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Native Plants for Rain Gardens

The following plants have been selected because they are tolerant of both occasional inundation and drier periods. However, the 'zone' column describes whether you should place the plant in the wettest spots in your rain garden (W) where water will pond during a rain event, slightly moist areas (M) or around the drier, drained edges of the garden (D). All are native species to Vermont, and should need minimal maintenance once established. Your rain garden will be most successful if you buy one or two-year old plants to transplant into your garden instead of using seed, although seeding is also acceptable if you are on a tight budget. Do not harvest plants from the wild.

Light Key: FS = Full Sun; PSH = Part Shade; SH = Shade

Zone Key: W = wettest area; M = moist area; D = drier garden edges

Scientific Name

Common Name

Form

Light

Bloom

Height

Zone

Comments

Anemone canadensis Canada Anemone Flowering Perennial FS to SH White, spring to summer 1-2' M  
Aquilegia canadensis Columbine Flowering Perennial PSH Red and yellow, early summer 1-2' M Attractive to hummingbirds
Arisaema triphyllum Jack-in-
the-pulpit		 Flowering Perennial PSH to SH Dk purple, spring to early summer 1' M Unusual flower, bright red berries
Asclepias incarnata Swamp Milkweed Flowering Perennial FS to PSH orange, early summer 1'-2' W Host plant for swallowtail & monarch butterflies
Aster lateriflorus Calico Aster Flowering Perennial FS Pink/white, late summer to fall 1-4' M Plum colored foliage in fall
Aster novae-angliae New England Aster Flowering Perennial FS to PSH Pink-purple, fall 1'-6' M Attractive to butterflies
Aster novi-belgii New York Aster Flowering Perennial FS to PSH Blue-violet, late summer – fall 3'-4' W Long-lived flowers. Butterfly attractant.
Aster tradescanti Tradescant Aster Flowering Perennial FS White, fall 1-2' M Attractive to butterflies
Aster umbellatus Flat Top White Aster Flowering Perennial FS to PSH White, summer 1-5' M Attractive to butterflies
Baptisia australis Blue False Indigo Flowering Perennial FS Blue, early summer 3'-6' D Nice looking foliage, pea family
Boltonia asteroides White Doll's Daisy Flowering Perennial FS to PSH White to pink, fall 4'-6' M Attractive to butterflies. Makes nice cut flowers.
Caltha palustris Marsh Marigold Flowering Perennial FS to PSH Yellow, spring to early summer 1'-2' W Prefers moist soil
Chelone glabra White Turtlehead Flowering Perennial FS to PSH White, late summer to fall 2'-3' W Attracts hummingbirds, likes wet areas
Eupatorium purpureum Sweet Joe-Pye Weed Flowering Perennial FS to PSH Pink-purple, summer 2-4' M Smaller than E. maculatum. Attracts butterflies
Eupatorium maculatum Spotted Joe-Pye Weed Flowering Perennial FS to PSH Pink, late summer 3-6' M Attractive to butterflies
Eupatorium perfoliatum Boneset Flowering Perennial FS to PSH White, late summer to fall 3'-4' W Attractive to butterflies
Gentiana andrewsii Bottle Gentian Flowering Perennial FS to PSH Deep blue, late summer to fall 1' – 1.5' M  
Helenium autumnale Sneezeweed Flowering Perennial FS Yellow, late summer to fall 3-4' W Attracts butterflies, showy daisy-like flowers
Iris versicolor Blue Flag Iris Flowering Perennial FS to PSH blue-violet, early summer 2'-4' W Best in moist soils, beautiful blue flowers
