Trevor E Ohio Plants SU2024

Part One: Cedar Bog

The metro park cedar bog is actually a fen but was describe as a bog for some time. A bog and a fen are different in several ways. First of all, Fens are fed by ground water while bogs are fed by rainwater. Another difference is that bogs are acidic while fens are neutral pH. Fens typical are nutrient rich while bogs are typically nutrient poor. Due to the geology of fens, water flows through fens and drains out of it which helps it maintain all of its ecological conditions. The difference in soil nutrients and pH as well as the difference in the water and geological make up of each causes the differences between them.

The overall environment of cedar bog is part of the western limestone part of Ohio which dictate much of its ecology. The environment of this fen is a swamp and is characterized by the limestone bedrock. The water coming from under ground has lots of minerals especially calcium which come from the limestone. The limestone also causes the fen to be slightly acid. These traits dictate what plants thrive here like sedges, grasses, and other plants that like calcium.

Ground coverage:

Skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus)

Spikenard (Nardostachys jatamansi)

Shrub layer:

Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)

Common winterberry (Ilex verticillata)

Tree layer:

American basswood (Tilia americana)

Dogwood (Cornus)

Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum)

Poison hemlock has leaves that are bipinnate and overall triangle shaped and flowers that are small, white, and umbel. Poison hemlock like its name suggests is poisonous and was historical used to tip arrows which was useful for hunting 1

Honewort (Cryptotaenia canadensis)

Honewort has trifoliate leaves that are double serrated and are deeply cut. It has small white flowers that are compound umbel. Honewort is also called black snakeroot and its seed are pretty unique in the fact they have small hook that catch on to clothes and the fur of animals 2

River birch (Betula nigra) CC = 9

Shrubby cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa) CC = 10

Black ash (Fraxinus nigra)

Green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

Part Two: Battelle Darby Metro Park

1. The overall environment of Battle Darby Metro Park is made up of prairies, forests, and wetlands. The prairies hold many wildflowers and grasses and the wetlands with marshes and swamps being created by the Big and the Little Darby Creek that runs through it. These creeks also create riverbank environments diversifying the plants that grow there. The park is located in Central Ohio where there is limestone bedrock which contributes to the soil type and plants that live there.

Ground cover:

Thimbleweed (Anemone virginiana)

Ramp (Allium tricoccum)

Shrub layer:

Pawpaw tree (Asimina triloba)

Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense)

Tree layer:

Chinkapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii)

Redbud (Cercis canadensis)

Blue ash (Fraxinus quadrangulata)

Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)

Fragrant sumac (Rhus aromatica)

Red cedar (Juniperus virginiana)

Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense)

White snakeroots (Ageratina altissima)

Snakeroots can be identified by leaves which are triangular that are more broad at the base, opposite leaves, which are toothed, and sharply-pointed at the tip. It can have clusters of white flowers on the top of stalks. White snakeroots can cause a sickness called “milk sickness,” which can be toxic. This sickness affected American settlers when they were colonizing. This is caused by the toxin tremetol which come from the snakeroots plant and is eaten by cows. Humans that then drink milk from cow that have been eat snakeroots can get sick 3

Honewort (Cryptotaenia canadensis)

Another natural history fact about honewort is it was used by Native Americans for medicinal purposes. Native American used honewort to treat various ailments like kidney problems and other internal issues 4

References:

1. Poison-Hemlock Identification and control: Conium maculatum. King County, Washington. (n.d.). https://kingcounty.gov/en/legacy/services/environment/animals-and-plants/noxious-weeds/weed-identification/poison-hemlock

2. Cryptotaenia canadensis (Canadian honewort). Minnesota Wildflowers. (n.d.). https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/canadian-honewort#:~:text=Honewort%20flowers%20typically%20stay%20curled,the%20base%20of%20an%20umbellet.

Ohio native plants. WARREN CO SWCD. (n.d.). https://www.warrenswcd.com/conservation-connection/ohio-native-plants

Belin, L. (2021, June 17). Iowa wildflower Wednesday: Honewort (Canadian honewort). Bleeding Heartland. https://www.bleedingheartland.com/2021/06/16/iowa-wildflower-wednesday-honewort-canadian-honewort/

Part 1: Introduction to the Site

This place has a water frontage area as well as woods and wildlife area. There is some development with paved paths and picnic tables. There is a bridge that goes over part of the park. The underside of this bridge has become a feature of the park with plenty art work decorating the underside of the bridge. There is a creek called Glenn Echo Creek that splits the park in two as well as providing the diverse ecosystem seen there. The park is some what like a valley allowing for hills and embankments.

Map: