Published: August 16, 2008 11:29 pm            

OSU Botanical Garden News 08-17-08

The ambassadors and the OSU Botanical Garden staff had their July meeting on the last Friday in July. After a brief business meeting, Kim Shannon, president of the Oklahoma Native Plant Society, presented the program titled “Wetlands from a Plants Perspective.”

She said wetlands are defined by the frequency and duration of the presence of water, the kinds of plants and trees and the type of soil. Areas such as swamps, marshes, bogs and seeps are wetlands, however, the type of wetland is determined by the kinds of plants or trees, the kind of soil and the degree of saturation of the soil.

Areas along a creek or river or along the edge of a lake or pond may be classified as a wetland if the water is shallow, certain kinds of plant life exists and the soil meets certain criteria.

If there is a fairly level area along the edge of a farm pond where the water is shallow throughout the year, plants such as sedges, cat tails, ferns and water-tolerant grasses and trees such as black willows will begin to grow.

Over time, the pH of the soil will change as it becomes more saturated and as leaves and other material decomposes. Eventually, the area may become such that it can be classified as a wetland. It was a very interesting and informative presentation. Thank you Kim for sharing with us.

Larry Jones is an ambassador at the OSU Botanical Garden.

        

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