A-2 Selected Plants for Rain Gardens in Western Washington The plant list on the following pages includes native and non-native plant species and varieties suitable for rain gardens and commonly available in western Washington. This plant list is not intended to be an inclusive list of all plants appropriate for rain gardens, but a guide to some of the more commonly used rain garden plants in our region at the time of publication. You can explore many plant choices for rain gardens, especially for Zone 3 plantings. The website www. greatplantpicks.org is a great resource for plants adapted to native or western Washington. Refer to the resources list (Appendix B) for some additional reference sources for plants. Select the right plants to fit soil, sun/shade exposure, and other conditions on your site. The plant list identifies each plant's correlation to the three planting zones (characterized by soil moisture): Zone 1: Areas of periodic, or frequent, standing or flowing water. Zone 1 plants should also tolerate the seasonally dry summers in western Washington without extra watering (except during the initial 1 to 2 year establishment period). Zone 2: Periodically moist or saturated soils during larger storms. Plants are typically planted on the side slopes in this zone and can help to protect against erosion once established. Zone 3: Drier soils, infrequently subject to inundation or saturation. May be planted on a berm or just outside the perimeter of the rain garden. This zone can blend with the existing landscape of the site if desired. The plant list includes only some of the many beautiful plants you can explore for Zone 3. OtheR speCial COnsideRatiOns plant list legend exposure - Noted in the plant list, some plants do better in full sun, partial sun/partial shade, and/or shade. When planning your garden layout, remember Native Plant to consider that some areas of the garden may be sunny and some may be Full Sun Exposure shady. Or if in full sun or shade, choose plants carefully to fit the conditions. Partial Sun Exposure drought tolerance - Plants included are typically tolerant of dry summer conditions experienced in Western Washington. Nonetheless, summer irrigation Shade will be necessary during the first 1 to 2 years after planting to establish these D Deciduous plants, and may be necessary during periods of drought in subsequent years. E Evergreen plant spacing and large trees - Consider height, spread, and extent of roots at maturity. Use caution in plant selection for areas near utilities, buried 1, 2, or 3 Planting Zones pipes and other structures. If placed close to a road or driveway, consider the E* Semi-evergreen; typically potential for lower limbs to cause visibility problems. (Semi) evergreen in mild winters ZONE eXpOSURe MATURe SIZe Scientific Name TIME Of PLANT Common name 1 2 3 d or e NATIVE sun partial shade height Width BLOOm CHARaCTERISTICs A-3 Plant EMERGENTS (SEDGES, RUSHES, AND BULRUSHES) List Fine-textured, tufted 1/16"- Carex comans wide, hair-like silvery leaves, To 18" 'Frosted Curls' 12" to 18" almost cylindrical leaves; 1 2 3 E Spreading new Zealand hair sedge shimmers iridescent in the breeze; illusion of falling water Peggy Campbell Carex obnupta To 48" Shiny foliage; excellent soil 1 2 E 12" to 36" April - May slough sedge Spreading binder; can spread rapidly King County Native Deep green variegated creamy Carex oshimensis Late Spring or white band on foliage that 'Evergold' 12" to 24" 24" to 36" turns to yellow; great accent 2 3 E Early Summer variegated Japanese sedge plant; good for edges and borders Peggy Campbell Mounding form; orange-brown/ Carex testacea To 15" bronze color in spring and 1 2 3 E 12" to 15" Early Summer Orange new Zealand sedge Spreading summer; more intensive orange in winter Snohomish County Juncus acuminatus 12" - 24" Spring to A delicate rush with purple to 1 E 6" to 18" reddish brown flowers in an taper-tipped rush Spreading Summer open array of clusters Wikipedia Commons Flattened stems like an iris; Juncus ensifolius 6" to 9" dark brown flowers small 1 E 6" to 15" Summer dagger-leaf rush Spreading and rounded like pom-poms; yellow-orange fall color King County Native Juncus patens 18" to 24" Spiky, blue-green grass-like 'Elk Blue' 12" to 24" May - August foliage; other cultivars readily 1 2 E Spreading spreading rush available callutheran.edu Juncus tenuis May - Soft, bright green foliage and 1 2 E 6" to 20" 6" to 30" slender rush September delicate flowers Wikipedia Commons ZONE eXpOSURe MATURe SIZe Scientific Name TIME Of PLANT A-4 Common name 1 2 3 d or e NATIVE sun partial shade height Width BLOOm CHARaCTERISTICs Plant List EMERGENTS CONTINUED Large, round flower clusters persist over winter; attractive Scirpus microcarpus 12" to 24" June to 1 E 24" to 36" in combination with spiky small-fruited