Rainscapes Plants for Rain Gardens rainscapes.org easy/ Botanical Name Common Name Bloom Color Sun Type Soils Height Spacing Comments reliable red and Sand, Loam, Clay, 9 Aquiligea canadensis Wild columbine June-Aug yellow Sun-Shade moist-dry 2' 1' deer resistant blue flowers, 3' tall, fine texture, blue yellow fall Sun-Pt summer flowers, yellow 9 Amsonia hubrechtii Blue-Star Flower May-June color Shade 2' 18" fall color, needs part sun Sand, Loam, Clay, 9 Asclepias incarnata Swamp Milkweed June-Aug pink Sun-Shade Dry-wet 2'-4' 2' deer resistant 9 Asclepias syriaca Common Milkweed May-Aug pale purple Sun Moist 3.5-6.5' 2' deer resistant Sand, Loam, Clay, 9 Asclepias tuberosa Butterfly weed may-june orange Sun Dry-med 1-3' 1-2' deer resistant Sand, Loam, Clay, 9 Aster novae angliae New England Aster Aug-Oct purple Sun-Shade Med-wet 2'-6' 2'-3' deer resistant pt Shade- 9 Aster divaricatus White Wood Aster Jul-Oct white sh dry-med wet 0.5-3' 1-2' spreads freely 9 Baptisia australis False Blue Indigo may-june blue, purple Sun-Shade sand, loam 3-5' 1-2' deer resistant host plant to Baltimore Sand, Loam, Clay, Checkerspot butterfly, MD Chelone glabra/obliqua Turtlehead aug-oct white/pink Sun-Shade Dry-med 1-4' 12-18" state insect host plant to Baltimore Sand, Loam, Clay, Checkerspot butterfly, MD Chelone lyonii Pink Turtlehead aug-oct white/pink Sun-Shade Dry-med 1-4' 12-18" state insect Chrysogonum virginianum green and gold mar-jun yellow Sun- Shade dry-med wet; loam 0.5-1' 1' evergreen ground cover Threadleaf 9 Coreopsis verticillata Coreopsis jun-oct yellow Sun, PS dry-med wet, loam 1-3.5' 1-2' fine texture, deer resistant Page 1 of 6 easy/ Botanical Name Common Name Bloom Color Sun Type Soils Height Spacing Comments reliable Echinacea purpurea 'Kim's Dwarf Purple butterfly attractor, deer Knee-Hi' Coneflower May-Aug pink Sun dry 15" 12" resistant Echinacea purpurea Magnus Purple butterfly attractor, deer 9 ' Magnus' Coneflower May-Aug dark pink Sun dry-moist 24" 15" resistant Echinacea purpurea Razzmatazz Purple dark Pink butterfly attractor, deer 'Razzmatazz' Coneflower June-Aug Double Sun dry 24" 15" resistant pt Shade- dry to wet; clay, 9 Eupatorium coelestinum Mistflower Jul-Oct blue-purple sh loam 1-3.5' 1-2' Coastal Joe-pye 9 Eupatorium dubium Weed ('Little Joe' ) pink, dk pink Sun, PS moist 3-4' 2' Common Joe-pye Eupatorium fistolosum weed jul-sep pink Sun moist-dry 1.5-6' 2' Sun-pt Sand, Loam, Clay, Eupatorium perfoliatum Boneset Jul-Oct white Shade med-wet 3-4' 1-2' Sweet Joe-pye Sun-pt Sand, Loam, Clay, 9 Eupatorium purpureum weed July-Sept pink-dk pink Shade moist 5-6' 1-2' Sun-pt 9 Geranium maculatum Wild Geranium Apr-Jul pink shade dry-med, loam 1-2' 1-2' deer resistant sun-pt med. wet, clay, Helenium autumnale Sneezeweed Jul-Nov yellow shade loam, sand 1.5-6' 1-2' deer resistant Helianthus angustifolius Swamp Sunflower Aug-Oct yellow Sun moist 1.5-5.5' 2-3' deer resistant 9 Hibiscus moscheutos Marsh Mallow pink Sun wet-dry 3' 2' early spring gravelly well drained Iris cristata Dwarf Crested Iris May flowers Partial Sun moist soils 8-10" 8" Edger colored One of the Louisiana Iris Iris fulva Copper Iris June flowers Sun Dry-wet 