TRENTON-HAMILTON MARSHES
Mercer County, NJ


Directions:

Route 1 south into Trenton, where it becomes the Trenton Freeway Exit at Route 206 (S. Broad Street) south; travel for about 1.5 miles to Sewell Avenue (in the 1800 block, 1 block past Holy Angels Church); turn right and go to the end of the paved road; turn left on the dirt road and park in the large parking area at the marsh.


History:

pre-colonial times  --  the Hamilton-Trenton Marsh was home to Native Americans for some 10,000 years.

The marsh was once the site of the White City Amusement Park.

1834  --  D&R Canal completed.  As the canal boats headed north toward Trenton from the Crosswicks Creek area, the canal and the railroad passed through the marsh.


Description:

Just south of Trenton lies one of the largest and most diverse freshwater marshes in central New Jersey. Similar to the larger Tinicum Marsh in Philadelphia, Trenton Marsh consists of over 300 acres of swamps, tidal marshes, shallow ponds, and creeks. This is the northern limit of the tides. To the north, the river must cut its way through the harder rocks of the Piedmont. Here it can spread out across the gentler contours of the coastal plain. The current flows and sediments collect in the shallows, encouraging the development of the marshes.

From the parking area, walk along the causeway toward the woods. The cattail marsh on the right attracts many birds including common snipes, common gallinules, and sora, Virginia, and king rails. The shallow pond to the left of the causeway draws waterfowl and pied-billed grebes in early spring. The plants are similar to those at Tinicum. Principal species include broad leaved and narrow leaved cattails, bur marigolds, smartweeds, common arrowheads, and wild rice. Buttonbush and alder are the most common shrubs.

When one enters the woodland at the far end of the causeway, two trails begin. The trail to the right travels through a swamp dominated by pin oak, silver and red maples, river birch, arrowwood, and spicebush. The trail to the left leads to another pond. After about 150 yards this trail intersects a crossdike. Turn right here and look for birds.


PLANT LIST:

Drs. Mary and Charles Leck


At Waterfront Park:
Lepidium virginicum poor man's pepper
Eleusine indica goose grass
Oenothera biennis common evening primrose 9/06/97
Setaria faberi Faber's foxtail
Ailanthus altissima tree-of-heaven
Scutellaria lateriflora maddog skullcap 9/06/97
Euphorbia nutans upright spotted spurge 9/06/97
Conyza canadensis horseweed
Calystegia sepium hedge bind weed
Lythrum salicaria purple loosestrife 9/06/97
Cornus amomum swamp dogwood
Ludwigia palustris water purslane
Acer saccharinum silver maple
Eupatorium rugosum white snakeroot 9/06/97
Acer negundo box elder
Amorpha fruticosa false indigo
Scirpus strigosus umbrella sedge
Marchantia polymorpha ? liverwort
Lonicera japonica Japanese honeysuckle
Polygonum lapathifolium? nodding knotweed
Verbena urticifolia white vervain 9/06/97
Paulownia tomentosa empress tree
Eupatorium serotinum later flowering boneset 9/06/97
Rubus phoenicolasius wineberry
Cenchrus longispinus field sandbur
Phytolacca americana pokeweed 9/06/97
Verbascum thapsus common mullein
Wisteria sp. wisteria
Juglans nigra black walnut
Echinochloa crusgalli barnyard grass
Digitaria ischaemum smooth crab grass
Sicyos angulatus one-seeded bur-cucumber
Chenopodium ambrosioides Mexican tea
Myriophyllum sp. water milfoil
Sagina procumbens pearlwort 9/06/97
Boehmeria cylindrica false nettle
Galium sp. a dainty bedstraw ?
Datura stramonium jimsonweed


Duck Island:

Trees:
Acer negundo (box elder maple)
Acer rubrum (red maple)
Acer saccharinum (silver maple)
Ailanthus altissima (tree-of-heaven)
Albizia julibrissin (silk tree)
Alnus serrulata (smooth alder)
Betula nigra (river birch)
Fagus grandifolia (American beech)
Gleditsia triacanthos (honey locust)
Ilex opaca (American holly)
Juglans nigra (black walnut)
Liriodendron tulipifera (tulip tree)
Paulownia tomentosa (empress tree)
Phellodendron sp. (cork tree)
Pinus strobus (white pine)
Pinus virginiana (scrub pine) 2 needles, 3" long, green, not twisted
Platanus occidentalis (sycamore)
Populus deltoides (cottonwood)
Prunus serotina (black cherry)
Ptelea trifoliata (hop tree)
Pyrus sp. (crab apple)  4/14/06
Quercus palustris (pin oak)
Quercus prinus (chestnut oak)
Robinia pseudoacacia (black locust)
Salix sp. (willow)
Sassafras albidum (sassafras)
Tilia americana (American basswood)
Ulmus americana (American elm)


Shrubs:
Amorpha fruticosa (false indigo)
Aronia arbutifolia (red chokeberry)
Cephalanthus occidentalis (buttonbush)
Clethra alnifolia (sweet pepperbush) 8/28/93
Cornus amomum (swamp dogwood)
Corylus americana (American hazel-nut)
Elaeagnus sp. (elaeagnus)
Ligustrum obtusifolium ? (privet)
Ligustrum ovalifolium (privet)
Lindera benzoin (spicebush)  4/14/06
Lonicera morrowii (Morrow's honeysuckle)
Rhus typhina (staghorn sumac)
Rubus phoenicolasius (wineberry)
Rubus sp. (blackberry)
Staphylea trifolia (bladdernut)
Thuja occidentalis (arbor-vitae)
Viburnum dentatum (arrowwood viburnum)
Viburnum prunifolium (blackhaw viburnum)
 

Vines:
Ampelopsis brevipedunculata (porcelain berry)
Campsis radicans (trumpet creeper)
Clematis terniflora (sweet autumn clematis) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Clematis virginiana (virgin's bower) 9/06/97
Cuscuta gronovii (dodder) 9/06/97
Dioscorea villosa (wild yam root)
Hibiscus trionum (flower of an hour) 9/15/96
Humulus sp. (Japanese hops) 8/28/93
Lonicera japonica (Japanese honeysuckle) 8/28/93 9/06/97
Menispermum canadense (moonseed)
Mikania scandens (climbing false hempweed) 8/28/93 9/06/97 9/15/96
Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper)
Polygonum scandens (climbing false buckwheat) 8/28/93 9/06/97 vine
Strophostyles helvula (trailing wild bean) 8/28/93 9/06/97 9/15/96
Toxicodendron radicans (poison ivy)
Vitis vulpina (frost grape)
 

