Planting DesignDiscover the right plants for your garden.
See more onthis rainfall garden . Photo by : Proven Winners .
total a rain garden to your landscape is a way to conserve water by keeping rainwater in your yard instead of having it flow into storm drains and sewer systems . A shallow basin is create to trap runoff , allowing piddle to slow percolate into the stain . Plants help control erosion and filter pollutants , while providing food and home ground for wildlife and insect pollinator .
The dependable rainwater garden plants are moisture - tolerant aboriginal that can also endure dry periods , and are easy adaptable to your neighborhood . Sedges , supergrass , and reeds play a substantial part with their deep tooth root scheme that enable body of water to seep into the soil more efficiently . opt plants establish on your region and hardiness zona , amount of one-year rainfall , light photograph , and soil conditions . Here are some of the best plant to include in your rain garden .
See more onRain Garden Design & benefit
On this page : Rain Garden industrial plant for Full to Partial Sun|Rain Garden Plants for Partial Shade|Other Rain Garden Plants
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RAIN GARDEN PLANTS FOR FULL TO PARTIAL SUN
Summerific ® ' Holy Grail ' rise mallow . Photo : Proven Winners .
ROSE MALLOW (Hibiscus moschuetos)
Zones:4 - 9Habit : Upright shaggy-coated habitHeight / Spread:4 to 5 foot tall , 5 animal foot wideBloom time : Mid - summer to former fall
Use this deciduous shrub in a mixed rainfall garden border , in containers , or as a brook - alone focal point .
hear arise mallow bushes .
visualize : Summerific ® ' Holy Grail’rose mallow from Proven Winners .
Graceful Grasses ® Fiber Optic smoke . Photo : Proven Winners .
FIBER OPTIC GRASS (Isolepis cernua)
Zones:8 - 10Habit : Mounding arching habitHeight / Spread:10 to 14 inches tall and wideBloom time : summertime
Tiny brown flowers that appear along the base tips in summertime give the appearance of a fiber optic lamp , hence the name . Use this delicately textured pasturage - comparable flora in aggregated plantings or containers . Grows at wetland margin in its native habitats .
render : Graceful Grasses ® Fiber Optic grassfrom Proven Winners .
' Pardon My Cerise ' bee balm . Photo : Proven Winners .
BEE BALM (Monardaspp.)
Zones:3 - 9Habit : vertical spreading habitHeight / Spread:10 inches to 4 feet tall , 8 inch to 3 foundation wideBloom sentence : Late spring to other fall
tubelike efflorescence in colouration of blood-red , pink , violet , lavender , or clean are attractive to butterflies and other insect pollinators . Foliage of this mint relation is pungently scented . This North American native perennial can be institute grow in floodplain meadows and along streams and ponds .
Learn bee balm .
Pictured:‘Pardon My Cerise ' bee balmfrom Proven Winners .
' Kobold ' blaze star . Photo : Proven Winners .
BLAZING STAR (Liatrisspp.)
Zones:3 - 9Habit : Upright habitHeight / Spread:1 to 5 fundament tall , 6 inches to 2 feet wideBloom time : summertime to descend
live as gayfeather for the wispy efflorescence plumes , the purple or white spikes draw in bees and other louse pollinators . While some specie of this North American native perennial prefer dry prairie conditions , others can be found develop in moist meadow and soused marshes .
Learn blazing virtuoso .
Pictured:‘Kobold ' blaze starfrom Proven Winners .
Sugar Shack ® button bush . Photo : Proven Winners .
BUTTON BUSH (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
Zones:5 - 9Habit : just shaggy-coated habitHeight / Spread:5 to 12 feet tall , 4 to 8 feet wideBloom clip : Early summertime to former fall
Fragrant white flowers resemble rounded pincushions , creating a spectacular effect in the landscape painting . This moisture - loving deciduous shrub is native to easterly and southerly area of North America , as well as California and Arizona . It can be found growing along river , marsh edges , wet thickets , and swamps . naturalise in a meadow or near a rain garden .
ascertain buttonbush .
show : Sugar Shack ® button bushfrom Proven Winners .
Low Scape Mound ® aronia . Photo : Proven Winners .
CHOKEBERRY (Aroniaspp.)
Zones:3 - 9Habit : just bushy habitHeight / Spread:8 inches to 12 substructure marvelous , 1 - 1/2 to 10 feet wideBloom time : bound
Native to easterly North America , chokeberry can be establish growing in open woodlands , swamp and bog . This deciduous bush with multi - seasonal interest can be naturalized in stiff country where little else will grow . The edible blueberry - similar fruits have a host of health benefits .
Learn chokeberry shrubs .
render : Low Scape Mound ® chokeberryfrom Proven Winners .
