Guide to Recommended Plants for Wet Areas

All of the following grow well in average, well-drained or damp soils, but not all of the plants will tolerate waterlogged or saturated soils. Plants marked with an asterisk (8) also will grow well in moist soils or locations that are occasionally wet (but not frequently saturated or covered with standing water for more than 24 hours). Plants indicated with two asterisks (**) will tolerate soils or locations that are moist or more frequently flooded, especially if planted 4-6” higher than the existing grade. The varieties are listed in alphabetical order (by Botanical name), and flowering plants and Evergreens are indicated in accordance with the key below.

**Red Choke Cherry (Aronia arbutifolia ‘Brilliant’) (F-W)

**Swamp Azalea (Azalea viscosa) (F-W/P)

Pinxterbloom Azalea (Azalea nudiflora) (F-P)

** Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) (F-W)

**Sweet Pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia) (F-W,P)

**Red Twig Dogwood (Cornus alba Sibirica) (red stems – winter)

Forsythia varieties (Forsythia) (F-Y)

* Witch Hazel (Hamamelis varieties) (F-Y, O, R)

* Inkberry (Ilex glabra) (E)

**Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) (red berries in fall-winter)

**Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) (F-W)

**French Pussy Willow (Salix discolor) (F-W)

**Shrub Willows (Salix) – many varieties

Highbush Blueberry (Viccinium corymbosum) (F-W)

Elderberry (Sambucus sp.)

**Arrowwood (Viburum dentatum) (F-W)

*  American Cranberry Bush (Viburnum trilobum) (F-W)

*  October Glory Red maple (Acer rubrum ‘October Glory’)

*  Red Sunset Maple (Acer rubrum ‘Red Sunset’)

*  Silver Maple (Acer rubrum ‘Red Sunset’)

Shadbush (Amelanchier varieties) (F-W)

**River Birch (Betula nigra, incl. ‘Heritage’)

*  Paper White Birch (Betula papyrifera)

Other Birch varieties (Betula species)

*  Katsura Tree (Cercidiphyllum japonicum)

White Fringe (Chionanthus virvinicus) F-W)

*  Cornelian Cherry (Cornus mas) (F-Y)

Hawthorn (Crataegus) varieties (F-W, P, R)

**Sweet Gum (Liquidambar styracflua)

*  Sweet Bay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana ‘Glauca’) (F-W)

Flowering Crabapple (Malus varieties) (F-W, P, R)

*  Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides)

**Sour Gum or Pepperidge (Nyssa sylvatica)

*  White Spruce (Picea Glauca)

*  Poplar varieties (Populus)

**Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor)

**Pin Oak (Quercus palustris)

**Golden Twig Weeping Willow (Salix ‘Niobe’)

**Other Willow (Salix) varieties

**Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum)

American arborvitae varieties (Thuja occidentalis varieties) (E)

    LADY’S Mantle (Alchemilla mollis) (F-Y)

*  Goatsbeard (Aruncus dioicus) (F-W)

*  Astilbe varieties (Astilbe) (F-R, P, W)

Masterwort (Astrantia) (F-W, P, R)

Bergenia (Bergenia) varieties (F-W, P, R)

**Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris)

*  Snakeroot (Climicifuga racemose) (F-W)

*  Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium sp.) (P, W)

*  Meadowsweet (filipendula) varieties (F-W, P)

Daylily (Hemerocallis varieties) (F-Y, P, R, O)

**March Mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos) (F-P, W)

*  Plantain Lily or Funkia (Hosta) varieties (F-W, L)

*  Japanese Iris (Iris ensata) (F-B, W, R, PR)

**Siberian Iris (Iris sibirica) (F-B, W)

**Blue Flag (Iris versicolor)

** Ligularia (Ligularia varieties) (F-Y)

**Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) (F-R)

**Gooseneck Loosestrife (Lysimachia clethroides) F-W)

**Mazus (Mazus reptans) (F-B)

**Virginia Bluebells (Martaensia virginica)

**Bee Balm (Monarda didyma) (F-R, P)

**Forget-Me-Not (Myosotis sylvatica) (F-B)

*  False Dragonhead (Physostegia virginiana) (F-W, P)

*  Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum)

Jacob’s Ladder (Polemonium caeruleum) (F-B)

Primrose (Primula varieties) (F-W, P, R)

**Rodger’s Flower (Rodgersia varieties) (F-P/R)

**Meadow Rue (Thalictrum varieties) (F-Y, P)

**Spiderwort (Trandescantia x andersonia Hybrid) (F-B, R, W)

**Globe Flower (Trollius europaeus) (F-Y)

**March Blue Violet (Viola cucullata)

*  Spinulose Wood Fern (Dryopteris austriaca spinulosa)

*  Crested Wood Fern (Dryopteris cristata)

**Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia pennsylvanica)

** Cinnamon Fern (Osmunda cinnamomea)

**Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis)

**Sweet Flag (Acorus gramineus ‘Varigatus’)

*  Golden Japanese Sedge Grass (Carex morrowii ‘Old Gold’)

*  Japanese Sedge Grass (Carex morrowii ‘Variegata’)

Pampas Grass (Cortaderia selloana)

*  Tufted Hair Grass (Deshampsia caespitusa)

Red Switch Grass (Panicum virgatum ‘Haense Herms’)

**Ribbon Grass (Phalaris arund.)