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Rain Garden Plants

ID

426-043 (SPES-57P)

Authors as Published

Authored by Mike Andruczyk, Extension Agent, Chesapeake; and Laurie Fox, Horticulture Associate, Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Virginia Tech (first published May 2015, last reviewed January 2024)

A rain garden is a landscaped area specially designed to collect rainfall and manage stormwater runoff. It is a planted shallow depression that temporarily holds runoff from impervious areas until it evaporates, is absorbed by the plants, or infiltrates into the ground. The plants, microorganisms, and soil in the rain garden act as a filter to clean pollutants from the runoff. For more information on rain gardens look at VCE publication SPES-13P. For a rain garden to work, plants must be selected, installed, and maintained properly.

Plant Selection

  • Choose plants tolerant of both occasional flooding as well as dry periods.
  • Choose noninvasive plants that are adapted to the local environment.
  • Choose a mixture of species. A good rule of thumb is one plant species for every 10 to 20 square feet. For example – a 140-square-foot garden would have 7 to 14 different plant species.
  • Choose plants based on the amount of sun or shade the garden receives, for interest year-round, to blend with the rest of the landscape, and for any specific design theme like pollinators or natives.
  • Choose a mix of woody and herbaceous plants for different root depths and different filtering abilities.
  • Choose a mix of evergreen and deciduous plants so there will be visual interest and active filtering in the winter.
  • Choose perennials instead of annuals as they come back every year and generally require less maintenance.
  • Choose to add a tree (that doesn’t drop a lot of debris) if the garden is large enough. See small and medium tree definitions in the glossary.
  • Choose plants for vertical layering – a mix of tall-, medium-, and low-growing species for visual interest and to slow down rainfall.

Plant Installation

  • Install plants in their proper moisture zones (see Fig. 1).
  • Plant shrubs and perennials in groups of three to five of the same species. Trees can be planted in groups or individually.
  • Plant taller and larger plants in the center, at the back, or at one end of the garden, depending on the views.
  • Plant shorter plants where they can be seen easily, around the garden edges, in front of larger plants, or underneath taller plants.
  • Space and plant perennials so that their canopies will grow together and cover the ground to minimize weeds.
  • Space and plant trees and shrubs according to their mature size. For example – beautyberry shrubs, that grow to six feet wide, should be planted three feet apart.
  • Adding plants outside and around the rain garden area helps the garden blend into the overall landscape.
  • More information can be found in Tree and Shrub Planting Guidelines, Virginia Cooperative Extension publication 430-295.
Planting Zones.
Figure 1. Planting Zones

Maintenance

  • Add two to three inches of organic mulch (like pinebare, pine needles, or shredded hardwood) to the entire newly planted rain garden. Do not cover the crowns of the perennials. Replenish mulch as needed in areas where the plant canopies haven’t filled in or where there is bare ground.
  • Be aware that mulch may float when runoff comes into the rain garden.
  • Prune or remove any dead, diseased, or damaged plants as soon as the problem is noticed. More information on pruning woody plants can be found in Virginia Cooperative Extension publications 430-455 through 430-462.
  • Leave the foliage of perennials and ornamental grasses when they die back and go dormant for the winter. In the spring just before new growth starts, prune the dead foliage and remove from the garden. This leaves the ground bare the shortest amount of time and helps prevent weeds.
  • Hand pull or spot treat weeds with an herbicide as necessary.
  • Water the garden during its establishment (first growing season) and extended dry periods (more than two weeks). One inch of water per week is recommended.

Plant Lists

Trees, shrubs, and perennials are listed with both their common and scientific names. Research plants including specific cultivars, varieties, and sizes, to see which ones fit the rain garden design best.

Trees

Small Trees (10-25’ tall, needs a minimum of 50 - 400 square feet of planting area)
Common Name Scientific Name
Crape Myrtle Lagerstroemia spp.
Dwarf River Birch Betula nigra ‘Little King’
Eastern Redbud Cercis canadensis
Fringetree Chionanthus virginicus or retusus
Hazel Alder Alnus serrulate
Serviceberry Amelanchier arborea/laevis/canadensis
Witchhazel Hamamelis spp.
Medium Trees (25-50’ tall, needs a minimum of 400 - 1200 square feet of planting area)
Common Name Scientific Name
Black Alder Alnus glutinosa
Carolina Silverbell Halesia tetraptera
Crape Myrtle Lagerstroemia spp.
Eastern Hophornbeam/ironwood Ostrya virginiana
Eastern Red Cedar Juniperus virginiana
Musclewood/hornbeam Carpinus caroliniana
Sweetbay Magnolia virginiana
White Cedar Thuja occidentalis

Shrubs

Common Name Scientific Name
American Beautyberry Callicarpa americana
Anise Illicium parvifolium
Arrowwood Viburnum dentatum
Bottlebrush Buckeye Aesculus parviflora
Buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis
Carolina Allspice Calycanthus floridus
Chokeberry Aronia spp.
Cranberrybushes Viburnum opulus/trilobum
Devilwood Osmanthus americana
Dogwood Cornus sericea
Elderberry Sambucus canadensis
False Indigo Amorpha fruticosa
Fetterbush Leucothoe racemosa
Fothergilla Fothergilla gardenii
Groundsel Bush Baccharis halimifolia
Highbush Blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum
Inkberry Ilex glabra
Leucothoes Leucothoe axillaris/fontanesiana
Oakleaf Hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia
Possumhaw Ilex decidua (male and female)
Rose of Sharon Hibiscus syriacus
Spicebush Lindera benzoin
Steeplebush Spiraea tomentosa
Summersweet Clethra Clethra alnifolia
Swamp Azalea Rhododendron viscosum
Swamp Rose Rosa palustris
Virginia Sweetspire Itea virginica
Wax Myrtles Myrica cerifera/pennsylvanicum
Willows Salix caprea/discolor/matsudana
sachalinensis/purpurea
Winterberry Ilex verticillata (need both
male and female)
Yaupon Holly Ilex Vomitoria

