Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
10 ratings

Wednesday - October 21, 2009

From: Charlottesville, VA
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Rain Gardens
Title: Edible Plants for a Virginia Rain Garden
Answered by: Dean Garrett

QUESTION:

Can you recommend edible plants that would be appropriate for use in a rain garden? I'm located in Charlottesville, VA, but this can be in general as well.

ANSWER:

There are several edible plants native to your area that should do well in the seasonal poor drainge of a rain garden.

Leaves for teas and seasoning:

Edible fruit:

Edible roots:

That should get you started. For more information about rain gardens in your state, check out this .pdf file from the Virginia Department of Forestry: Rain Gardens Technical Guide.


Monarda didyma

Pycnanthemum virginianum

Salvia lyrata

Lindera benzoin

Persea borbonia

Asimina triloba

Vaccinium corymbosum

Morus rubra

Rubus idaeus ssp. strigosus

Rubus trivialis

Helianthus tuberosus

 


Monarda clinopodia
 

More Rain Gardens Questions

School Rain Garden in Iowa
January 08, 2013 - Could you recommend plants for a rain garden to be installed on a middle school campus in the Council Bluffs Iowa area???? Many thanks!
view the full question and answer

Need suggestions for plants for bioswales in Philadelphia, PA
August 24, 2015 - Hello, Are there a handful of species you would recommend for inclusion in bioswales throughout the US? I realize plants need to be selected based on climate, but I'm wondering if there are two or...
view the full question and answer

Rain garden plants for DC
March 23, 2011 - Please recommend deep-rooted, native, perennial plants, 1-3 feet high, for an area that is moist and gets approximately 3 hours of day of afternoon sun. During rain storms this garden is in a low area...
view the full question and answer


July 27, 2015 - Hi, thanks for all your help in the past! I have a generous spot in my spacious back yard that is begging to be filled. The top soil is 4" sandy loam, below which is black clay.With frog strangler r...
view the full question and answer

Rain garden plants for Ketonah, NY
March 30, 2010 - Rain garden plant selections for lower NY state
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.