Pittsfield Charter Twp, Michigan

Buttonbush Swamp

The Buttonbush grows along the edges of lakes and streams, and loves swamps and marshes as well. It gets its name from the little button-like balls of its flowers and its fruits (shown here). The flowers are white, but the fruits are reddish, and are eaten by wildlife.

A Report on the large buttonbush swamp located off Thomas Road

by Matthew Heumann, Naturalist
June, 1997

The site contains a permanent wetland consisting of at least 20 acres of swamp which consists of a very sparse to remnant maple overstory with a dense mature buttonbush understory. There is permanent standing water throughout, the more open areas containing very good quality species more typical of rich hardwood swamps of the Pinckney-Waterloo Recreation Areas rather than near urban wetlands of the Ann Arbor area. Under the buttonbush canopy are endless moss-covered logs and hummocks that seem to provide good habitat for mosses, liverworts, ferns, and other swamp species. The shoreline zone and upland area, while heavily infested with glossy buckthorn (Rhamnus frangula), does contain remnant populations of holly, willow, maple, fern, and elm. Some portions contain bits of beech-maple forest.

The unusually tall buttonbush canopy gives the swamp a haunting and remote atmosphere. It also provides excellent wildlife cover and nesting opportunity. I'm not aware of any other place in the county that has a swamp of this nature; the endless buttonbush with mossy logs and tangles more resembles a Florida mangrove swamp than a southern Michigan wetland. I have every reason to expect a great herptile population at the site. Turtles are usually common on such sites as are snakes, salamanders, and many frog species. It should also be an excellent nesting place for wetland bird species.

Other Plant Species in the Swamp

• Water Plantain - Alisma Plantago-aquatica

• Sedge - Carex Canescens

• Aquatic Liverwort - Ricciocarpus Nabans

These are uncommon in the urban Ann Arbor area and more common to places like the Waterloo-Pinckney State Recreation Area.

Photo: http://www.ScienceU.com