Perennials

Common Name Scientific Name
Arrowhead Sagittaria latifola
Asters Aster spp.
Beardtongue Penstemon digitalis
Beebalm Monarda didyma
Blackeyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta
Blue Lobelia Lobelia siphilitica
Bluestar Amsonia tabernaemontana
Calla Lily Zantedeschia spp.
Canna Lily Canna spp.
Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis
Crinum Lily Crinum spp.
Daylilies Hemerocallis spp.
Gingers Hedychium spp.
Goldenrod Solidago flexicaulis
Hardy Begonia Begonia grandis
Hibiscus Hibiscus coccineus/moscheutos
Ironweed Vernonia noveboracensis
Irises Iris lousiana/versicolor
Joe-Pye Weed Eutrochium (Eupatorium)
Leopard Plant Farugium tussilaginea (Ligularia)
Liatris Liatris spicata
Lilyturf Liriope muscari
Lizard Tail Saururus cernuus
Lungwort Pulmonaria spp.
Marsh Marigold Caltha palustris
Monkey Flower Mimulus ringens
Obedient Plant Physotegia virginiana
Pickerelweed Pontederia cordata
Plantain Lily Hosta spp.
Primroses Primula spp.
Rain Lilies Zephyranthes spp.
Red Columbine Aquilegia canadensis
Siberian Bugloss Brunnera macrophylla
Spiderwort Tradescantia spp.
Swamp Milkweed Asclepias incarnata
Swamp Sunflower Helianthus angustifolius
Turtleheads Chelone lyonii/obliqua
Virginia Bluebells Mertensia virginica
Wild Ginger Asarum canadense
Windflowers Anemone spp.

Ferns

Common Name Scientific Name
Autumn Fern Dryopteris erythrosora
Christmas Fern Polystichum acrostichoides
Cinnamon Fern Osmunda cinnamomea
Holly Fern Cyrtomium falcatum
Japanese Painted Fern Athyrium nipponicum
Lady Fern Athyrium felix-femina
Royal Fern Osmunda regalis
Tassel Fern Polystichum braunii
Wood Ferns Dryopteris spp.

Grasses and Grass-like

Common Name Scientific Name
Feather Reed Grass Calamagrostis acutiflora
Little Bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium
Rushes Juncus spp.
Sedges Carex spp.
Sweetflag Acorus spp.
Switchgrass Panicum virgatum

Groundcovers

Common Name Scientific Name
Bugleweed Ajuga spp.
Foamflower Tiarella cordifolia
Green and Gold Chrysogonum virginianum
Lilyturf Liriope spicata
Mazus Mazus reptans
Plumbago Ceratostigma plumbaginoides
St. Johnswort Hypericum calycinum
Strawberry Begonia Saxifraga stolonifera

Resources

Chesapeake Bay Program How-To’s and Tips - https://www.chesapeakebay.net/action/howtotips

Chesapeake Stormwater Network Homeowner BMP Guide - http://chesapeakestormwater.net/2013/04/homeowner-bmp-guide/

Low Impact Development Center Rain Garden Design Templates - http://www.lowimpactdevelopment.org/raingarden_design/templates.htm

Natural Resource Conservation Service USDA Rain Garden guide - https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/nrcs142p2_011366.pdf

N.C. Cooperative Extension Rain Garden Manual - https://www.ces.ncsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/RGmanual2015.pdf

Virginia Cooperative Extension: Stormwater Management for Homeowners Fact Sheet series by L. Fox - http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/

Virginia Cooperative Extension: publications on fertilizer and pesticide use, plant and grass selection and maintenance, and local Extension offices and agents - http://www.ext.vt.edu

Virginia Cooperative Extension: Guides to Successful Pruning publications 430-455 through 430-462 - http://pubs.ext.vt.edu

Virginia Cooperative Extension: Tree and Shrub Planting Guidelines, publication 430-295 - http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/430-295/

Virginia Department of Environmental Quality: Regional Native Plant Guides - www.PlantVirginiaNatives.org

Virginia Department of Forestry Rain Garden Technical Guide - http://www.dof.virginia.gov/infopubs/Rain-Garden-Technical-Guide-2014-05_pub.pdf

Glossary

Annual – any plant that completes its life cycle from seed germination through flowering and seed set in one year

Cultivar – a human crossed plant selection with a unique trait that is maintained by asexually progagation

Deciduous – any woody plant that drops its leaves in winter

Evergreen – any plant that retains foliage throughout all months of the year

Herbaceous – Plants that have no woody stems and generally die back and are dormant over the winter

Impervious surface - Surface that does not allow water to flow through it

Perennial – any plant that lives for longer than 2 years

Stormwater - Water that runs off impervious surfaces during rain events, often associated with urban areas; also called “runoff”

Variety – a naturally occurring plant population with a unique trait like flower or fruit color

Woody – plants that have hard stems like trees and shrubs

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to express appreciation for the reviews and comments provided by the following individuals: Barry Fox, Extension Specialist, Virginia State University, Adria Bordas, Extension Agent, Fairfax County, Karen Carter, Extension Agent, Henrico County, and JoAnne Gordon, Horticulturist, City of Norfolk. This is a revised and updated version of the publication originally authored by Laurie Fox, Mike Andruczyk Traci Gilland, Susan French, and Lynnette Swanson. Reviewed by David Close, Consumer Horticulture and Master Gardener Specialist, Horticulture, Virginia Tech


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Publication Date

January 2, 2024