Plant Guide with Characteristics, Classification, and other detailed information

Plant Guide

Iva frutescens L.
Jesuit's bark
IVFR

Summary
Duration	Perennial
Growth Habit	Subshrub, Forb/herb
U.S. Nativity	Native to U.S.
Federal T/E Status
National Wetland Indicator	FACW, FACW+

Morphology/Physiology
Active Growth Period	Spring and Summer
After Harvest Regrowth Rate
Bloat	None
C:N Ratio	High
Coppice Potential	No
Fall Conspicuous	No
Fire Resistant	No
Flower Color	White
Flower Conspicuous	Yes
Foliage Color	Green
Foliage Porosity Summer	Dense
Foliage Porosity Winter	Moderate
Foliage Texture	Coarse
Fruit/Seed Color	White
Fruit/Seed Conspicuous	No
Growth Form	Multiple Stem
Growth Rate	Moderate
Height at 20 Years, Maximum (feet)	9
Height, Mature (feet)	9
Known Allelopath	No
Leaf Retention	No
Lifespan	Long
Low Growing Grass	No
Nitrogen Fixation
Resprout Ability	Yes
Shape and Orientation	Vase
Toxicity	None

Growth Requirements
Adapted to Coarse Textured Soils	Yes
Adapted to Fine Textured Soils	Yes
Adapted to Medium Textured Soils	Yes
Anaerobic Tolerance	High
CaCO3 Tolerance	Medium
Cold Stratification Required	No
Drought Tolerance	Low
Fertility Requirement	Low
Fire Tolerance	Medium
Frost Free Days, Minimum	200
Hedge Tolerance	Medium
Moisture Use	High
pH, Minimum	5
pH, Maximum	5.7
Planting Density per Acre, Minimum	1200
Planting Density per Acre, Maximum	2700
Precipitation, Minimum	35
Precipitation, Maximum	65
Root Depth, Minimum (inches)	16
Salinity Tolerance	High
Shade Tolerance	Intolerant
Temperature, Minimum (°F)	2

Reproduction
Bloom Period	Late Summer
Commercial Availability	Routinely Available
Fruit/Seed Abundance	High
Fruit/Seed Period Begin	Summer
Fruit/Seed Period End	Fall
Fruit/Seed Persistence	Yes
Propagated by Bare Root	Yes
Propagated by Bulb	No
Propagated by Container	Yes
Propagated by Corm	No
Propagated by Cuttings	No
Propagated by Seed	Yes
Propagated by Sod	No
Propagated by Sprigs	No
Propagated by Tubers	No
Seed per Pound	800000
Seed Spread Rate	Moderate
Seedling Vigor	Low
Small Grain	No
Vegetative Spread Rate	None

Suitability/Use
Berry/Nut/Seed Product	No
Christmas Tree Product	No
Fodder Product	No
Fuelwood Product	None
Lumber Product	No
Naval Store Product	No
Nursery Stock Product	Yes
Palatable Browse Animal	Low
Palatable Graze Animal	Low
Palatable Human	No
Post Product	No
Protein Potential	Low
Pulpwood Product	No
Veneer Product	No

Kingdom Plantae -- Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta -- Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta -- Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta -- Flowering plants

Class Magnoliopsida -- Dicotyledons

Subclass Asteridae

Order Asterales

Family Asteraceae -- Aster family

Genus Iva L. -- marshelder P

Species Iva frutescens L. -- Jesuit's bark P

Alternate Names

High-tide bush

Uses

The marsh elder is normally associated with the mid to high marsh ecosystem, forming the last line of defense for shoreline erosion control. More recently this species has become associated with the lower marsh system by colonizing the dredged material resulting from construction of ditches and ponds for mosquito control.

Habitat: During extreme high tides, both small mammals and birds have been reported to use emergent vegetation as island of refuge. The marsh elder would readily serve this purpose. Marsh elder also provides suitable nesting habitats for various species of birds, like the red-winged blackbird and the marsh wren.

Status

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status (e.g. threatened or endangered species, state noxious status, and wetland indicator values).

Description

Marsh elder is a perennial, deciduous shrub commonly growing between 3-8 feet high. The succulent leaves are egg-shaped to narrowly lance-shaped and oppositely arranged except for the upper reduced leaves. The lower leaves grow 4-6 inches long and 1-2 inches wide. Many greenish-white flower heads are arranged on terminal stems subtended by tiny green, leaf-like appendages. It is often confused with groundsel (Baccharis halimifolia) which exhibits succulent, coarsely-toothed leaves alternately arranged on the stem.

Adaptation and Distribution

The marsh elder naturally grows in the mid to high salt marsh-estuarine area, back dunes, and on muddy sea shores from Massachusetts to Florida and Texas. Here it commonly occurs with groundsel tree to form the salt bush community. These plants usually only occur at elevations where their roots are not subject to prolonged water table flooding, such as the upland border of salt marshes. However, there are occasional exceptions where these associated plants are found at lower elevations associated with drainage ditches and canals.

For a current distribution map, please consult the Plant Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Website.

Establishment

Marsh elder is generally established as 1 to 2 year old containerized plants, however 1 year bare root seedlings have been transplanted successfully in the spring. Since this plant has the ability to root from a dormant, unrooted cutting it may have application in soil bioengineering systems for tidal shoreline stabilization.

Management

No specific management recommended.

Pests and Potential Problems

None.

Environmental Concerns

None.

Cultivars, Improved, and Selected Materials (and area of origin)

Plants are commercially available from specialized coastal and wetland plant nurseries.

Prepared By & Species Coordinators:

Christopher Miller, PMS-Southern NE/Mid-Atlantic, USDA NRCS, Somerset, New Jersey

William Skaradek, Mgr.

Cape May Plant Materials Center, Cape May Court House, New Jersey

Edited: 05Feb2002 JLK; 060801 jsp

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS Web site<https://plants.usda.gov> or the Plant Materials Program Web site <https://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov>

Attribution: U.S. Department of Agriculture