Wetland Team Blog

Per our routine, we had two teams working at the Park. Our field crew (Chatt, Diane, LaDeisha, John H., and Joe) took 8 buckets of material out to the cabin area to get those plants into their new home. The weather has really been heating up and so the field crew had it’s work cut out for it. The seed cleaning crew (Chelsea, Rebecca, Lana, Ray and Gail) meanwhile tried to make a dent in the Juncus seed cleaning.

Plant of the Week

Maidencane, Panicum hemitomon

This leafy grass is one of those that you either love or hate—at least that is what I have discovered, as there are those who strongly feel one way or the other. I personally think of it as a good opportunistic plant which can colonize the deeper areas and provide a great (but not exclusive) cover to the restored ponds. I recently learned that it has another advantage of being a pyric plant, and for the restored ponds at Sheldon where we actively use fire management, this is important. Look for the “hairy” stems, and purplish or reddish nodes along the stem to characterize it. It will produce a seed head that is sparse in appearance and lasts a very short time in the late spring; but maidencane colonizes by vegetative means.