Plants for wet soil
Plants that cope with wet soil, with size and aspect for each.
Permanently moist or boggy ground, where water sits after rain, drowns most border plants by starving their roots of air, but a distinct group of moisture-lovers thrives in exactly these conditions. Distinguish true bog from simple winter wet: very few plants tolerate standing water year round, while many enjoy a soil that never fully dries. Improve drainage only if you mean to change the planting; otherwise embrace it. Bold, lush foliage is the signature of a damp border, so play big leaves against vertical flower spikes. The mistake is planting drought-lovers that promptly rot. These plants are chosen for ground that stays reliably moist, including the margins of a pond or ditch.
Border Builder is a garden border planner for iPhone and iPad. Pick from the 180 plants below and it works them into a full plan: how many of each, where they go, and how the bed reads through the seasons.
180 plants for this
- African IrisDietes iridioides
- Allegheny MonkeyflowerMimulus ringens
- American Cranberrybush 'Redwing'Viburnum trilobum 'Redwing'
- American Elderberry 'Adams'Sambucus canadensis 'Adams'
- Aquatic MilkweedAsclepias perennis
- Astilbe 'Visions'Astilbe chinensis 'Visions'
- Aztec LilySprekelia formosissima
- Bee Balm 'Jacob Cline'Monarda didyma 'Jacob Cline'
- Black Chokeberry 'Autumn Magic'Aronia melanocarpa 'Autumn Magic'
- Black Chokeberry 'Low Scape Mound'Aronia melanocarpa 'Low Scape Mound'
- Blackberry LilyIris domestica
- Blue Flag IrisIris versicolor
- Blue MistflowerConoclinium coelestinum
- Blue Star CreeperIsotoma fluviatilis
- Blue VervainVerbena hastata
- BonesetEupatorium perfoliatum
- Bottle GentianGentiana andrewsii
- Broad Buckler FernDryopteris dilatata
- BugleAjuga reptans
- Burnet 'Tanna'Sanguisorba officinalis 'Tanna'
- Butterfly Mariposa LilyCalochortus venustus
- Buttonbush 'Sugar Shack'Cephalanthus occidentalis 'Sugar Shack'
- Calla LilyZantedeschia aethiopica
- CamassiaCamassia leichtlinii
- Canada AnemoneAnemone canadensis
- Canada LilyLilium canadense
- Candelabra primulaPrimula beesiana
- Candelabra primula 'Miller's Crimson'Primula japonica 'Miller's Crimson'
- Canna 'Tropicanna'Canna 'Tropicanna'
- Canna lilyCanna indica
- Canna lilyCanna indica orange form
- Cardinal FlowerLobelia cardinalis
- Cardinal flower 'Queen Victoria'Lobelia cardinalis 'Queen Victoria'
- Carolina LilyLilium michauxii
- Chain FernWoodwardia radicans
- Checker LilyFritillaria affinis
- Cinnamon FernClaytosmunda cinnamomea
- Columbia Tiger LilyLilium columbianum
- Common SneezeweedHelenium autumnale
- Copper IrisIris fulva
- Copper LilyHabranthus tubispathus
- Corkscrew RushJuncus effusus 'Spiralis'
- Creeping MazusMazus reptans
- Crimson flag lily 'Pink Princess'Hesperantha coccinea 'Pink Princess'
- Culver's RootVeronicastrum virginicum
- Cup PlantSilphium perfoliatum
- Cusick's CamasCamassia cusickii
- Del Norte IrisIris innominata
- Devil's-bit scabiousSuccisa pratensis
- DogwoodCornus sericea 'Flaviramea'
- Dogwood 'Baton Rouge'Cornus alba 'Baton Rouge'
- Dogwood 'Midwinter Fire'Cornus sanguinea 'Midwinter Fire'
- Drumstick primulaPrimula denticulata
- Dwarf guelder roseViburnum opulus 'Compactum'
- Dwarf PalmettoSabal minor
- Dwarf purple osierSalix purpurea 'Nana'
- Dwarf River BirchBetula nigra 'Little King'
- Dwarf Yaupon HollyIlex vomitoria 'Nana'
- Eastern BluestarAmsonia tabernaemontana
- False AsterBoltonia asteroides
- False Indigo BushAmorpha fruticosa
- False Lily-of-the-ValleyMaianthemum dilatatum
- False spiraeaSorbaria sorbifolia 'Sem'
- Florida AniseIllicium floridanum
- Florida TickseedCoreopsis leavenworthii
- Fox SedgeCarex vulpinoidea
- Gem Box InkberryIlex glabra 'Gem Box'
- Giant Blue / Louisiana IrisIris giganticaerulea
- Giant ConeflowerRudbeckia maxima
- Giant Rain LilyZephyranthes drummondii
- Glaucous sedgeCarex flacca
- GlobeflowerTrollius europaeus
- GoatsbeardAruncus dioicus
- Golden AlexandersZizia aurea
- Golden RagwortPackera aurea
- Gray's SedgeCarex grayi
- Great Blue LobeliaLobelia siphilitica
- Hardy bananaMusa basjoo
- Hardy HibiscusHibiscus moscheutos
- Hemp AgrimonyEupatorium cannabinum
- HostaHosta 'Francee'
- ImpatiensImpatiens walleriana
- Inkberry 'Shamrock'Ilex glabra 'Shamrock'
- Inkberry 'Strongbox'Ilex glabra 'Strongbox'
- Japanese iris 'Activity'Iris ensata 'Activity'
