Texas Rain Garden Plant List (draft)

Contributors: Dr. Dotty Woodson, Extension Specialist; Tom LeRoy, CEA-Hort; Laura Miller, CEA-Hort; Melissa Sturdivant, CEA-Hort; Brent Clayton, Extension Assistant A rain garden is an attractive method for controlling stormwater damage and runoff. A rain garden captures and temporarily holds rainwater until the ground can absorb the water. The plants should compliment the rest of the landscape. The best plants for a rain garden are native and adapted plants that thrive in your area. Below is a short list of plants commonly recommended for Texas landscapes that will grow in a rain garden. Climates across the state vary dramatically, so some of these plants may not fit well in your area. To find a list of landscape plants created specifically for your region, contact the Extension office in your county or go to the following website:

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/earthkind/EKSelector.html
Many of the landscape plants recommended for your region will grow in a rain garden. Contact information for Texas AgriLife Extension Service county offices is available at http://texasextension.tamu.edu/county/, or in the county government pages of the local telephone book. Plants in the depression or swale area of a rain garden must tolerate wet roots for the amount of time the rainwater takes to drain, usually 24 to 48 hours. Soil preparation and mulch will help the plants grow and thrive. Provide irrigation and fertilizer for the rain garden as required.

Botanical Name Perennials

Common Name

Height

Width

Light Req.

Moisture Tolerance D W W W/D W/D D D W/D W/D W D W/D W/D W W/D W W/D W/D W W/D

Achillea millefolium Acorus calamus Adiantum capillus-veneris Alstromeria pulchella Amorpha fruticosa Amsonia illustria Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii Aquilegia hinckleyana Aquilegia longissima Asclepias incarnata Asclepias tuberosa Aspidistra elatior Aster subulatus Baptisia australis Calyptocarpus vialis Canna generalis Coreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam Crinum americanum Cyperus alternfolius Delphinium virescens

Yarrow Sweet Flag Southern Maidenhair Peruvian Lily False Indigo Blue Texas Star Flame Acanthus Texas Columbine Longspur Columbine Swamp milkweed Butterfly Weed Cast Iron Plant Babys Breath Aster Blue False Indigo Horseherb Canna Moonbean Coreopsis Crinum Lily Umbrella Sedge Prairie Larkspur

1 4 2 3 10 1 4 1 1 5 3 2 3 3-6 4 2-6 1 2 4 4

1 2 1 2 7 1 4 1 1 3 6 2 2 2 18 2-6 1 2 4 6

S S SH S/PSH S S/PSH S S PSH S S SH S S SH S S/PSH S SH S

S Sun SH Shade PSH Part Shade W Wet D Dry

Dichondra argentea Silver Falls Dryopteris normalis Echinacea purpurea Equisetum hymenale Eupatorium coelestinum Eupatorium purpureum Gaillardia spp. Habranthus spp. Hedychium coronarium Helianthus angustifolius Helianthus maximiliani Heliopsis helianthoides Hemerocallis spp. Hibiscus coccineus Hibiscus militaris or H. laevis Hibiscus moscheutos Hymenocallis liriosme Ipomopsis rubra Iris Breaded spp and hybrids Iris brevicaulis and hybrids Iris versicolor Kosteletzkya virginica

Silver Falls Wood Fern Purple Cone Flower Horsetail Reed Blue Mistflower Joe-Pye Weed Blanketflower Copper Lily Butterfly Ginger Swamp Sunflower Maximilian Sunflower Ox-eyed Sunflower Daylilies Red Star Hibiscus Halbred Leafed Swamp Hibiscus Rose Mallow Spider Lily Standing Cypress Iris Louisiana Iris Blue Flag Iris Marsh Mallow

