Moisture Tolerant Plants

Most plants we grow in our gardens need good drainage. Lack of oxygen in the soil can cause disease problems as root cells die, or in the worst case, death of the plant due to suffocation of the root system. There are some plants that can tolerate damp conditions.

• Tolerant of Seasonal Dampness

  These plants will take spring moisture as long as the site drains afterward.

  Elderberry
  Currant
  Dogwood
  White Ash
  Green Ash
  Butternut
  Bur Oak
  Basswood
  Balsam Fir
  Aster
  Astilbe
  Siberian Iris
  Bloodroot
  Primula
  Trollius

• Tolerant of Continuous Dampness

  These plants are the most tolerant of wet soils. The amount of water they will tolerate varies somewhat. Those with an asterisk * are the most tolerant.

  Poplar
  Native Red Maple
  Highbush Cranberry
  Cedar
  Joe Pye Weed
  Beebalm
  Lady Fern
  Willow*
  Bog Rosemary*
  Deciduous Holly*
  Larch*
  Black Spruce*
  Japenese Iris*
  Ligularia*
  Ostrich Fern*
  Sensitive Fern*
  Sedge*
  Rush (Juncus)*