Native
Plants Appropriate for Bio-retention Areas and Rain Gardens in Central and
Southern Indiana
Flowering perennials
Columbine, Aquilegia canadensis, Orange, yellow/spring, Partial sun-shade,
Tolerates moist or dry soil. 2’
New England Aster, Aster novae-angliae, Purple/fall, Sun-partial sun, Tolerates
saturated to dry soil. 1-6’
Smooth Aster, Aster laevis, Blue/fall, Sun-partial sun, Moist to dry soil. No
mildew. 2-5’
Pink Turtlehead, Chelone obliqua, Pink/late summer, Partial sun, Prefers moist
soils with abundant organic matter. 1-3’
Tall Coreopsis, Coreopsis tripteris, Yellow/summer, Sun-partial sun, Tolerates
moist to dry conditions in well-drained soils. 4-6’
Purple Coneflower,Echinacea purpurea, Purple/summer Sun-partial sun In full sun,
prefers moist, well-drained soils. 3-5’
Spotted Joe-Pye-Weed, Eupatorium maculatum, Pink/summer, Sun, Prefers moist,
well drained soils. 1-6’
Sweet Joe-Pye-Weed, Eupatorium purpureum, Pink/summer, Partial sun, Prefers
moist soil; tolerates poorly drained soils. 4-6’
Queen-of-the-Prairie, Filipendula rubra, Pink/summer, Sun, Prefers well-drained,
evenly moist. 4-6’
Wild Geranium (Cranesbill), Geranium maculatum, Lavender/spring, Partial
sun-shade, Prefers moist, well drained soil. Red
foliage in cold weather. 8-18”
Autumn Sneezeweed, Helenium autumnale, Yellow/fall, Sun-partial sun, Tolerates
moist to dry soils. 3-5’
False Sunflower, Heliopsis helianthoides, Yellow/summer, Sun-partial sun,
Prefers well drained soil. 2-4’
Dense Blazing Star, Liatris spicata, Purple/summer, Sun, Corm. Prefers well
drained soil, but tolerates moist to dry
conditions 2-3’
Cardinal Flower, Lobelia cardinalis, Red/summer, Sun-shade, Prefers moist, well
drained soil. 2-4’
Great Blue Lobelia (Blue Cardinal Flower), Lobelia siphilitica,
Blue/summer, Partial sun-shade, Prefers moist, well drained
soil, but more tolerant of dry conditions than Cardinal Flower 2-3’
Sweet Black-Eyed Susan(Sweet Coneflower), Rudbeckia subtomentosa, Yellow/summer,
Sun , Prefers average moisture, well drained soils. Does not tolerate drought.
3-5’
Blue Vervain (Swamp Vervain, Simpler’s Joy, Wild Hyssop), Verbena hastate,
Blue-violet/summer, Sun, Prefers moist soils
and marshy conditions. 4’.
Butterfly Milkweed, Asclepias tuberosa, Orange/summer, Sun, Grows in clumps from
deep woody root – host for Monarch butterfly. Likes dry conditions. 18-30”
Swamp Milkweed, Asclepias incarnata, Light purple/summer, Sun, Prefers wet soil
but tolerates drought once established.
2-4’
Foxglove Beardtongue, Penstemon digitalis, White/summer, Sun, Dry to medium wet
soil 3-5’
Stiff Goldenrod, Solidago rigida, Yellow/late summer, Sun, Dry soil. Birds love
the seed. (does not cause hay fever) 30-48”
Black Chokeberry, Aronia melanocarpa White, red/spring/black berries,
Sun-partial shade, Tolerates dry to wet soils. 4-10’
Wild Senna Cassia hebecarpa Yellow/summer Sun-partial shade, Prefers wet, clayey
soils. Yields large, showy flower clusters in summer and attractive seed pods in
fall which attract wildlife. 4-6’.
Buttonbush, Cephalanthus occidentalis, White, tan/summer, Sun, Prefers moist to
very wet soil. 6-10’
Common Winterberry, Ilex verticillata, White/summer, Sun, Prefers wet soil.
6-12’
Spicebush, Lindera benzoin, Yellow/spring/red berries, Sun-shade, Tolerates wet
to dry soils. 6-12’
Fragrant Sumac, Rhus aromatica, Yellow/summer/Red fruit, Full sun-partial shade,
‘Gro-low’ variety is a good groundcover.
Shining Sumac, Rhus glabra, Yellow/summer/red fruit, Sun, Prefers dry, sandy
soil. 20’
Staghorn Sumac, Rhus typhina, Yellow/summer/red fruit, Sun, Tolerates wet to dry
soils. Adaptable. 15-25’
Arrowwood, Viburnum dentatum, White/late spring/blue berries, Sun-partial shade,
Tolerates wet to dry soils. 8-10’
Nannyberry, Viburnum lentago, White/spring/edible black berries, Sun-partial
shade, Adaptable. Prefers moist, well-drained soil. Can be pruned into a
small tree. 8-15’
Blackhaw, Viburnum prunifolium, White/spring/black berries, Sun-partial shade,
Tolerates dry to wet soils. Slow-growing
shrub. 8-15’
American Cranberry Bush, Viburnum trilobum, White/spring/edible red berries,
Sun-partial shade, Prefers moist to wet
soil. 8-12’
Grasses, sedges and rushes
Common Sweet Flag (Calamus), Acorus calamus, Sun, An adaptable, tall plant with
lemon-scented leaves. Prefers emergence in shallow water, but tolerates
drying as well. 1-4’.