Herbs:
Abutilon theophrasti (velvetleaf) 8/28/93
Acalypha rhomboidea (three-seeded mercury)
Achillea millefolium (yarrow) 8/28/93
Agalinis purpurea (gerardia) 9/06/97
Agastache nepetoides (yellow giant hyssop) 447 terminal infl; OT lvs egg-shaped
Alisma subcordatum (small water plantain)
Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard)  4/14/06
Allium vineale (field garlic)
Amaranthus cannabinus (water hemp) 9/06/97
Amaranthus tuberculatus (water hemp) 9/15/96
Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Ambrosia trifida (giant ragweed) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Amphicarpaea bracteata (hog peanut) 8/28/93
Apocynum androsaemifolium (spreading dogbane)
Arabis canadensis (sicklepod)
Arisaema triphyllum (jack-in-pulpit)
Artemisia annua (annual woodworm) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Artemisia vulgaris (common mugwort) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed)
Aster cordifolius (heart-leaved aster) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Aster ericoides (heath aster) many flowered aster 9/06/97
Aster pilosus (heath aster) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Aster puniceus (purple-stemmed aster) 9/06/97 9/15/96 stem stout, reddish, hry; flwrs violet
Atriplex hastata (spearscale)
Atriplex patula (orache)
Bidens bidentoides (southern estuarine beggar ticks) 9/06/97 9/15/96 endangered
Bidens bipinnata (Spanish needles)
Bidens connata (swamp beggar ticks) 9/06/97 discoid head; lvs simple, stalked
Bidens frondosa (beggar ticks) 9/06/97
Bidens laevis (larger bur marigold) 9/06/97 9/15/96 well-dev head; lvs simple, sessile
Bidens polylepis (Ozark tickseed sunflower) 9/06/97 well-dev head; lvs divided
Boehmeria cylindrica (false nettle)
Cacalia atriplicifolia (pale Indian-plantain)
Cardamine hirsuta (hairy bittercress)  4/14/06
Centaurea dubia (short-fringed knapweed) heads rel. narrow; black bract tips
Centaurea maculosa (spotted knapweed) 9/06/97
Centaurea vochinensis (tyrol knapweed)
Chamaecrista fasiculata (partridge pea)
Chamaecrista nictitans (wild sensitive plant)
Chelidonium majus (celandine)
Chelone sp. (turtlehead)
Chenopodium album (pigweed) 8/28/93 9/15/96
Chenopodium ambrosioides (Mexican tea) 9/15/96
Cicuta bulbifera (bulb-bearing water hemlock) small umbels; narrow lflets
Circaea lutetiana (enchanter's nightshade)
Cirsium canadense (Canada thistle) 9/06/97
Cirsium vulgare (bull thistle) 9/06/97
Commelina communis (Asiatic dayflower) 8/28/93 9/06/97 9/15/96
Conyza canadensis (horseweed) 8/28/93 9/06/97 9/15/96
Corydalis flavula (yellow corydalis)  4/14/06
Crotolaria sagittalis (rattle box)
Cryptotaenia canadensis (honewort)
Daucus carota (Queen Anne's lace) 9/06/97
Desmodium canadense (showy tick trefoil)
Desmodium paniculatum (tick trefoil) 9/06/97
Diodia teres (buttonweed) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Echium vulgare (viper's bugloss) 9/06/97
Eclipta alba (yerba-de-tajo) 9/06/97 9/15/96 536 very short, white rays; OT narrow, remotely serrulate
Elodea nuttallii (Nuttall's elodea)
Elsholtzia ciliata (elsholtzia) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Epifagus virginiana (beech drops)
Epilobium coloratum (purple-leaved willow herb) 9/06/97
Erechtites hieracifolia (pilewort) 8/28/93
Erigeron annuus (daisy fleabane) 8/28/93 9/15/96
Eupatorium altissimum (tall boneset) 9/06/97 lvs with a few small teeth
Eupatorium dubium (eastern joe pye weed) round infl; purple spotted stem; 3 main veins; corrugated
Eupatorium hyssopifolium (hyssop-leaved boneset) 9/06/97 narrow leaves
Eupatorium maculatum (spotted joe pye weed)
Eupatorium perfoliatum (boneset) 8/28/93 distinctive pierced leaves
Eupatorium rotundifolium (round-leaved boneset) lvs coarsely toothed; teeth blunt, sessile, arbor-vitae outline
Eupatorium rugosum (white snakeroot) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Eupatorium serotinum (late Joe-Pye weed) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Euphorbia maculata (milk purslane)
Euphorbia nutans (upright spurge) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Euphorbia presylii (spurge) 9/06/97
Euthamia graminifolia (grass-leaved goldenrod) 9/15/96
Galium aparine (cleavers)
Galium palustre (marsh bedstraw) 9/06/97
Geum canadense (white avens)
Gnaphalium obtusifolium (sweet everlasting) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Helenium autumnale (sneezeweed) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Helianthus decapetalus (thin-leaved sunflower) 9/06/97
Helianthus tuberosus (Jerusalem artichoke) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Hemerocallis fulva (tawny day lily)
Heteranthera multiflora (mud plantain) 822 filament hairs purple; spike elongating well out of the spathe;
Heteranthera reniformis (kidney-leaved mud plantain)
Heterotheca subaxillaris (camphorweed) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Hibiscus moscheutos (swamp rose mallow) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Hypericum mutilum (dwarf St. Johnswort) 9/06/97
Hypericum perforatum (common St. Johnswort) 9/06/97
Impatiens capensis (orange touch-me-not) 8/28/93 9/06/97 9/15/96
Iris versicolor (blue flag)
Lactuca biennis (tall blue lettuce) 8/28/93 lvs deeply lobed; some long pointed
Lactuca canadensis (wild lettuce) 9/06/97
Lactuca serriola (prickly lettuce) 8/28/93
Lamium purpureum (purple dead nettle)  4/14/06
Laportea canadensis (wood nettle) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Lechea sp. (mucronata?) (pinweed)
Lemna major (duckweed)
Lepidium virginicum (poor man's pepper)
Lespedeza capitata (round-headed bush clover)
Lespedeza cuneata (Chinese clover) 9/06/97 9/15/96 with mucronate tips
Lespedeza striata (Japanese clover)
Lilium canadense (Canada lily) w/ whorled lvs
Linaria vulgaris (butter-and-eggs) 8/28/93 9/06/97
Lindernia dubia (false pimpernel)
Lobelia cardinalis (cardinal flower)
Lobelia inflata (Indian tobacco lobelia)
Ludwigia palustris (water purslane)
Lycopus americanus (bugleweed) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Lycopus virginicus (Virginia bugleweed) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Lythrum salicaria (purple loosestrife) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Medicago lupulina (black medick)
Melilotus alba (white sweet clover)
Mimulus alatus (winged monkey flower) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Mimulus ringens (monkey flower) 9/06/97
Mirabilis nyctaginea (wild four-o-clock)
Mollugo verticillata (carpetweed) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Myosotis laxa (smaller forget-me-nots) 9/06/97
Myosotis scorpioides (forget-me-not) 9/06/97
Nuphar advena (southern pond lily) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Nuphar variegata (spatterdock)
Oenothera biennis (common evening primrose) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Oxalis stricta (yellow wood sorrel) 8/28/93 9/06/97
Peltandra virginica (arrow arum)
Penthorum sedoides (ditch stonecrop) 9/06/97
Perilla frutescens (perilla mint) 9/15/96
Phytolacca americana (pokeweed)
Pilea pumila (clearweed) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Plantago lanceolata (English plantain)
Plantago major (common plantain)
Polygonatum biflorum (true Solomon's seal)
Polygonum amphibium (water smartweed)
Polygonum arifolium (halberd-leaved tearthumb) 9/06/97
Polygonum caespitosum (long-bristled smartweed) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Polygonum cuspidatum (Japanese knotweed) 9/06/97 lvs broad
Polygonum lapathifolium (mild water pepper) 9/06/97 9/15/96 4 petals
Polygonum pensylvanicum (pink knotweed) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Polygonum persicaria (lady's thumb) 9/06/97
Polygonum punctatum (dotted smartweed) 9/06/97 9/15/96 flwrs gland-dotted
Polygonum saggitatum (arrow-leaved tearthumb) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Polygonum virginianum (jumpseed) 8/28/93
Pontederia cordata (pickerelweed) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Portulaca oleracea (common purslane)
Potentilla norvegica (rough cinquefoil) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Potentilla simplex (common cinquefoil)
Prenanthes trifoliata (tall rattlesnake root) 8/28/93
Prunella vulgaris (self-heal) 8/28/93
Ranunculus abortivus (kidney-leaved crowfoot)  4/14/06
Ranunculus ficaria (lesser celandine)  4/14/06
Rudbeckia laciniata (green-headed coneflower) 8/28/93
Sagittaria latifolia (broad-leaved arrowhead) 8/28/93 9/06/97 9/15/96
Sagittaria subulata (water arrowhead)
Sanicula gregaria (clustered snakeroot)
Saponaria officinalis (bouncing bet)
Scrophularia marilandica (Maryland figwort) undev stamen purple or brown; OT lvs less coarsely toothed
Scutellaria galericulata (marsh skullcap) 9/06/97 (used to be E. epilobiifolia)
Scutellaria lateriflora (maddog skullcap) 9/15/96
Sicyos angulatus (one-seeded bur-cucumber)
Silene stellata (starry campion)
Sium suave (water parsnip) 9/06/97
Solanum nigrum (black nightshade) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Solidago canadensis (Canada goldenrod) 8/28/93 9/06/97 9/15/96
Solidago juncea (early goldenrod) 9/06/97 9/15/96 plume; basal lvs bigger; 2 types of lvs
Solidago nemoralis (gray goldenrod) plume; basal lvs bigger
Solidago odora (sweet goldenrod)
Solidago rugosa (rough-stemmed goldenrod) 9/15/96
Solidago rugosum (rough goldenrod) 9/06/97
Solidago sempervirens (seaside goldenrod) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Sonchus asper (spiny-leaved sow thistle) 8/28/93
Sparganium eurycarpum (great burreed) lvs stiff & flat; plant us over 3' high; 2 stigmas
Spirodela polyrhiza (spirodela)
Stachys palustris (marsh hedge-nettle) 9/06/97
Stachys tenuifolia (smooth hedge-nettle)
Stellaria media (common chickweed) 4/14/06
Symplocarpus foetidus (skunk cabbage)
Taraxacum officinale (dandelion)  4/14/06
Thalictrum pubescens (tall meadow rue)
Trichostema dichotomum (blue curls) 8/28/93 9/06/97
Trifolium arvense (rabbit foot clover) 9/06/97
Trifolium hybridum (alsike clover) 9/06/97
Trifolium pratense (red clover) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Trifolium repens (white clover) 9/15/96
Typha angustifolia (narrow leaved cattail)
Typha latifolia (broad leaved cattail)
Verbascum blattaria (moth mullein)
Verbascum thapsus (common mullein)
Verbena urticifolia (white vervain) 9/06/97
Vernonia noveboracensis (New York ironweed) 9/06/97 9/15/96
Xanthium strumarium v. canadense (common clotbur)
 

