Native Plants

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

Not Yet Rated

Tuesday - March 30, 2010

From: Geneva, OH
Region: Midwest
Topic: Rain Gardens
Title: Plants for a wet area in Ohio
Answered by: Anne Bossart

QUESTION:

I have a lot of water in my front yard are there any kind of plants that I can plant to drink up some of the water? I live in North East Ohio

ANSWER:

The short answer to your question is, yes of course there are. However, it is impossible to make very specific suggestions without more specific information about your front yard.

If the soggy area is your lawn and the water sits there in the spring in the low areas until the soil thaws and the water can infiltrate, that is completely different than if you have areas that are wet all year through. In that case, where the water sits will have a big impact on what you do about it and how you incorporate it into your overall garden plan.

If you do an Internet Search on the terms "rain garden" and "bioswale" and "Ohio", you will find a wealth of information on how to deal with the water and make an eco-friendly garden at the same time. The Central Ohio Rain Garden Initiative website will be helpful even though you are in the north. You will also find an extensive "how to manual" puiblished by the University of Wisconsin by clicking here.

In general, rain gardens are created to reduce stormwater runoff and to encourage it to infiltrate. When there is no rain, there is no water so the plants used in this type of garden have to be able to withstand both wet and dry conditions. If your site is always wet, you can select plants that have high moisture needs.

Ultimately, the plants you choose will be determined by what is for sale in the nurseries in your area but you can begin the selection process by visiting our Native Plant database

On that page you will see "Combination Search" and "Recommended Species". If you select Ohio and the type of plant you are looking for (tree, shrub, perennial and so on) as well as light and moisture conditions, the computer will generate a list of plants native to Ohio that fit those criteria. The Recommended Species will do the same thing, but will search a smaller list of plants that are known to do well in garden situations and are easier to find in nurseries. If you have a rain garden situation you will have to select both wet and dry and then look at each plant to see if it can adapt to both extremes. Each plant name on the list is linked to an information page about the plant. That is why you will find some of the Rain Garden websites helpful; many of them have plant lists.

Here are a few plants we have selected from the list which should work for you.

Perennials and Grasses

Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem)

Eupatorium purpureum (sweetscented joepyeweed)

Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot)

Oligoneuron rigidum (stiff goldenrod) (Images)

Panicum virgatum (switchgrass)

Rudbeckia hirta (blackeyed Susan)

Shrubs

Ilex verticillata (common winterberry)

Lindera benzoin (northern spicebush)

Physocarpus opulifolius (common ninebark)