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Rain Garden Plants

Deep-rooted plants and the sunken profile of rain gardens help infiltrate stormwater runoff and reduce erosion. And rain gardens can be as beautiful as they are functional. In fact, many of our most beautiful regional plants need the type of regular moisture found in a rain garden to thrive.

Keep in mind that your rain garden, unlike a water garden, will be dry most of the time. Plants should be able to tolerate short periods of inundation, but not require constant standing water. Select plants with moderate moisture requirements for areas that will have moist, well-drained soil. For drier sites like the edge of your rain garden, use plant that have low or moderate moisture requirements. Perennial plants should be hardy in your growing zone. if you are not sure about your zone, see the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.

Save plants for your project by clicking the 'My Plant List' button on the plant's page. For help in making your selections, use our Find the Right Plant feature.

View All Types Annuals Only Butterfly Attracting Only Drought-Defiant Only Midwest Native Only Ornamental Grass Only Rain Gardens and Bioswales Only Salt-Tolerant Only Shade-tolerant Only Summer Color for Sunny Sites Only Trees & Shrubs Only Vines and Groundcovers Only Wetlands and Streambank Stabilization Only

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Ulmus americana Common Name: American Elm Very hardy, easy-to-grow native tree. Matures quickly to characteristic vase shape. Very adaptable.... [ More Info ]

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Ulmus parvifolia ''Elsmo'' Common Name: Elsmo Lace Bark Elm Graceful, round-headed tree often with pendulous branchlets. Grows at a medium to fast rate depending on moisture and fertility levels. Leaves are dark green changing to yellowish to redish purple in fall. The bark is magnificent and often a beautifu... [ More Info ]

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Ulmus X ''Morton Accolade' or 'Morton Glossy'' Common Name: Accolade or Triumph Elm Notably drought-tolerant cultivars that grow vigorously in almost all soils save those excessively wet. Resistant to Dutch elm disease as well as elm yellows and the elm leaf beetle.... [ More Info ]

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Viburnum bracteatum Common Name: Improved Dentatum Viburnum Larger and darker green leaves than standard 'Dentatum'. Dense, rounded habit. White summer flowers followed by dark blue fruit.... [ More Info ]

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Viburnum carlesii ''Korean Spice'' Common Name: Korean Spice Viburnum Smaller-sized deciduous shrub with a rounded formand an upright and open-branching habit. Clusters of fragrant white flowers open from pink buds in spring. Red fruit turn black in summer.... [ More Info ]

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Viburnum dentatum Common Name: Arrowwood Viburnum In late spring, clusters of white, flat-topped flowers appear, followed by clusters of blue-black fruit that attract birds and other wildlife. The dark green, glossy leaves turn red, yellow or orange in the fall. Excellent for landscapes or conserva... [ More Info ]

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Viburnum dentatum 'Synnestvedt' ''Chicago Lustre'' Common Name: Chicago Lustre Viburnum An outstanding Viburnum with an upright-rounded habit and glossy dark green foliage. Creamy white flowers appear in mid to late June, followed by an ornamental cluster of blue-black fruit in autumn.... [ More Info ]

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Viburnum lentago Common Name: Nannyberry An important food plant for winter wildlife. Fruits are deep-blue with a whitish coating. The fruits ripen in late fall and turn glossy when the coating wears off. The leaves, oval with a pointed tip, emerge a soft yellow-green that turn glossy dark ... [ More Info ]

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Viburnum plicatum ''Double File'' Common Name: Double File Viburnum Lovely white flowers are almost continuous throughout the summer. Offers reddish fruit in winter.... [ More Info ]

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Viburnum prunifolium Common Name: Black Haw Viburnum In spring, white flowers of flat heads appear and, in the fall, leaves turn a beautiful red color. The purple-black fruit taste like raisins and attract birds. For fruit set, two plants are required for cross-pollination. It can be grown as a multi... [ More Info ]

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Viburnum rufidulum Common Name: Rusty Blackhaw Showy, white flowers in flat clusters appear on this deciduous shrub from April to May. In September, drooping clusters of blue-black fruit with red stems appear that attract many types of mammals and birds. The leathery leaves are a glossy green th... [ More Info ]

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Viburnum trilobum ''Wentworth'' Common Name: Wentworth Viburnum Unusually beautiful with its soft maple-like leaves, producing white lacecap flowers mid-May to mid-June, followed by bunches of shiny bright red berries by August, which can be harvested in autumn. The berries are larger & redder & longer lasting th... [ More Info ]

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Viburnum trilobum Common Name: Highbush Cranberry Large attractive native shrub that is often found in the wild in bogs. They are showy in spring for their large clusters of small white flowers. In late summer, the fruit turn bright red and remain on throughout the winter or until harvested by birds... [ More Info ]

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Viburnum X rhytidophylloides ''Allegheny'' Common Name: Allegheny Viburnum Deep green leaves with dense, compact form. Loads of creamy white flowers followed by bright red fruit. Extremely heat- and drought-tolerant.... [ More Info ]

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Weigela florida ''Red Prince'' Common Name: Red Prince Weigela One of those fantastic plants that every garden must have. The dark burgundy-purple foliage along with intense rosy pink colored flowers has made this plant win several awards.... [ More Info ]

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Wisteria sinensis Common Name: Wisteria Can be grown as a small flowering tree or if left unattended wil develop into a large flowering vine. The leaves are bright green. Flowers are lavender purple and fragrant.... [ More Info ]

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Zelkova serrulata ''Green Vase'' Common Name: Green Vase Zelkova Dark-green foliage on vase-shaped tree. Orange to bronze-red fall foliage.... [ More Info ]

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Zinnia angustifolia X elegans ''Profusion White'' Common Name: Profusion White Zinnia The "Profusion Series" comes in a variety of colors. All have vigorous habit and strong basal branching making them an excellent landscape choice. Blooms from early spring to fall and requires no deadheading to maintain blooming. Resists powdery mild... [ More Info ]

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Zinnia elegans ''Zowie Yellow Flame'' Common Name: Zowie Zinnia Nothing ignites a bed or mixed border like a mass planting of Zowie! Its brilliant, yellow-tipped petals start off magenta-pink then turn to scarlet-rose around a dramatic red-and-yellow cone. The three-inch blooms continue from June to frost if they... [ More Info ]

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Zizia aurea Common Name: Golden Alexanders Pretty umbels of compound, golden yellow flower heads radiate on smooth, branched plants up to three feet tall. This striking member of the parsley family can be found from May to June along woodland borders and roadsides in our region. Commonly foun... [ More Info ]