Native Plants for New England Rain Gardens

This plant list includes native plant species and cultivars that are adaptable, available, and have been widely successful in our northern New England region. It is a place to begin, but it is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all plants that may be used in rain gardens. Plant enthusiasts may want to consult other resources and try new plants on their own, but those who want a “Tried and True” list of plants to choose from may find all that they need right here. We use natives because rain gardens may border natural areas and we want to avoid introducing new non-native plants into the environment.

Developed by: RAIN GARDEN PLANTING ZONE OTHER CONSIDERATIONS Cathy Neal, UNH Cooperative Extension ≥ Lisa Loosigian, NHDES Soak Up the Rain NH The plant list identifies the ideal Exposure - Plants are adapted to either full sun ( 6 hours of direct Jillian McCarthy, NHDES Soak Up the Rain NH rain garden planting zone for sunlight), partial sun (3-6 hours of direct sunlight), or full shade (≤ 3 each plant (characterized by soil hours of direct sunlight). Consider that some areas of the garden moisture). may be sunny and some made be shady and that the exposure PLANT LIST KEY BASE: Periodic or frequent standing may change throughout the seasons. water may keep the root zone wet Soil Moisture - Clay soils tend to stay wet for longer periods than Full Sun Exposure for several days at a time. After the sandy, well-drained soils. There is also variation in soil moisture initial establishment period, Base between the rain garden planting zones. Use the soil moisture Partial Sun Exposure Zone plants should also be tolerant preferences to choose plants that tolerate the conditions in your of dry periods up to two weeks rain garden and to place them in the proper zone. Shade during the growing season. Plant Spacing - Mature size is given as a range because it varies Attracts bees SLOPE: Periodically wet or greatly depending on cultivars and environment. The height and saturated soils during larger storms. spread (width) of each plant is listed. Space plants to allow them Attracts butterflies Plants in the Slope Zone can help to grow to their full size. Consider placing taller plants in the center to protect against erosion once or back of the garden with shorter plants layered under or in front Attracts birds established. Shallow residential rain of them. Ground covers work well on the berm. gardens may not have a definitive Bloom Period & Color - Consider how different colored flowers will Attracts hummingbirds slope zone. complement each other in the garden. Select plants with early, Soil Moisture Preference: BERM: Drier soils, infrequently middle, and late season blooms to provide interest and support subject to inundation or saturation. pollinators throughout the season. Dry This zone may be a raised berm USDA Hardiness Zone - The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone is the Medium or simply the perimeter of the rain standard used to indicate which plants can survive the winter garden. Plants should be quite based on the average annual minimum winter temperature for a Moist drought tolerant and blend into given location. New England hardiness zones range from 3 in the the existing landscape of the site. northern parts of the region to 7 in the southern and coastal areas.

This project was funded, in part, with Clean Water Act Section 319 funds from the US Environmental References: Protection Agency, and by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office for Coastal Go Botany. https://gobotany.newenglandwild.org/. 2016. Management under the Coastal Zone Management Act in conjunction with the NHDES Coastal Program and with assistance from the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension. Dirr, Michael A. (2011). Dirr’s Encyclopedia of Trees and Shrubs. Portland, Oregon: Timber Press. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.https://www.wildflower.org/ . 2016. North Creek Nursery. http://www.northcreeknurseries.com/. 2016. A-1 USDA Plants Database. http://plants.usda.gov/java/. 2016. Rain Garden Bloom Period & Zone Color Mature Size -

Scientific Name Height Spread Common Name (feet) (feet) Plant Notes Base Slope Berm Soil Moisture Light Exposure May June July Aug Sept Oct USDA Hardi ness Zone Attractive to: PERENNIALS

Aquilegia Reseeds freely in the canadensis 1-2.5’ 1’ 3-8 • • garden. Red columbine Cathy Neal, UNH Cooperative Extension

Forms attractive pods Asclepias incarnata which split and release 3-6’ 2’ 3-9 Swamp milkweed • hairy white seeds.

Cathy Neal, UNH Monarch larval host. Cooperative Extension

Does not like wet feet Asclepias tuberosa 1-3’ 1-1.5’ 4-9 - keep on dry berm. Butterfly milkweed • Monarch larval host. Cathy Neal, UNH Cooperative Extension

Provides bright yellow color early in spring Caltha palustris 0.5-1’ 1-1.5’ 3-7 before anything else Pixabay Marsh marigold • blooms, then goes dormant in summer.