Big Bluestem (Turkeyfoot), Andropogon gerardii, Sun, Very adaptable: tolerates
acid, sandy soil, drought and flooding. Also provides erosion control. Purple
flower. 3-7’
Fox Sedge, Carex vulpinoidea, Sun, Forms grassy clumps. Prefers moist, clayey
soils. Often found in ravines, swales, and
the edges of ponds. Flowers May-June. 1-3’
Torrey’s Rush, Juncus torreyi, Sun, Prefers shallow water, but will tolerate
drying. Blooms June-August. 2-3’.
Switch Grass, Panicum virgatum, Sun, Adaptable: tolerates wet to well-drained
soil; tolerates flooding. Slow spreading.
Erosion control. 3-6’
Little Bluestem, Schizachyrium scoparium, Sun, Virtually an indestructible,
low-maintenance grass that can survive a huge variety of conditions. Drought to
flood, hot to cold, alkaline to acid. Gets 2-4 feet tall. Colorful foliage
varies on conditions. Prefers sloping ground. Hardy to Zone 3.
Woolgrass Bulrush, Scirpus cyperinus, Sun-partial shade, A densely tufted sedge
with a grass-like appearance. Prefers sandy, moist soils and tolerates
drying. 4-5’.
Indian Grass, Sorghastrum nutans, Sun-partial shade, Dry or moist soil. Erosion
control. Grows rapidly. 5-7’
Giant Burreed, Sparganium eurycarpum, Sun Prefers shallow water, but will
tolerate drying. Blooms June-August. 3-6’.
Groundcovers
Canada Anemone, Anenome canadensis, Sun-partial shade, Prefers moist, organic
soil. 1-3”.
Wild Ginger, Asarum canadense, Partial sun-full shade, Spreads rapidly. Hardy
and low maintenance. Less than 1’.
Pennsylvania Sedge (Common Oak Sedge), Carex pensylvanica, Full sun-full shade A
lawn alternative. Prefers
dry, open woodland conditions, but quite adaptable. 5-7”
Creeping Phlox (Moss Phlox), Phlox subulata, Full sun-partial shade, Forms mats;
good for hillsides and rocky areas. 3-
5”
Ferns
Cinnamon Fern, Osmunda cinnamomea, Sun-shade, If in full sun, needs constant
watering. 2-3’
Ostrich Fern (Shuttlecock Fern), Matteuccia struthiopteris, Partial shade, Needs
constant moisture. Turns brown and dies back in winter. 2-3’
12
Trees
Red Maple, Acer rubrum, Sun-shade, Moist or dry soil. Shallow roots.
60-90’
Redbud, Cercis canadensis, Partial sun-shade, Tolerates full sun if soil is kept
moist. Tolerates irregular inundation. Life of about 15 years. 20-30’
Red-Osier Dogwood (Red Twig Dogwood), Cornus sericea (Cornus stolonifera),
Shade-partial sun, Requires wet soils. 3-10’
Green Hawthorn, Crataegus viridis, Sun-shade, Tolerates wet soils. 20-35’
White Ash, Fraxinus americana, Sun-partial shade, Tolerates short-term flooding.
50-80’
Sycamore, Platanus occidentalis, Sun-partial shade, Tolerates occasional
flooding; tolerates drought. 75-100’
Bur Oak, Quercus macrocarpa, Sun, Tolerates some flooding; tolerates drought.
75-100’
Pin Oak, Quercus palustris, Sun, Tolerates some flooding, but not consistently
wet sites. 60-80’
(Northern) Red Oak, Quercus rubra, Full sun-partial shade, Tolerates drought.
40-70’
Bald Cypress, Taxodium distichum, Full sun-partial shade, Prefers moist soils
and thrives in wet conditions, but will tolerate dry soils as well. 50-100’
Eastern Hemlock, Tsuga canadensis, Shade-partial sun, Prefers moist soil and
cool temperatures. 40-70’
Invasive non-natives species to avoid
Norway Maple, Acer platanoides
Garlic Mustard, Alliaria petiolata
Oriental Bittersweet, Celastrus orbiculatus
Crown Vetch, Coronilla varia
Russian Olive, Elaeagnus augustifolia
Silverberry, Elaeagnus pungens
Autumn Olive, Elaeagnus umbellata
Common privet, Ligustrum vulgare
Japanese Honeysuckle, Lonicera japonica
Amur Honeysuckle, Lonicera maackii
Morrow Honeysuckle, Lonicera morrowii
Tartarian Honeysuckle, Lonicera tatarica
Purple Loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria
Reed Canary Grass, Phalaris arundinacea
Common Reed or Phragmites, Phragmites australis
Buckthorn, Rhamnus cathartica, Rhamnus frangula
SOURCES
“ClearWater Conservancy’s rain garden plant list,” Environmental Outreach: Rain
Gardens. ClearWater Conservancy, at
http://www.clearwaterconservancy.org/watershed_wise_raingardens.htm.
Department of Environmental Resources, Programs and Planning Division. 2002. The
Bioretention Manual. Prince George’s County, MD.
DuluthStreams. 2004. Reduce runoff with a rain garden, at
http://www.duluthstreams.org/citizen/wet_garden.html.
Homoya, Michael A. 2003. Landscaping with Plants Native to Indiana: Recommended
Plants and their Sources. Indiana Native Plant and Wildflower Society.
MacKenzie, Jill. 1998. “Perennials for Moist Soils,” Yard and Garden Brief.
University of Minnesota Extension Service, Minneapolis, MN.
Rozumalski, Fred. 2001. “Impervious surface reduction parking lot design:
Rainwater gardens plant list,” Minnesota Urban Small Sites BMP Manual. Barr
Engineering Company, for Metropolitan Council Environmental Services, St. Paul,
MN.
Produced by the Monroe County Highway Department, Monroe County Courthouse, Room
323, Bloomington IN, 47404.
http://www.co.monroe.in.us/stormwaterquality/bioretention.html.
Revised 4/18/07