Graceful Grasses ® King Tut ® papyrus grass . picture : Proven Winners .
EGYPTIAN PAPYRUS GRASS (Cyperus papyrus)
Zones:9 - 12Habit : Upright habitHeight / Spread:5 to 12 feet tall , 2 to 5 foot wideBloom time : summertime
This grasslike sedge , native to Egypt , is grown for the showy marvelous flower spike that create a tropical event in the landscape . found this water lover in containers or at the edge of a water feature such as a pond , stream , or rainwater garden . May be invasive in southern area .
Pictured : Graceful Grasses ® King Tut ® Egyptian paper plant grassfrom Proven Winners .
Black Lace ® elderberry . Photo : Proven Winners .
ELDERBERRY (Sambucusspp.)
Zones:3 - 9Habit : Upright bushy habitHeight / Spread:3 to 30 feet tall and wideBloom time : fountain to summertime
Named for the comestible yield , elderberry is a deciduous shrub that occurs naturally in receptive forest and along streams in the U.S. and Europe . The lacy or dissected leafage can be green , gold , black , or variegate . Flowers are white-hot or pink , while berries are blue - sinister or ruby .
Learn elderberry .
show : Black Lace ® elderberryfrom Proven Winners .
' Fireworks ' goldenrod . Photo by : Paul S. Drobot / Millette Photomedia .
GOLDENROD (Solidago rugosa)
Zones:3 - 10Habit : Upright habitHeight / Spread:1 to 7 feet tall , 1 to 6 metrical foot wideBloom time : Late summer to fall
A quintessential fall bloomer , goldenrod is known for its bright jaundiced flower plume that are attractive to butterfly and other insect pollinators . Species that choose dampish grime come about of course in wet prairie , shoring meadows , and roadside ditches . Use this reliable perennial as a backcloth plant , or naturalize in a rainfall or meadow garden .
Learn goldenrod .
' Bartered Bride ' Joe Pye weed . picture by : Rob Cardillo .
JOE PYE WEED (Eutrochiumspp.)
Zones:3 - 9Habit : Upright habitHeight / Spread:3 to 8 metrical foot tall , 1 to 5 feet wideBloom time : Mid - summertime to fall
Showy late time of year pink bloom plumes are a favorite of butterfly stroke and other louse pollinators . This North American native perennial grow by nature in roadside ditch , sloshed meadows , and moist thickets . Naturalize in a hayfield or at the edge of a rainfall garden .
watch Joe Pye weed .
Butterfly weed . Photo : Proven Winners .
BUTTERFLY WEED / MILKWEED (Asclepiasspp.)
Zones:3 - 9Habit : Upright habitHeight / Spread:1 to 6 feet improbable , 1 to 3 feet wideBloom clock time : summertime
A crucial food source for monarch butterfly stroke larvae , milkweed is one of the best aboriginal pollinator plant . swampland milkweed and other milkweed mintage thrive in swamp , sloughs , marshes , and roadside ditch . Use this reliable flowering perennial in a home ground pelting garden .
instruct Sonchus oleraceus .
Pictured : butterfly stroke weedfrom Proven Winners .
Grape Crush New England aster . Photo : Proven Winners .
NEW ENGLAND ASTER (Symphyotrichum nova-angliae)
Zones:4 - 8Habit : Upright spreading habitHeight / Spread:2 to 6 feet tall , 1 to 3 understructure wideBloom clock time : Late summer to come down
Daisy - similar flower that come about in colors of pinkish , purple , lilac , or white are a favorite of butterfly and bee . This previous flower North American aboriginal grows of course in moist prairies , along stream banks , ponds , lakes , and roadside ditches . mess in a rain garden with other wildlife - friendly plants .
instruct asters .
Pictured : Grape Crush New England asterfrom Proven Winners .
Vanilla Spice ® summersweet . Photo : Proven Winners .
SUMMERSWEET (Clethra alnifolia)
Zones:4 - 9Habit : good bushy habitHeight / Spread:3 to 8 feet tall , 3 to 6 feet wideBloom sentence : Mid to late summertime
Summersweet is a deciduous bush aboriginal to coastal swamp , woodlands and river shorelines of the easterly and southern U.S. Showy bottlebrush flowers that occur in shades of white or pink are sweet fragrant . Use in a background knowledge industrial plant in a rain garden .
discover summersweet shrubs .
fancy : Vanilla Spice ® summersweetfrom Proven Winners .
Prairie Winds ® ' Apache Rose ' switching grass . exposure : Proven Winners .
