PROTECTING WISCONSIN'S BIODIVERSITY

 
 
   
 
Scientific Name Common Name Global Rank State Rank Federal Status WI Status

Swamp Agrimony (Agrimonia parviflora)

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Photo by Aaron Carlson

 

Counties with Mapped NHI Occurrences

Swamp Agrimony (Agrimonia parviflora), a Wisconsin Special Concern plant, is found in wet woodland patches and ditches, oak-hickory forests, and margins of calcareous marshes. Blooming occurs throughout July, fruiting early-August through early-September. The optimal identification period for this species is early-August through early-September.

 
 
 

Swamp agrimony is an erect forb20-30cm tall, with a spike-like raceme interrupted, borne on a long, densely hairy stalk. Its flowers have 5 small yellow petals. Flower clusters are covered in short, fine hairs with occasional longer hairs. It has 2 achenes enclosed by a brown calyx tube that is covered with hooked bristles. It has numerous narrow leaflets with unusually numerous tiny leaflets interspersed between adjacent pairs of large leaflets. Leaves are pinnately compound with 11-23 large leaflets, smaller leaflets or bracts in between. Leaflets are narrow, lance-shaped, serrated and sparingly hairy on underside.

Rhizomatous. Blooming occurs throughout July, fruiting occurs early-August through early-September.

Perennial. The optimal identification period for this species is early-August through early-September.

Associated species include Aster species, Bidens species, Acer negundo, A saccharinum, Urtica dioica, Gentianopsis procera, Cornus stolonifera, and Betula sandbergii.

Swamp agrimony is found in wet woodland patches and ditches, oak-hickory forests, and the margins of calcareous marshes.

Avoid known individual plant locations and conduct operations elsewhere when they are least likely to cause damage. Ideally, this would involve frozen, snow-covered ground. However, in areas of the state where frozen conditions are unreliable, very dry soils late in the growing season might be the best available alternative. Consult with a biologist, if needed.

Avoid broadcast spraying of herbicides and use care with spot spraying.

Avoid site preparation that heavily disturbs herbaceous ground layer and soil, including bulldozing and furrowing, as well as grubbing and stump removal.

Prescribed burns and/or brushing may be beneficial, dependent on local site conditions and burn frequency. Rotational burns with annual unburned refugia may be preferred.

Minimize disturbance to hydrology, including soil disturbance from rutting.

Maintain and restore open habitat through selective clearing and brushing.

Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) are associated with habitats (or natural communities) and places on the landscape. Understanding relationships among SGCN, natural communities and ecological landscapes help us make decisions about issues affecting SGCN and their habitat and how to respond. Download the Wildlife Action Plan association score spreadsheet to explore rare species, natural communities and ecological landscape associations

Conservation actions respond to issues or threats, which adversely affect species of greatest conservation need (SGCN) or their habitats. Besides actions such as restoring wetlands or planting resilient tree species in northern communities, research, surveys and monitoring are also among conservation actions described in the Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan because lack of information can threaten our ability to successfully preserve and care for natural resources.