• Sunrise at Harpers Ferry

    Harpers Ferry

    National Historical Park WV,VA,MD

Flood Plains

rose mallow

NPS photo

Halberd-leaved rose mallow (Hibiscus militaris) growing along the banks of the Shenandoah River.

Floodplains are primarily located along the shores of the Potomac and ShenandoahRivers, sometimes reaching inland along stream banks that drain into these rivers. Many forests on the lower floodplain are dominated by silver maple (Acer saccharinum), sycamore (Platanus occidentalis), and green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica). Upper floodplains are commonly covered with tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), sugar maple (Acer saccharum), hackberry (Celtis occidentalis), and white ash (Fraxinus americana). During a recent vegetation inventory, Shumard oak (Quercus shumardii) was recorded for the first time in the park along the banks of the Potomac. This tree is one of the largest oaks, preferring moist, well-drained, bottomland soils on stream and river banks.

Other herbaceous vegetation found along the water's edge include mistflower eupatorium (Eupatorium coelestinum), water-willow (Justicia americana), and halberd-leaved rose mallow (Hibiscus militaris). When walking higher on the floodplain, pawpaw (Asimina triloba), spicebush (Lindera benzoin), American bladdernut (Staphylea trifolia), and wingstem (Verbsina alternifolia) are some of the species likely to be encountered.

Did You Know?

Redman, pictured here, conducts his orchestra.  Photo courtesy of Todd Bolton.

Don Redman, "the little giant of Jazz," graduated from Storer College in 1920. Until his death in 1964, Redman continued to have a profound influence on the evolution, direction and development of this uniquely American art form.