2 3 2 4 8 4 2 1 3-7 6 5-7 3-5 3 4-6 4-6 3-4 2 2-6 12 3 3 6

4 1 2 6 16 2-4 2 4 2 4 3 2-4 2 3 3 Varies 1 6-12 6 6 1 6

S/PSH SH S S/PSH S S/PSH S S/PSH S/PSH S S S S S S S S S S S/PSH S/PSG S

D W W/D W W/D W D D W W D W W/D D W W/D W/D W D W W W

S Sun SH Shade PSH Part Shade W Wet D Dry

Liatris spicata Lobelia cardinalis Malvaviscus aboreus M. aboreus var. drummondii Monarda didyma Oxalis bowiei Oenothera speciosa Phyla incisa Physotegia intermedia Physotegia virginiana Rudbeckia hirta Ruellia spp. Ruellia brittoniana Katies Setcreasea pallida Sisyrinchium angustifolium Solidago spp. Stachys byzantine Stokesia laevis Tagetes lucida Tradescantia occidentalis Vernonia spp. Zephyranthes spp.

Gayfeather Cardinal Flower Giant Turks Cap Tucks Cap Bee Balm Wood Sorrel Pink Evening Primrose Frogfruit Spring Obedient Plant Fall Obedient Plant Black-eyed Susan Mexican Petunia Ruellia Katie Purple Heart Blue-eyed grass Goldenrod Lambs Ear Stokes Aster Mexican mint Marigold Spiderwort Ironweed Rain Lily

2 2-4 4-6 2-3 2 6-12 6-12 3-6 3-6 4 1-2 3 6 12 6-12 2-4 6 2 1-2 2 4-6 6-10

18 2 1 1 2 6 12-15 6 1 2 1 3 12 24 12 3-5 12 2 1-3 1 1 6-12

S S/PSH S/PSH PSH/SH S S/PSH SH S/SH S/PSH S/SH S S/PSH S S/PSH S S S S S SH/PSH S S

W W W/D W/D W/D W/D W/D W/D W W W/D W/D W/D W/D W/D W/D D D W/D W/D W W

S Sun SH Shade PSH Part Shade W Wet D Dry

Ornamental Grasses

Andropogon gerardii Bouteloua dactyloides Carex spp Chasmanthium latifolium Muhlenbergia reverchoni Panicum virgatum Sorghastrum nutans Tripsacum dactyloides

Big bluestem Buffalograss Sedge Inland Seaoats Seep Muhly Switch Grass Indian Grass Eastern Gama Grass

6 6 Varies 2-4 2-4 3-4 3-8 4-8 Varies*

S S S/SH SH S S S S/SH

D D W/D W W W/D W/D W/D

*Widths of ornamental grasses become larger each year so its important to manage their lateral growth. Shrubs

Baccharis halmifolia Callicarpa americana Cephalanthus occidentalis Ilex decidua Ilex vomitoria Itea virginica Myrica cerifera Sabal minor Spirea x bumalda 'Anthony Waterer Ungnadia speciosa

Baccharis American Beauty Berry Buttonbush Possumhaw Holly Yaupon Sweetspire Southern Wax Myrtle Dwarf Palmetto Anthony Water Spirea Mexican Buckeye

5-12 4-6 10 20 20 3-4 15 4 2-3 20

5-7 5-8 10 15 20 4-6 10 5 3 8-12

S/PSH S/SH S/PSH S/SH S/SH S/PSH S/SH SH S S/SH

W/D W/D W W/D W/D W W/D W/D D D

S Sun SH Shade PSH Part Shade W Wet D Dry

Trees

Acer rubrun var. drummondi Asimina triloba Betula nigra Crataegus spp. Sabal palmetto Sophora affinis Taxodium distichum
Vines

Southern Swamp Maple Pawpaw River Birch Various Native Hawthorns Cabbage Palm Eves Necklace Bald Cypress

70 15 30 15-25 30-40 30 70

30 15 15 15-20 12 20 30

S SH/PSH S S S/PSH S S

W/D W/D W W/D W/D W/D W/D

Bignonia capreolata Clematis pitcheri Gelsemium sempervirens

Cross Vine Leatherflower Carolina Jessamine

36-50 long 6-10 long 10-20 long

S/PSH S/PSH S/PSH

W/D W W

Educational programs of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, or national origin. The Texas A&M University System, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the County Commissioners Courts of Texas Cooperating

S Sun SH Shade PSH Part Shade W Wet D Dry