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.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Tuesday - March 30, 2010
From: Katonah, NY
Region: Northeast
Topic: Rain Gardens
Title: Rain garden plants for Ketonah, NY
Answered by: Anne Bossart
QUESTION:
Rain garden plant selections for lower NY stateANSWER:
Creating a rain garden is a great way to manage stormwater runoff and create an ecofriendly garden using plants that might not otherwise thrive in a home garden setting.
If you do an Internet Search for "Rain Gardens New York" you will find a wealth of information. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden has published plant lists and a tip sheet you will find particularly helpful. the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation also has a publication that will be informative.
You can find detailed information about the plants they recommend by visiting our Native Plant Database and either entering their names individually or doing a "Combination Search" for New York State and then selecting the appropriate conditions and the plant types you require. The plants in the lowest part of the garden will have to be adapted to saturated conditions ... around the edges, the plants may have to be able to withstand quite dry conditions as well.
Here are a few examples of plants that will work for you if your site is sunny:
Eupatorium purpureum (sweetscented joepyeweed)
Liatris spicata (dense blazing star)
Spiraea alba (white meadowsweet)
Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem)
Spartina pectinata (prairie cordgrass)
Rhus aromatica (fragrant sumac)
Viburnum opulus var. americanum (American cranberrybush)
More Rain Gardens Questions
Smarty Plants on water-absorbing plants
July 19, 2005 - I am looking for water-absorbing plants for L.A. zone. I am hoping this type of vegetation would ease the water retention problem at the planter right next to my basement. Is this a feasible solutio...
view the full question and answer
Rain garden plants for NC
April 19, 2010 - I have a small creek at the back of our property, it's normally dry except when it rains. Builders removed the natural plants and left it bare. What native plants could I plant in it to bring it bac...
view the full question and answer
Plants for a wet area in Ohio
March 30, 2010 - 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
view the full question and answer
Plants for a bioswale in TX
February 18, 2011 - Dear Mr.Smarty Plants, What kind of plants are best suited for a bioswale in Edinburg, Texas?
view the full question and answer
Raingardens in Indiana
May 09, 2012 - I need to have annual native plants to add to a demonstration rain garden to fill in while we wait for the perennial plants to mature. The only plant I can think of is annual phlox. Do you have any ...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |