In general, this community is dominated by coyote willow, false indigo, eastern cottonwood, and diamond willow. Red-osier dogwood is locally abundant. Prevalent understory species include common ragweed, fog fruit, prairie cordgrass, narrowleaf aster, Canada goldenrod, cocklebur, and Japanese brome. Rocky Mountain Forest Small outliers of coniferous vegetation resembling that associated with the Pine Ridge region of Nebraska occur along the North Platte River west from Keith and Garden counties. This habitat type occurs on moderately steep north-facing slopes and in adjacent canyons.
Soils are generally shallow loams or silts formed from the underlying sandstones.
Forbs include shell-leaf penstemon, broom snakeweed, prairie goldenpea, false boneset, scarlet globemallow, Missouri goldenrod, and fringed sage. Typical shrubs include silver sage, chokecherry, prickly rose, poison ivy, and soapweed yucca. Rocky Mountain juniper is the predominant tree species, but green ash and box elder occur occasionally. Wetland Habitats Prairie Wetlands Wetlands on the Sandhills in Nebraska developed as ground water seepage areas in the valleys of wind-deposited sand dunes. Soils of the region are principally fine sands of various taxonomic series.