and northern yellow bats often roostin Spanish moss during the day. It is thoughtthat Spanish moss is sensitive to air pollution.Cane (Arundinaria spp.)Louisiana Department of Wildlife and FisheriesWildlife Division Private Lands ProgramWritten by : Randall Hanks, Wildlife BiologistSpanish moss(Tillandsia usneoides)Cane was once much more prevalent than it istoday. Thick expanses of cane, called canebrakes,were once found throughout the MAV. Scientificresearch now suggests that canebrakes weremaintained by fire, similar to grassland prairiesand longleaf pine ecosystems. Canebrakes wereimportant habitats for Louisiana black bears, andthe colorful canebrake rattlesnake gets its namefrom its ability to blend in perfectly with the caneleaf litter that has fallen inside a canebrake. It isthought that Swainson’s warbler and the nowextinct Bachman’s warbler used cane as nestingsubstrate. Many conservation agencies areworking towards restoring native canebrakes tothe MAV.Sponsored by