18-24" 8" parents Sun-pt 9 Liatris spicata blazingstar Jul-Aug purple shade clay, loam, sand 1-6.5' 1-2' deer resistant Sun-pt 9 Lilium superbum Turk's Cap Lily July-Aug Orange shade dry-moist 6' 12" deer resistant don't mulch Place at entry points into the rain Sun-pt Sand, Loam, Clay, garden, hummingbird Lobelia cardinalis Cardinal flower July-Oct red Shade med-wet 2'-4' 1'-2' attractor Sand, Loam, Clay, 9 Lobelia siphilitica Great Blue Lobelia July-Sept blue Sun-Shade med-wet 2'-3' 1'-2' pt-shade to 9 Mertensia virginica Virginia Bluebells Mar-Jun blue shade med-wet;clay, loam 1-2.5' 1' deer resistant Page 2 of 6 easy/ Botanical Name Common Name Bloom Color Sun Type Soils Height Spacing Comments reliable Sun-pt Mimulus ringens Monkeyflower Jun-Oct blue Shade moist, loamy 1-3' 1' DELICATE full Sun-pt Sand, Loam, Clay, 9 Monarda didyma Bee Balm June-sept pink Shade Med-wet 12-18" 1' deer resistant Sun-pt 9 Monarda fistulosa Wild Bergamot Jul-Aug pink, purple Shade Moist-Dry 1.5-5' 1-2' deer resistant Sun-pt dry-med wet; clay, 9 Penstemon digitalis Beardtongue Jun-Aug white Shade loam, sand 2-5' 1-2' deer resistant pt Shade- Phlox divaricata Wild Blue Phlox Apr-May blue sh moist 1.5' 1' deer resistant Phlox stolonifera Creeping Phlox Apr-Jun varied PS-Shade moist-dry .5-1.5' 1' deer resistant deep pink to sun-pt 9 Phlox paniculata Summer phlox Jul-Oct white shade moist 1.5'-6.5' 1' cultivars are shorter deer resistant, plant in Phlox subulata Moss Phlox Apr-Jun varied Sun Dry* .5' .5' driest parts of rain garden 9 Physostegia virginiana Obedient Plant aug-sep pink, purple Sun moist-dry 3' 2' deer resistant Sun-pt 9 Rudbeckia fulgida Orange Coneflower jul-oct yellow-orange Shade med wet 1.5' 1-2' 9 Rudbeckia hirta Black-eyed Susan Jun-Oct yellow Sun, PS Dry-Moist 2-3’ 2' Green-headed Sun-pt Rudbeckia laciniata Coneflower jul-sep yellow Shade moist 1.5-9' 2' 15" flowers, 8" tall Evergreen heart shaped Scenecio aureus Sneezeweed May-June Yellow Sun-Shade moist-dry plant groundcover with Sun-pt 9 Sisyrinchium graminoides Blue-eyed Grass Apr-Jun blue Shade moist-dry 0.5-1.5' .5-1' Sun-pt 9 Solidago nemoralis Gray Goldenrod Jul-Nov yellow Shade Med-Dry 0.5-3' 1-2' deer resistant Wrinkle-leaf Sun-pt med-wet, loam, Solidago rugosa Goldenrod Aug-Nov yellow shade sand 1-6.5' 1-2' deer resistant August- Sun-pt 9 Solidago sphacelata Sept yellow shade 18" Golden Fleece' Sun- 9 Solidago ulmifolia Elm leaf Goldenrod Aug-Sept yellow pt.shade med-dry 18" 18" Wildlife plant 12" pt shade- flower, Tiarella cordifolia Foamflower May White shade med-dry 6" plant 8" Groundcover Page 3 of 6 easy/ Botanical Name Common Name Bloom Color Sun Type Soils Height Spacing Comments reliable June, reblooms if cut back after first Sun-pt med-wet, clay, Long blooming perennial , 9 Tradescantia virginiana Spiderwort flowering blue shade loam, sand 1-5.5' 1-2' many cultivars summer Sand, Loam, med- Veronicastrum virginicum Culver's Root flowers white Sun dry 4-6' 2-3' purplish foliage and Sun-pt Viola labridorica Labrador Violet June violet flowers shade Sandy, med-dry 4" 6" groundcover FERNS Dennstaedtia punctilobula Hay-scented Fern Sun-PS Dry-moist 1-3' spreads readily 9 Onoclea