Rain Garden Plants

These plants work well for creating beautiful and functional rain gardens. They can also be planted to help absorb excess moisture in low-lying areas, or included in moist borders.

Select Plant Type: View All Types Fern Grass, sedge, carex Perennial Rain Garden Plants Shrub Shrub: deciduous Shrub: evergreen Tree Tree: deciduous Tree: evergreen Vine Xeriscape Plants

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Caltha palustris Common Name: Marsh Marigold One of the first plants to bloom in spring with bright yellow flowers held above mounds of glossy green leaves. Marsh marigold lights up moist areas and will grow as a water plant, in boggy areas, or in constantly moist garden soil. Plants may coloni... [ More Info ]

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Carex stricta Common Name: Tussock Sedge Tussock sedge grows in 2-3' tall clumps about 2' wide. As old leaves die, they build up around the living plant, making a "tussock" or little hill. It grows in or near water and spreads by rhizomes to make new clumps. As new tussocks form, they trap ... [ More Info ]

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Cephalanthus occidentalis Common Name: Buttonbush Hundreds of tiny, tubular creamy white flowers are packed into large showy flower heads, which dangle from the bush in August. Butterflies and other insects find the nectar irresistible. The fragrant flower heads mature into round fruits each contain... [ More Info ]

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Cercis canadensis Common Name: Eastern Redbud Leafless horizontal branches are smothered in small deep pink flowers in early spring. Its early nectar and pollen attracts a large number of specialized native bees and butterflies such as elfins. Red-purple, pea-shaped seedpods follow the flowers. ... [ More Info ]

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Chelone glabra Common Name: Turtlehead Dense spikes of white flowers (which take their common name from their distinct shape) are a welcome sight in late summer and early fall. Deep green foliage is handsome all season long. This is the main larval food for the Baltimore checkerspot butte... [ More Info ]

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Chionanthus virginicus Common Name: Grancy Graybeard / White Fringetree A carefree native, this small tree puts on a heck of a show in late spring with thousands of pendulous, delicately fragrant white flowers covering the tree before the leaves emerge. At the end of bloom season, the green leaf tips accent the snowy... [ More Info ]

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Clethra alnifolia Common Name: Summer Sweet Bush / Sweet Pepper Bush Summer sweet is a vase-shaped deciduous shrub, which features fluffy, bottle brush-like, 3-6" spikes of extremely fragrant white flowers that are an extremely important nectar source in summer. Glossy, dark green leaves turn a rich yellow in autu... [ More Info ]

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Cornus racemosa Common Name: Gray Dogwood Gray twig dogwood is a deciduous shrub bearing dome-shaped clusters of white flowers in late spring. The flowers give way to clusters of small white berries and the stems holding the flowers and fruit are licorice red which makes a distinct contrast.... [ More Info ]

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Cornus sericea Common Name: Red-Osier Dogwood Red-Osier Dogwood is a fast-growing, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub with cherry red winter stems. The stems are especially showy against a snowy backdrop. Tiny white flowers appear in flat-topped clusters in late spring. Flowers give way to clusters ... [ More Info ]