bulrush Spreading August flowers; good soil binder; spreads aggressively King County Native GROUNDCOVERS, ORNAMENTAL GRASSES, HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS, AND FERNS Attracts insects and butterflies; aromatic leaves; many varieties Achillea Summer to including‘Moonshine’ 'Paprika', 3 D 24" to 36" 24" to 36" yarrow Early Fall and 'Terracotta'; flower stalks remain over winter providing forage for wildlife Peggy Campbell Acorus calamus Fragrant; sword-shaped leaves; 'variegatus' 2 3 E* 24" 18" to 24" may require more water to get (Semi) sweet flag established Missouri Botanical Garden Grows in clumps; semi- Acorus gramineus evergreen, brighter in sun; 'Ogon' 1 2 E* 10" 4" to 6" Spring deer resistant; fragrant flowers; (Semi) golden variegated sweet flag may require more water to get established Gardens and Plants Beautiful red and yellow Aquilegia formosa flowers; attracts hummingbirds 2 3 D 12" to 36" 12" to 36" Spring Western columbine and butterflies; will re-seed; tolerant of seasonal flooding Peggy Campbell Low-growing ground cover; Arctostaphylos uva-ursi 24" to 36" March to easy-care once established; 6" to 12" pink buds open to small, 2 3 E Spreading June bearberry, kinnikinnick bell-shaped white flowers; red berries Snohomish County Unique dark purple-reddish- brown three-lobed blooms; Asarum caudatum 36" kidney shaped glossy leaves 2 3 E 4" to 6" April to June Wild ginger Spreading smell like ginger when crushed: Asarum caudatum f. album has white flowers King County Native ZONE eXpOSURe MATURe SIZe Scientific Name TIME Of PLANT Common name 1 2 3 d or e NATIVE sun partial shade height Width BLOOm CHARaCTERISTICs A-5 Plant GROUNDCOVERS, ORNAMENTAL GRASSES, HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS, AND FERNS (CONTINUED) List Aster modestus Violet to purple flowers; thrives 2 3 D 12" to 42" 36" July to August great northern aster in full sun Washington Native Plant Finely textured wide frond, Athyrium filix-femina 18" to 24" vigorous grower; tolerant of 1 2 3 D 36" to 60" shallow flooding; can handle lady fern Spreading full sun in wet conditions but prefers shade King County Native Long, narrow, dark, glossy Blechnum spicant leaves with wavy, crinkled 1 2 3 E 12" to 36" 24" April to May deer fern edges; tolerant of shallow flooding; avoid sun exposure King County Native Late Spring Loose clusters of flowers Camassia leichtlinii ranging from light to deep 2 3 D 36" to 48" 18" to Early large or giant camas blue; particularly showy Summer planted in groups King County Native Camassia quamash Loose clusters of deep blue 2 3 D 18" 12" May to June flowers; particularly showy Common camas planted in groups King County Native Smooth stems and leaves; Coreopsis verticillata or C. Summer to flowers of yellow, orange, lanceolata 2 3 E* 18" to 36" 12" to 18" maroon, and bronze; thrives (Semi) Fall tickseed in full sun; try 'Moonbeam,' 'Zagreb,' or 'Full Moon' Wikipedia Commons Stunning, grassy foliage with Deschampsia cespitosa Late Spring creamy white variegation that 'northern lights' 2 3 E* 6" to 12" 6" to 12" to Early turns pink in winter (attractive (Semi) tufted hair grass Summer in winter months): several other cultivars available Snohomish County Delicate foliage with attractive Dicentra formosa pink to red flowers; many Western or pacific bleeding 2 3 D 8" to 12" 24" Spring cultivars available, as well as heart Dicentra spectabilis, a popular non-native bleeding heart Washington Native Plant ZONE eXpOSURe MATURe SIZe Scientific Name TIME Of PLANT A-6 Common name 1 2 3 d or e NATIVE sun partial shade height Width BLOOm CHARaCTERISTICs Plant List GROUNDCOVERS, ORNAMENTAL GRASSES, HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS, AND FERNS (CONTINUED) Flowering may continue until frost; flowers have rosy-purple Echinacea purpurea Mid-Summer hue with a large orange cone 3 D 36" to 48" 24" purple coneflower to Late Fall in the center; many cultivars available with various flower colors; thrives in full sun Wikipedia Commons Wide, course, prickly, grayish- Echinops Mid-Summer green leaves; spherical blue- 3 D 24" to 48" 18" to 24" purple flowers golf-ball sized; globe thistle to Late Fall great plant for butterflies/ pollinators; several species Peggy Campbell Metallic blue leaves; often Elymus magellanicus grown for foliage over summer- 3 24" to 36" 18" to 24" Summer magellan wheatgrass D blooming flowers; self seeds readily Missouri Botanical Garden Erigeron speciosus Leafy stems; produces clusters Spring to of dark violet/lavender flowers 'darkest of all' 18" 24" 2 3 D Summer with bright yellow eye; various showy fleabane other cultivars available PNW Flowers Evergreen shrubs varying in height, fragrance, and flower Erysimum color. Many cultivars, such 2 3 E* 6" to 24" 12" to 24" Spring to Fall shrubby wallflowers