sensibilis Sensitive Fern Shade wet-moist 1-3.5' 9 Osmunda cinnamonea Cinnamon Fern Sun-Shade wet-moist 2.5' deer resistant 9 Osmunda regalis Royal Fern Sun-Shade wet-moist 2-6' deer resistant 9 Polystichum acrostichoides Christmas Fern PS-Shade moist .5-2' evergreen Pteridium aquilinum Bracken Fern Sun-PS dry to wet 1.5-6' Thelypteris noveboracensis New York Fern deciduous Sun-PS dry-wet 24-36" spreading GRASSES 9 Andropogon gerardi Big Bluestem aug-oct Sun, PS Dry-Moist-Wet 3-8' deer resistant aggressive; thin as 9 Andropogon virginicus Broomsedge aug-nov Sun, PS Dry 1-3' needed Carex stricata Tussock Sedge may-aug Sun, PS Moist-Wet 1-3' Pennsylvania also used as shade lawn Carex pennsylvanica Sedge Shade-PS Moist-Wet 6-8" 6" replacement dry-med, clay, loam, deer resistant, spreads 9 Chasmanthium latifolium River Oats jul-sep Sun-Shade sand 2-5' freely pink may not come back in efflorescence Dry, well drained hard winter; only plant in Muehlenberia capillaris Pink Muhly Grass Aug-Sept s Sun moist 24" 24" spring Sand, Loam, Clay, deer resistant, cultivars 9 Panicum virgatum Switchgrass jul-aug Sun-Shade Med-wet 2'-3' 1' shorter ('Shenandoah') Sun-pt 9 Schizachyrium scoparium Little Bluestem Aug-Oct Shade dry 4' deer resistant Shrubs Page 4 of 6 easy/ Botanical Name Common Name Bloom Color Sun Type Soils Height Spacing Comments reliable Aronia arbutifolia (Photinia Mar-May white sun-ps dry to wet 1.5'-13' 3' red berries, 9 pyrifolia) Red chokeberry upright/narrow, favorite Maroon dry to wet 3-8' 3' (unless 'Athens' cultivar - flowers yellow yellow), fragrant flowers fall color when in full sun 9 Calycanthus floridus Sweetshrub June July-Aug white sun-PS moist-wet 3-10' 4' great wildlife 9 Cephalanthus occidentalis Buttonbush pink Pink Flowers, upright, Ruby Spice dwarf, yellow fall color Summersweet, Pink Clethra alnifolia 'Ruby dwarf Sweet 9 Spice' Pepperbush Spring Alternate-leaf white PS dry-moist red fall color, understory 9 Cornus alternifolia Dogwood white shrub Cornus amomum Silky dogwood May-Jun white sun-PS moist-wet 6-12' red branches in winter Cornus racemosa gray dogwood May-Jun white Sun-shade dry-moist 6-12' red branches in winter white white Red winter twig 9 Cornus sericea Redosier Dogwood flowers white sun-pt dry- moist 2-3' Gaylussacia baccata Black Huckleberry May-June shade Ilex verticillata May-July white full sun-pt dry-wet 6-12' females w/red berries in shade winter; deciduous - may abort fruit in dry summers; choose appropriate Male- Female pairing 9 Winterberry Ilex glabra 'Densa' May-Jun white sun-shade dry-moist 6-10' females w/black berries; Densa is a compact/ 9 Inkberry dwarf form yellow shade-pt moist-dry 6-10' Spicebush Butterfly plant, 9 Lindera benzoin Spicebush late Spring shade deer resistant Sun-shade moist-dry well 3' drained Fine-medium texture, Myrica cerifera ' Nana' Dwarf Wax Myrtle 3' evergreen, shears well Sun-shade moist-dry well 6' Fine texture, evergreen, 9 Myrica pensylvanica Northern Bayberry drained 4' shears well, wildlife plant Sambucus canadensis Common elderberry Jun-July white sun-shade dry to wet 6-12' purple fruit-wildlife Page 5 of 6 easy/ Botanical Name Common Name Bloom Color Sun Type