Put the Right Plant In the Right
Place
We all wish our gardens had perfect soil and perfect drainage.
Unfortunately, that is seldom the case. There is that spot in the
yard that never seems to dry out or the flower bed that dries out
faster than the rest. The answer to gardening in these trouble spots,
is proper plant selection. The lists of plants below give a good
starting selection of plants that tolerate different levels of soil
moisture. Lists like these are good starting points. Once you have
a list of drought tolerant plants in hand, you need to know more
about each one. For instance, does it need sun or shade, what color
are the flowers, when will the plant bloom, and how tall is the
plant?
Constantly moist to wet soils: This list includes two groups
of perennials; those that require a consistently moist soil and
those that can tolerate wet soils.
|
Aruncus dioicus |
Goat’s Beard |
|
Astilbe x arendsii |
Astilbe |
|
Brunnera macrophylla |
Siberian Bugloss |
|
Caltha palustris |
Marsh Marigold |
|
Chelone spp. |
Turtlehead |
|
Cimicifuga racemosa |
Black Snakeroot |
|
Dodecatheon meadia |
Shooting Stars |
|
Equisetum hyemale |
Scouring Rush, Horsetail |
|
Filipendula rubra |
Queen-of-the-Prairie |
|
Filipendula ulmaria |
Queen-of-the-Meadow |
|
Houttuynia cordata |
Houttuynia |
|
Iris ensata |
Japanese Iris |
|
Iris pseudoacorus |
Yellow Flag, Yellow Flag Iris |
|
Iris versicolor |
Blue Flag Iris, Wild Iris |
|
Ligularia dentata |
Bigleaf Ligularia |
|
Ligularia ‘The Rocket’ |
Rocket Ligularia |
|
Lobelia cardinalis |
Cardinal Flower |
|
Lobelia siphilitica |
Great Blue Lobelia |
|
Lysimachia spp. |
Loosestrifes (this does not include Purple Loosestrife) |
|
Phlox divaricata |
Wild Blue Phlox, Woodland Phlox |
|
Physostegia virginiana |
Obedient Plant |
|
Polygonum (Persicaria) spp. |
Fleeceflower, Smartweed, Knotweed |
|
Ranunculus repens |
Creeping Buttercup |
|
Rodgersia pinnata |
Rodgersia, Rogers-flower |
|
Smilacina racemosa |
False Solomon’s Seal |
|
Tradescantia virginiana |
Spiderwort |
|
Trollius europaeus |
Common Globeflower |
Dry sites (in sun): This list of plants includes perennials
that grow in drier soils. Newly planted perennials will not exhibit
drought tolerance.
|
Achillea spp. |
Yarrow |
|
Antennaria rosea |
Pussy Toes |
|
Anthemis tinctoria |
Golden Marguerite |
|
Arabis caucasica |
Wall Rock Cress |
|
Artemisia spp. |
Artemisia |
|
Asclepias tuberosa |
Butterfly Weed |
|
Aurinia saxatilis |
Basket-of-Gold |
|
Callirhoe involucrata |
Winecups |
|
Centaurea montana |
Mountain Bluet |
|
Coreopsis spp. |
Coreopsis, Tickseed |
|
Echinacea purpurea |
Purple Coneflower |
|
Echinops ritro |
Globe thistle |
|
Eryngium spp. |
Sea Holly |
|
Euphorbia spp. |
Euphorbia |
|
Gaillardia x grandiflora |
Blanket Flower |
|
Helianthemum nummularium |
Rockrose |
|
Helianthus x multiflorus |
Perennial Sunflower |
|
Iberis sempervirens |
Evergreen Candytuft |
|
Liatris spp. |
Blazing Star, Gayfeather |
|
Limonium latifolium |
Sea Lavender, Statice |
|
Malva alcea |
Hollyhock Mallow |
|
Oenothera spp. |
Evening Primrose |
|
Perovskia atriplicifolia |
Russian Sage |
|
Potentilla spp. |
Potentilla, Cinquefoil |
|
Rudbeckia spp. |
Black-eyed Susan, Orange Coneflower |
|
Saponaria ocymoides |
Rock Soapwort |
|
Sedum spp. |
Sedum, Stonecrop |
|
Sempervivum tectorum |
Hen-and -chickens |
|
Stachys byzantina |
Lamb’s Ears |
|
Yucca spp. |
Yucca |
February - March 2001: Hybrids
& Heirlooms | Put the Right Plant In the Right Place | Windbreaks
Can Help Save On Energy Costs | Apple Scab
& Black Knot |