Rushes:
Juncus acuminatus (rush)
Juncus effusus (soft rush)
 

Sedges:
Carex comosa (bottle-brush sedge)
Carex crinita
Carex lupulina
Carex lurida (sallow sedge)
Carex stricta (tussock sedge)
Cyperus bipartitus (used to be C. rivularis)
Cyperus esculentus (yellow nutsedge)
Cyperus flavescens (yellow flat sedge)
Cyperus lupulinus (false nut sedge)
Cyperus microiria (flat sedge)
Cyperus strigosus (umbrella sedge)
Dulichium arundinacea (three-way sedge)
Eleocharis acicularis (spike-rush)
Eleocharis ovata (spike-rush) (used to be E. obtusa)
Scirpus atrovirens v atrovirens (includes S. georgianus with its 0-3 short bristles)
Scirpus cyperinus (wool grass bulrush)
Scirpus fluviatilis (river bulrush)
Scirpus smithii (blunt scale bulrush) (includes S. purschianus)
Scirpus polyphyllus (bulrush)
Scirpus pungens (common three square)
Scirpus smithii (blunt scale bulrush) (includes S. purschianus)
Scirpus validus (softstem bulrush) (includes S. tabermontanae)
 

Grasses:
Agrostis gigantea (redtop grass)
Agrostis pectanacia
Agrostis stolonifera (red top grass)
Arthraxon hispidus (spade-like stem leaf)
Bromus inermis (smooth brome grass)
Bromus pubescens (brome grass)
Calamagrostis canadensis (Canada blue joint grass)
Cinna arundinacea (wood reedgrass)
Digitaria ischaemum (crab grass)
Digitaria sanquinalis (crab grass)
Echinochloa crusgalli (barnyard grass)
Echinochloa muricata (barnyard grass) spikelets commonly purplish, but sheaths glabrous
Eleusine indica (goose grass)
Elymus hystrix (bottlebrush grass)
Elymus virginicus (wild rye grass)
Eragrostis cilianensis (stink grass)
Eragrostis curvula (weeping lovegrass)
Eragrostis pectinacea (eragrostis grass)
Eragrostis spectabilis (purple lovegrass)
Leersia orysoides (rice cut grass)
Leersia virginica (white grass)
Microstegium vimineum (Japanese stilt grass)
Muhlenbergia frondosa (leafy dropseed)
Muhlenbergia schreberi (nimblewill)
Panicum capillare (old witch panic grass)
Panicum clandestinum (deer tongue panic grass)
Panicum dichotomiflorum (fall panic grass)
Phragmites australis (giant reed grass)
Poa annua (annual bluegrass)
Schizachyrium scoparium (little blue stem grass)
Setaria faberi (Faber's foxtail grass)
Setaria glauca (yellow foxtail grass)
Setaria viridis (green foxtail grass)
Sporobolus vaginiflorus ? (poverty grass)
Tridens flavus (purple top or grease grass)
Triplasis purpurea (purple sandgrass)
Zizania aquatica (wild rice)

Ferns:
Athyrium filix-femina (lady fern)
Botrychium dissectum (grape fern)
Dryopteris marginalis (marginal shield fern)
Onoclea sensibilis (sensitive fern)
Osmunda cinnamomea (cinnamon fern)
Thelypteris noveboracensis (New York fern)
Thelypteris palustris (marsh fern)
Woodwardia areolata (netted chain fern)
 


Wolfiella gladiata (w. floridana) was found in Sturgeon Pond (east of  highway) on 21 October 2000 and relocated in November 2001 with David Snyder. At these times only small numbers of plants were found interspersed among e.g., Ricciocarpus natans.  Mary and Charles Leck.


4/14/06.

Stopped briefly to see what was in bloom.  Found a few things.  Dr. Patrick L. Cooney.