Plants

An arial image of a salt marsh and narrow line of forest.
A 2005 aerial image showing the southeastern corner of Cockspur Island, featuring salt marsh bisected by a narrow maritime forest.

NPS Photo

Cockspur and McQueens Islands are surrounded by vast salt marshes, interspersed by rivers and tidal estuaries. Cockspur Island encompasses approximately 600 acres of mudflats, marshes and limited high ground. In order to build Fort Pulaski, a ditch and dike system was constructed to lower the water table. This changed the island from marshlands with very limited dry ground to a island suitable for construction.

Fort Pulaski was placed in reserve in the 1870s by the army. It was not demolished but it was also not maintained. This included the ditch and dike system that kept the island dry. The land reverted to its natural state after a series of hurricanes. Cockspur Island became a marsh again.

Cockspur Island has grown since the fort's construction. Dredge spoil from the bottom of the Savannah River was deposited on the western side of the island. Salt marsh flats were turned to solid ground. This greatly changed what species of plants would take root on the island.

Fort Pulaski National Monument was founded in 1924. By that time, the ditch and dike system no longer functioned. The moat and canal that supplied it with water silted up. The water table rose to just below the surface. In the 1930s, the Civil Conservation Corps restored the ditch and dike system as it was during the Civil War.

Today, Cockspur Island has grasslands, maritime forests, sand beaches and marshes, leading to a wide variety of plant life. Palmettos dot the island. Marsh grass dominates the southern side of the island. The northeastern corner now has an artificial sand beach. Maritime forests can be found in several areas of the island.

Below are just a small fraction of the plants you can find on Cockspur Island.

 
A plant with seeds in a puff. with some blown away.
American Burnweed (Erechtites hieraciifolius)

NPS/J. Irving

The top of a leafy bush with pink flowers.
American Germander (Teucrium canadense)

NPS/J. Irving

A leafy bush with bright fuchsia colored berries.
American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)

NPS/Fort Raleigh National Historic Site

A circular flower with spokes.
Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)

NPS/Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

A small yellow flower grows next to a ledge.
Common Evening-Primrose (Oenothera biennis)

NPS Photo

A ripe fig hides amongst leaves.
Common Fig (Ficus carica)

NPS/J. Irving

A plant with think green spikes in marsh mud.
Dwarf Saltwort (Salicornia bigelovii)

NPS Photo

Yellow flowers blooming on a cactus.
Eastern Pricklypear (Opuntia humifusa)

NPS Photo

A tree with red brown coloring on a mowed lawn.
Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana)

NPS Photo

Stalks of a plant ending in bunches of seeds with fibers.
Groundsel Bush (Baccharis halimifolia)

NPS/Assateague Island National Seashore

A large tree with low hanging branches touching the ground.
Live Oak (Quercus virginiana)

NPS/Cumberland Island National Seashore

Looking up through the interior of a pine tree.
Longleaf Pine (Pinus palustris)

NPS/Joel Cadoff

close up view of a bundle of green muscadine grapes with red spots, growing on a vine.
Muscadine (Vitis rotundifolia)

NPS/Scott Sharaga

A grouping of palm trees on an historic pier.
Palmetto Palm (Sabal palmetto)

NPS/J. Irving

A small pink flower grows from a crack between a sidewalk and a wall.
Pink Purslane (Portulaca pilosa)

NPS/J. Irving

A purple flower on a bush.
Purple Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata)

NPS/J. Irving

A pink flower with a darker center.
Salt Marsh Morning Glory (Ipomoea sagittata)

NPS/J. Irving

Long grass in muddy ground.
Saltgrass (Distichlis spicata)

NPS/Cape Cod National Seashore

red leaves on black twigs.
Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)

NPS/Buffalo National River

Saw palmettos in a dense forest.
Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens)

NPS Photo

Close up on a small yellow flower.
Sea Ox-eye (Borrichia frutescens)

NPS/J. Irving

Small yellow flowers on thin green stalks.
Seaside Goldenrod (Solidago sempervirens)

NPS/Varuna Vaughn

A bush next to a wayside.
Wax Myrtle (Myrica cerifera)

NPS/Gulf Islands National Seashore

Branches with oval leaves and red berries.
Yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria)

NPS Photo

Last updated: July 21, 2025

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

41 Cockspur Island Road
Savannah, GA 31410

Phone:

(912) 219-4233

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