Riparian: Plants

Mammals

Birds

Amphibians/Reptiles

Arthropods

Bryophytes/Lichen

Red-osier dogwood

This shrub grows one to four metres tall with many branches that change from bright red to a brownish colour with age. Green, oval leaves with sharp points and prominent veins are arranged in opposite pairs opposite along the branches. The leaves surround clusters of small white to greenish flowers followed by whitish-blue, berry-like fruits.

Red-osier dogwood is a an important food source for moose and deer during the fall and winter months. This shrub provides protective cover for numerous perching birds, such as the Willow Flycatcher and Grey Catbird.

Black cottonwood

This is a deciduous tree standing up to 40 metres tall with smooth bark that is greenish-grey when young, becoming darker grey and deeply grooved as it matures. The silvery-green leaves, growing from round leaf stalks, are lance-shaped and taper to a sharp point. In spring, male and female catkins, or flowers, grow on separate trees. After flowering, three clusters of small, green, grape-like fruits appear. Seeds with fluffy white cotton-like hairs emerge from the fruit and are released into the air.

Black cottonwood is an important tree for wildlife. Beaver consume the inner bark of large cottonwoods and use the branches to build dams and lodges. Woodpeckers excavate nest cavities in mature cottonwoods, which are then used by cavity-nesting water birds. Small mammals also nest, store food and escape from predators in sheltered woodpecker cavities. On the top of large cottonwood snags, osprey and eagles build their nests overlooking feeding grounds. With old age, cottonwood trees fall to the ground creating valuable habitat for amphibians and reptiles.

Want to find out about species at risk in riparian areas?
Go to Species at Risk

Here are some representative species in riparian areas:

Grasses:
Blue wildrye
Forbs:
Chocolate lily
Common horsetail
Early blue violet
Marsh cinquefoil
Showy aster
Silverweed
White bog-orchid
Shrubs:
Chokecherry
Common snowberry
Douglas maple
Nootka rose
Tall Oregon-grape
Water Birch
Willow spp.
Trees:
Douglas-fir
Ponderosa pine
Trembling aspen
Red:
Small-flowered Ipomopsis (Ipomopsis minutiflora)

Illustrations:
J.R.Janish reprinted with permission by the University of Washington Press

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