Larval host for Baltimore Chelone glabra 1-4’ 1-2’ 4-8 Checkerspot bufferly. White turtlehead •

©Donald Cameron, 2015

Eupatorium Prefers soil with a perfoliatum • 2-4’ 2’ 2-10 significant amount of Common boneset organic matter. ©Jason Sachs, 2015

A-2 Rain Garden Bloom Period & Zone Color Mature Size -

Scientific Name Height Spread Common Name (feet) (feet) Plant Notes Base Slope Berm Soil Moisture Light Exposure May June July Aug Sept Oct USDA Hardi ness Zone Attractive to: PERENNIALS

Popular cultivars include Eutrochium (formerly ‘Gateway’ (6’ tall) and Eupatorium) • 3-6’ 3’ 3-8 ‘Little Joe’ (3’ tall). Other purpureum Eutrochium species are Cathy Neal, UNH Sweet Joe Pye weed

Cooperative Extension also suitable.

Gentiana clausa True blue flowers never Closed gentian or 1-3’ 1-2’ 3-8 fully open. Good Meadow bottle • understory plants. Cathy Neal, UNH gentian Cooperative Extension

Geraniums come in many species and cultivars. Geranium ‘Spessart’ is a popular maculatam 1’ 1-1.5’ 4-8 cultivar with pink early Pixabay • Spotted crane’s bill summer bloom. ‘Rozanne’ is a blue, late summer bloom.

Helenium Orange and red- autumnale 2-5’ 3’ 3-8 colored cultivars Common • available. sneezeweed ©Arthur Haines, New England Wildflower Society

Sturdy plant with thick Iris versicolor rhizomes. Great choice 2-3’ 2-3’ 2-7 Blue iris or Blue flag • for placing near the rain

Cathy Neal, UNH garden inlet and outlet. Cooperative Extension

Lobelia will often reseed Lobelia cardinalis 2-4’ 2’ 3-8 itself and migrate in the Cardinal flower • garden. Cathy Neal, UNH Cooperative Extension

A-3 Rain Garden Bloom Period & Zone Color Mature Size -

Scientific Name Height Spread Common Name (feet) (feet) Plant Notes Base Slope Berm Soil Moisture Light Exposure May June July Aug Sept Oct USDA Hardi ness Zone Attractive to: PERENNIALS

Lobelia siphilitica Excellent for damp, clay 1.5-5’ 1-1.5’ 4-8 Great blue lobelia • soil. ©Arthur Haines, New England Wildflower Society

There are many attractive Monarda fistulosa cultivars of Monarda in a Beebalm or Wild • 4-5’ 3’ 3-8 variety of colors. Powdery bergamot mildew is common, but not Cathy Neal, UNH especially harmful. Cooperative Extension

Penstemon digitalis Foxglove • • • 2-4’ 1.5’ 3-8 Reseeds freely. beardtongue Cathy Neal, UNH Cooperative Extension

Rudbeckia Spreads vigorously from underground rhizomes. laciniata 3-6’ 3-4’ 3-9 Pixabay Green-headed or • • Other Rudbeckias are Cutleaf coneflower also commonly used.

Symphyotrichum Nectar source for Monarchs. Important (formerly Aster) 2.5-6’ 2-3’ 4-8 novae-angliae • • pollinator plant in late

Cathy Neal, UNH New England aster fall. Cooperative Extension

Symphyotrichum ‘Purple Dome’ is a popular, (formerly Aster) compact variety (1.5 - 2’ novi-belgii 2.5-6’ 3’ 4-8 tall and slightly wider); Pixabay • New York American- purple with orange center aster flowers. A-4 Rain Garden Bloom Period & Zone Color Mature Size -

Scientific Name Height Spread Common Name (feet) (feet) Plant Notes Base Slope Berm Soil Moisture Light Exposure May June July Aug Sept Oct USDA Hardi ness Zone Attractive to: PERENNIALS & GRASSES

Tends to be tall and Verbena hastata narrow: pinch the Blue vervain or • 2-5’ 2-3’ 3-9 tops off to encourage Swamp verbena branching and bushier growth.

Vernonia Good nectar source for noveboracensis 4-6’ 2-4’ 5-8 • Monarch butterflies. New York ironweed

Zizia aurea Good choice for heavy, 1-2’ 3-4’ 4-9 Golden alexanders • • clay soils.

Caution - may spread Panicum virgatum by seed. Dotted Skipper Switchgrass or Panic 3-6’ 2’ 2-9 • • larval host. Many new grass varieties available.

Best suited for berm. Schizachyrium Brown, bronze red in fall. scoparium 2-3’ 1’ 3-8 • Caution - may spread Little bluestem by seed.

Sorghastrum nutans Caution - may spread 5-7’ 2’ 2-9 Indian grass • • by seed.

A-5 Rain Garden Bloom Period, Color, Season of Zone Interest Mature Size -

Scientific Name Height Spread Common Name (feet) (feet) Plant Notes Base Slope Berm Soil Moisture Light Exposure Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov USDA Hardi ness Zone Attractive to: SHRUBS ‘Brilliantissima’ is good for fall Aronia arbutifolia color. Red berries 6-10’ 3-5’ 4-9 in fall. Small Red chokeberry • • white flowers in spring. Prefers acidic soil.

