Padilla Bay Reserve, Washington

Flora (Plant Life)

In underwater eelgrass meadows, tiny phytoplankton (microscopic plants) float in the water and grow on the surface of the mud and seagrasses. In the intertidal and subtidal areas of Padilla Bay, there are vast underwater meadows of seagrasses. These grasses help stabilize the substrate (mud) and provide food and shelter for a great number of estuarine creatures. There are two species of seagrass in Padilla Bay: Zostera marina or eelgrass (native to Padilla Bay)and Zostera japonica (a nonnative species). Red, green and brown algae are found attached to bits of shell buried in the mud or to the seagrasses themselves. Almost all of the salt marsh habitat associated with Padilla Bay was diked and drained before 1900 for farm land. The fringe of salt marshes that remains commonly has salt grass (Distichlis spicata), salt bush (Atriplex patula), pickleweed (Salicornia virginica)and seaside arrowgrass (Triglochin maritimum), among others. There is a nonnative salt marsh plant, Spartina, that is threatening to disrupt native saltwater ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest. Spartina encroaches into salt marsh and mud flat habitats, crowding out native plants and animals. Where there is more freshwater influence, such as along sloughs, plants like Lyngby's sedge and tufted hair grass may be found.

The terrestrial flora around Padilla Bay, aside from the agricultural fields and diked areas, consists of second-growth forests of mixed conifers, broad leaf trees and occasional pastures. Forests are dominated primarily by Douglas-fir, western red cedar, red alder, Pacific madrone and big leaf maple. The understory includes salal, Oregon grape, stinging nettle, Indian plum and ocean spray.

For more information about plants and animals in Padilla Bay go to the Creature Feature at the Reserve Web Page.

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