Wetland remediation

I have an acquaintance who has a cottage and some of his beachfront has been invaded by cattails.

Cattails are OK in their place but they are not fun to wade through nor are they particularly ornamental.



Biodiversity, Wetland Remediation and Native Species

Purple Loosestrife often grows in association with Cattails.

The correct answer is to remove species that are invasive aliens.  Species like Purple Loosestrife.

Canadian Thistle is not really from Canada.  It is from Eurasia.

And species like Canadian Thistle.

Believe it or not, there are even species of Cattails that are invasive aliens, the Narrow Leaf Cattail and its hybrids.  It is OK to suppress cattails as long as it is to encourage other, native wetland species.

Enter Hibiscus moscheutos (Rose Mallow)

Hibiscus moscheutos grows to over six feet in height so they will do a good job screening the cattails.

I am not the kind of guy who kisses and tells, but I would not be surprised if several Hibiscus moscheutos suddenly started growing in that mess of cattails.

It is, after all, a legitimate member of the wetland community found in Michigan.  It could happen.