Cephalanthus Does best with occidentalis • 3-6’ 3-6’ 3-9 consistently Buttonbush moist soil.

Many cultivars Clethra alnifolia available. Summersweet or 4-8’ 4-6’ 4-9 • • Prefers acidic Sweet pepper bush soil.

Leaves Comptonia fragrant when peregrina • 2-4’ 4-8’ 2-6 crushed. Sweet fern Prefers acidic soil.

Hamamelis Yellow leaves virginiana 20-25’ 20-25’ 3-8 in fall. Spreads Common witch- • • by suckering. hazel

Red berries in Ilex verticillata winter. Plant a compatible Common • 4-12’ 4-12’ 3-9 male pollinator. winterberry Prefers acidic soil. A-6 Rain Garden Bloom Period, Color, Season of Zone Interest Mature Size -

Scientific Name Height Spread Common Name (feet) (feet) Plant Notes Base Slope Berm Soil Moisture Light Exposure Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov USDA Hardi ness Zone Attractive to: SHRUBS

Morella Small, (formerly Myrica) • • 5-10’ 5-10’ 2-9 fragrant, waxy caroliniensis berries. Small bayberry ©Donald Cameron, 2015

Purple-leaved Physocarpus cultivars are opulifolius 5-8’ 4-6’ 2-8 popular. Common ninebark • • • Tolerates clay Cathy Neal, UNH or Eastern ninebark

Cooperative Extension soils.

Use ‘Gro-lo’ only, as others Rhus aromatica 2-6’ 6-10’ 3-9 are too large. Fragrant sumac • • Prefers acidic

©Arthur Haines, New soil. England Wildflower Society

Swida (formerly Clusters of Cornus) amomum • • 6-12’ 6-12’ 4-8 blue berries in Silky dogwood summer. ©Donald Cameron, 2015

Creamy, white flowers Swida (formerly and berries in Cornus) racemosa 4-15’ 10-15’ 4-8 NHDES • late summer. Gray dogwood

Jillian McCarthy, Spreads by suckering.

Prune old stems out to Swida (formerly encourage Cornus) sericea 6-10’ 6-10’ 3-8 • young, red Redosier dogwood Cathy Neal, UNH stems the next Cooperative Extension winter. A-7 Rain Garden Bloom Period, Color, Season of Zone Interest Mature Size -

Scientific Name Height Spread Common Name (feet) (feet) Plant Notes Base Slope Berm Soil Moisture Light Exposure Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov USDA Hardi ness Zone Attractive to: SHRUBS Does well in acidic, poor Vaccinium soil. Small angustifolium 0.5-2’ 2’ 2-5 • • blueberries. Cathy Neal, Lowbush blueberry UNH Coop. Ext. Burgundy fall foliage.

Prefers acidic Vaccinium soil. Large corymbosum • • 6-12’ 8-12’ 3-7 blueberries

Cathy Neal, Highbush blueberry and good fall UNH Coop. Ext. color.

Attractive flowers and Viburnum berries. dentatum 6-9’ 6-15’ 3-8 • Susceptible to Arrowwood Viburnum leaf

Berries eaten by many Viburnum lentago 14-16’ 6-12’ 2-8 species of Nannyberry • • birds and

Attractive flowers and Viburnum opulus berries. 8-12’ 10-15’ 3-8 Cranberrybush • Susceptible to Cathy Neal, UNH Coop. Ext. Viburnum leaf beetle.

A-8 Rain Garden Bloom Period, Color, Season of Zone Interest Mature Size -

Scientific Name Height Spread Common Name (feet) (feet) Plant Notes Base Slope Berm Soil Moisture Light Exposure Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov USDA Hardi ness Zone Attractive to: FERNS

Osmunda regalis 3-6’ 1.5’ 3-10 Royal fern • ©Arthur Haines, New England Wildflower Society A-9 Rain Garden Bloom Period, Color, Season of Zone Interest Mature Size -

Scientific Name Height Spread Common Name (feet) (feet) Plant Notes Base Slope Berm Soil Moisture Light Exposure Mar Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov USDA Hardi ness Zone Attractive to: FERNS

Osmundastrum Large, grows cinnamomeum 3-5’ 3’ 2-10 • in clumps. Cinnamon fern

RUSHES & SEDGES

Carex pensylvanica • • 0.5-1’ 0.5’ 4-8 Pennsylvania sedge

Carex stricta Eyed Brown Tussock or Upright 2-3’ 1’ 5-8 larval host. sedge •

Carex vulpinoidea Red, brown Common fox or Fox 1-3’ 1.5’ 3-7 • fruit. sedge

Tolerant of diverse Juncus effusus conditions. Common or Soft 6.5’ 1’ 2-9 • • Thrives in full rush sun, finely textured soils.

A-10