Lilium canadense Canada Lily Flowering Perennial FS to PSH Yellow, summer 3-4' M  
Lobelia cardinalis Cardinal Flower Flowering Perennial FS to PSH Red, summer 1'-5' W Attractive to hummingbirds
Lobelia syphilitica Blue Lobelia Flowering Perennial FS to SH Blue, late summer to fall 1'-3' W  
Monarda didyma Bebalm, Oswego Tea Flowering Perennial FS to PSH Red, summer 2'-3' M Attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies
Penstemon digitalis Foxglove Beardtongue Flowering Perennial FS to PSH White, early summer 2'-4' M Attracts hummingbirds, nice foliage
Polygonatum falcatum Dwarf Solomon's Seal Flowering Perennial PSH White, early spring 1-2' D Nice looking foliage, blue berries
Rudbeckia hirta Black-Eyed Susan Flowering Perennial FS to PSH Orange-yellow, summer to fall 2' D Attractive to butterflies, bright flowers
Rudbeckia laciniata Cut-Leaf Coneflower Flowering Perennial FS to PSH Yellow, late summer 1.5'-9' M Attractive to butterflies
Solidago rugosa Rough-stem Goldenrod Flowering Perennial FS to PSH Yellow, late summer to fall 1-6' M  
Sysyrinchium angustifolium Pointed Blue-Eyed Grass Flowering Perennial FS to PSH Blue, summer 1-2' M Tiny blue flowers above grassy foliage
Thalictrum dasycarpum Tall Meadow Rue Flowering Perennial FS to PSH Purple/white, late spring 3-5' M  
Tiarella cordifolia Foamflower Flowering Perennial PSH to SH White, early spring 1' D Good ground coverage, long blooming wand-like flower
Veratrum viride False Hellebore Flowering Perennial FS to PSH Green, summer 2-5' W Plant is very toxic; avoid ingestion
Verbena hastate Blue Vervain Flowering Perennial FS Blue-violet, summer to early fall 2-4' W Bright flower, herbal uses
Zizia aurea Yellow Alexanders Flowering Perennial PSH Yellow, spring 1-2' M  
Agrostis stolonifera Spreading Bentgrass Grass FS Not showy, summer 3-5' M  
Andropogon gerardii Big Bluestem Grass FS Purple; fall 3'-7' M Seeds provide wildlife forage
Calamagrostis canadensis Blue-Joint Reedgrass Grass FS to PSH Not showy, spring to summer 3-5' W  
Cinna latifolia Slender Wood-Reedgrass Grass FS to SH Not showy, late summer To 5' M  
Deschampsia caespitosa Tufted Hair Grass Grass FS to PSH Not showy, late summer 1-3' M Grows in bunches
Echinochloa muricata Rough Barnyard Grass Grass FS Not showy, late summer 4-5' W  
Elymus riparius Riverbank Wild Rye Grass FS to PSH Not showy, summer 1-5' M  
Elymus virginicus Virginia Wild Rye Grass PSH to SH Not showy, summer to fall 1'-5' D  
Leersia oryzoides Rice Cut Grass Grass FS to PSH Not showy, summer 2-6' W  
Muhlenbergia glomerata Marsh Muhly Grass FS Not showy, late summer to fall 2-3' M  
Panicum virgatum Switch Grass Grass FS Not showy, late summer to fall 3'-6' M  
Phalaris arundinaceae Canary Reed Grass Grass FS to PSH Not showy, summer 2-3' W Bamboo-like ornamental grass
Sorgastrum nutans Indiangrass Grass FS to PSH Golden-brown, late summer 5'-7' D  
Carex crinita Fringed Sedge Grass-like FS to PSH Not showy, summer 1'-3' W  
Carex cristatella Crested Sedge Grass-like FS Not showy, late summer 1-3' M  
Carex retrorsa Retrorse Sedge Grass-like PSH Not showy, summer 1-3.5' W  
Carex stricta Tussock Sedge Grass-like FS to PSH Not showy, summer 1'-3' W  
Carex vulpinoidea Fox sedge Grass-like FS to PSH Not showy, summer 1'-3' W Prefers moist soil. Seed heads resemble fox tails.
Equisetum hyemale Horsetail/ Scouring Rush Grass-like FS to PSH Non showy, summer 1-3' M  
Juncus effuses Soft Rush Grass-like FS Not showy, summer 1-4' W  
Scirpus cyperinus Wool-Grass Grass-like FS Brown, late summer 4-6' W  
Scirpus pungens Three-Square Bulrush Grass-like FS Not showy, summer 2-4' W  
Adiantum pedatum Maidenhair Fern Fern PSH to SH None 1-3' M Beautiful lacy fronds
Athyrium filix-femina Lady Fern Fern PSH to SH None 1-3' M  
Dryopteris marginalis Marginal Woodfern Fern PSH to SH None 1-2' D Clump forming
Matteuccia struthiopteris Ostrich Fern Fern PSH to SH None 3-5' M Best in moist soils, huge fronds
Onoclea sensibilis Sensitive Fern Fern PSH to SH None 1'-2' M Will spread to cover ground
Osmunda cinnamomea Cinnamon Fern Fern PSH to SH (FS if moist) none 2'-3' M Best in moist soils
Osmunda claytoniana Interrupted Fern Fern PSH to SH (FS if moist) None 1-4' M Best in moist soils but will adapt to drier soil
Osmunda regalis Royal Fern Fern PSH to SH (FS if moist) None 2'-3' W Attractive fall foliage, best in moist soils
Polystichum acrostichoides Christmas Fern Fern PSH to SH (FS if moist) None 1-3' D Fronds stay green year-round
Aronia arbutifolia Red Chokeberry Shrub FS to PSH White to pink, spring 6-10' M Red autumn foliage and berries.
Aronia melanocarpa Black Chokeberry Shrub Sun to part shade White to pink, spring 3-8' M Provides food and shelter for birds. Fruit is bitter.
Cephalanthus occidentalis Buttonbush Shrub Sun White, late summer 3-6' W Multi-stemmed plant, interesting round fruit
Cornus sericea Red Osier Dogwood Shrub Sun to part shade White, early summer 4-8' W Bright red twigs in winter
Diervilla lonicera Low Bush Honeysuckle Shrub Sun to shade Yellow, summer 2-5' M Songbirds feed on fruits
Ilex verticillata Winterberry Holly Shrub Full sun to part shade White, spring 5-10' W Showy berries in winter; high wildlife value
Lindera benzoin Spicebush Shrub Sun to part shade Greenish yellow, spring 5-10' M Fragrant foliage if crushed, nice berries & foliage in fall
Rhus copallinum Shining or Winged Sumac Shrub Sun to part shade Greenish-yellow, late summer 8-15' D  
Salix discolor Pussy Willow Shrub Sun Silky grey, early spring 10-15' M Fast growing
Salix purpurea Purple Osier Willow Shrub Sun Red catkins, spring 3-10' M  
Spirea alba Meadowsweet Shrub FS to PSH Pink, summer 3-6' W Attractive to butterflies
Spirea tomentosa Steeplebush Shrub FS to PSH Pink, late summer 2-4' M Attractive to butterflies
Sambucus Canadensis American Elderberry Shrub Sun White, summer 5-10' M Berries can be used for preserves
Viburnum dentatum Northern Arrowwood Shrub Full sun to part shade White, early summer 6-10' M High wildlife value
Viburnum lentago Nannyberry Shrub Sun to shade White, spring 10-15' M Flowers attract butterflies. Berries attract wildlife.
Viburnum trilobum Highbush Cranberry Shrub Full sun to part shade White, spring 4-10' M Bright red berries are not true cranberries
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Berlin Office
Winooski Conservation District
617 Comstock Rd., Suite 1
Berlin, VT 05602-8498
(802) 828-4493 Ext. 110
Fax: (802) 223-6163

Williston Office
Winooski Conservation District
1193 South Brownell Road, Suite 35
Williston, VT 05495
(802) 865-7895 Ext.104
Fax: (802) 865-7947

Page Update 09/11/2007 by MSW