SWITCHGRASS (Panicum virgatum)
Zones:5 - 9Habit : Upright habitHeight / Spread:3 to 6 foundation tall , 2 to 3 feet wideBloom time : Late summer to descend
This clumping native grass go on course in wet soils along streams and creeks . windy flower panicles bloom above wispy leaf that starts out green with red highlight , bend gold in dip , then tawny brown for wintertime interest . The deep ascendent system helps to halt corroding and amend land and water quality .
discover switchgrass .
visualise : Prairie Winds ® ' Apache Rose ' permutation grassfrom Proven Winners .
Little Henry ® sweetspire . exposure : Proven Winners .
VIRGINIA SWEETSPIRE (Itea virginica)
Zones:5 - 9Habit : Mounding bushy habitHeight / Spread:3 to 5 feet tall and wideBloom time : Late outpouring to early summer
Arching white bloom spikes on this deciduous shrub make an elegant outcome in the landscape . Foliage turn smart as a whip shades of red , orange , and gold in fall . aboriginal to damp forest , swamps , and pelt slope in the eastern U.S. Use this suckering deciduous bush for eating away ascendance or as a background works .
get word sweetspire shrub .
visualize : Little Henry ® sweetspirefrom Proven Winners .
RAIN GARDEN PLANTS FOR PARTIAL SHADE
Illustris elephant ear . Photo : Proven Winners .
ELEPHANT EAR (Colocasia esculenta)
Zones:8 - 11Habit : Upright vase - shaped habitHeight / Spread:3 to 8 foot tall and wide
Add an alien feeling to your rainfall garden with the bold foliage of elephant ears . The large heart and soul - shaped leaves can extend to up to 3 feet long and 2 feet wide . This tropical Asiatic native thrives in boggy soil or around water garden . Can be incursive along the Gulf Coast .
Learn elephant ear plants .
Pictured : Illustris elephant earfrom Proven Winners .
Shadowland ® ' Autumn Frost " hosta . picture : Proven Winners .
HOSTA (Hostaspp. & hybrids)
Zones:3 - 9Habit : Spreading habitHeight / Spread:2 inches to 4 feet tall , 5 inches to 6 foot wide
One of the most popular shade plant life , hosta is grown for the wide range of foliage colors , shapes , pattern , and size . In its native Asiatic home ground , this reliable perennial receives 50 to 60 inch of rain per yr , make it a good choice to establish along streams , pool , or in rain garden .
watch hosta plants .
visualise : Shadowland ® ' Autumn Frost " hostafrom Proven Winners .
' Crested Surf ' Japanese painted fern . photograph : Proven Winners .
JAPANESE PAINTED FERN (Athyrium niponicumvar.pictum)
Zones:3 - 8Habit : Arching distribute habitHeight / Spread:1 to 2 feet magniloquent and wide
strike silver model foliation of this recurrent deciduous fern is useful for illuminate up deeply shaded field . This water lover thrives in miscellaneous or timber borders , along stream , ponds , or rain gardens . plant are miserable alimony and virtually free of plague and disease .
check types of ferns .
Pictured:‘Crested Surf ' Japanese painted fernfrom Proven Winners .
' Bottle Rocket ' genus Ligularia . Photo : Proven Winners .
LEOPARD PLANT (Ligulariaspp.)
Zones:3 - 8Habit : Upright spreading habitHeight / Spread:3 to 4 feet magniloquent , 2 to 3 feet wide
Grown for the bluff green or Bourgogne leaves and formal yellow flower spikes , this Asiatic native get naturally along flow banks or other body of water source . Plant this herbaceous perennial in a spectre border , near a piss feature , in a rain or peat bog garden , or in containers .
Pictured:‘Bottle Rocket ' ligulariafrom Proven Winners .
' Evergold ' sedge . pic : Proven Winners .
SEDGE (Carexspp.)
Zones:3 - 9Habit : Mounding or erect habitHeight / Spread : Most are 1 to 2 ft marvelous and wide ; others 4 to 54 inches improbable , 6 to 60 inches wide
This diverse genus , grown primarily for the foliage , includes one thousand of Mary Jane - like species that can be get in Sunday or shade , cockeyed , or wry conditions . Most remain compact , with deciduous or evergreen foliage in shade of green , gold , orangish , blue , brown , or diversification . Use in mass plantings , as edging , or in combining with other sedges and grass .
Learn sedges .
Pictured:‘Evergold ' sedgefrom Proven Winners .
OTHER RAIN GARDEN PLANTS
TREES:
In improver to bush and perennials , good tree for rainfall garden let in papaw ( Asimina triloba ) , redbud ( Cersis canadensis ) , hackberry ( Celtis occidentalis ) and river birch ( Betula nigra ) .
MARGINAL PLANTS:
For outer edges where the soil will be drier , plantcanna , blue star(Amsonia),false indigo(Baptisia ) , or some types ofphlox .