- Japanese Sweet FlagAcorus gramineus 'Ogon'
- Japanese Water IrisIris ensata
- Joe Pye WeedEutrochium maculatum 'Atropurpureum'
- Joe Pye Weed 'Gateway'Eutrochium purpureum 'Gateway'
- Knotweed 'Firetail'Persicaria amplexicaulis 'Firetail'
- Leopard LilyLilium pardalinum
- Leucothoe 'Curly Red'Leucothoe axillaris 'Curly Red'
- LigulariaLigularia przewalskii
- Ligularia 'The Rocket'Ligularia stenocephala 'The Rocket'
- Lizard's TailSaururus cernuus
- LobeliaLobelia erinus
- Mangrove Spider LilyHymenocallis latifolia
- Marsh marigoldCaltha palustris
- Meadow buttercupRanunculus acris
- Meadow Rue 'Black Stockings'Thalictrum aquilegiifolium 'Black Stockings'
- MeadowsweetFilipendula ulmaria
- Mind-your-own-businessSoleirolia soleirolii
- MontbretiaCrocosmia x crocosmiiflora
- Montbretia 'Mistral'Crocosmia 'Mistral'
- Munro's GlobemallowSphaeralcea munroana
- New Guinea ImpatiensImpatiens hawkeri
- New York IronweedVernonia noveboracensis
- Obedient Plant 'Vivid'Physostegia virginiana 'Vivid'
- Orange River LilyCrinum bulbispermum
- Orchid primrosePrimula vialii
- Oregon Fawn LilyErythronium oregonum
- Oxblood LilyRhodophiala bifida
- Pacific Coast IrisIris douglasiana
- Palm SedgeCarex muskingumensis
- PickerelweedPontederia cordata
- Pink Fawn LilyErythronium revolutum
- Pink Rain LilyZephyranthes grandiflora
- Pink Rain LilyHabranthus robustus
- Possumhaw Viburnum 'Winterthur'Viburnum nudum 'Winterthur'
- Powdery Alligator-flagThalia dealbata
- Prairie IrisIris savannarum
- Purple LoosestrifeLythrum salicaria
- Purple Moor GrassMolinia caerulea 'Moorhexe'
- Purple Moor Grass 'Transparent'Molinia caerulea subsp. arundinacea 'Transparent'
- Ragged RobinSilene flos-cuculi
- Rain LilyZephyranthes candida
- Red Chokeberry 'Brilliantissima'Aronia arbutifolia 'Brilliantissima'
- Red-Twig Dogwood 'Arctic Fire'Cornus sericea 'Arctic Fire'
- Red-Twig Dogwood 'Cardinal'Cornus sericea 'Cardinal'
- RodgersiaRodgersia aesculifolia
- Scarlet Rose MallowHibiscus coccineus
- Seashore MallowKosteletzkya pentacarpos
- Sensitive fernOnoclea sensibilis
- Shadblow ServiceberryAmelanchier canadensis
- Siberian Iris 'Butter and Sugar'Iris sibirica 'Butter and Sugar'
- Snake's Head FritillaryFritillaria meleagris
- Sneezeweed 'Sahin's Early Flowerer'Helenium 'Sahin's Early Flowerer'
- Sneezewort 'The Pearl'Achillea ptarmica 'The Pearl'
- Soft RushJuncus effusus
- Southern Blue FlagIris virginica
- Southern Swamp LilyCrinum americanum
- Southern Wax MyrtleMorella cerifera
- Southern Wood FernDryopteris ludoviciana
- SpicebushLindera benzoin
- Starrush WhitetopRhynchospora colorata
- Summer SnowflakeLeucojum aestivum 'Gravetye Giant'
- Summersweet 'Hummingbird'Clethra alnifolia 'Hummingbird'
- Summersweet 'Ruby Spice'Clethra alnifolia 'Ruby Spice'
- SunPatiens CompactImpatiens x hybrida 'SunPatiens Compact'
- Swamp JessamineGelsemium rankinii
- Swamp MilkweedAsclepias incarnata
- Swamp RosemallowHibiscus grandiflorus
- Swamp Sunflower 'First Light'Helianthus angustifolius 'First Light'
- Swamp TitiCyrilla racemiflora
- Sweetbay MagnoliaMagnolia virginiana
- Tall Purple Moor Grass 'Skyracer'Molinia caerulea subsp. arundinacea 'Skyracer'
- Tufted Hair Grass 'Goldtau'Deschampsia cespitosa 'Goldtau'
- Turk's Cap LilyLilium superbum
- TurtleheadChelone obliqua
- Turtlehead 'Hot Lips'Chelone lyonii 'Hot Lips'
- Tussock SedgeCarex stricta
- Variegated Dogwood 'Elegantissima'Cornus alba 'Elegantissima'
- Virginia BluebellsMertensia virginica
- Virginia Mountain MintPycnanthemum virginianum
- Virginia Sweetspire 'Henry's Garnet'Itea virginica 'Henry's Garnet'
- Virginia Sweetspire 'Little Henry'Itea virginica 'Little Henry'
- Water avensGeum rivale
- Water irisIris laevigata
- Water mintMentha aquatica
- White MeadowsweetSpiraea alba
- White TurtleheadChelone glabra
- Wild angelicaAngelica sylvestris
- Winterberry 'Berry Poppins'Ilex verticillata 'Berry Poppins'
- Winterberry 'Winter Red'Ilex verticillata 'Winter Red'
- Wishbone FlowerTorenia fournieri
- Woodland Spider LilyHymenocallis occidentalis
- WoodvampDecumaria barbara
- Yellow Avalanche LilyErythronium grandiflorum
- Yellow Mariposa LilyCalochortus luteus
- Yellow Rain LilyZephyranthes citrina
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Plants for full sunPlants for shadePlants for partial shadePlants for clay soilPlants for sandy soilPlants for chalk soil