Red Cardinal Flower loves damp spots and is a favorite of hummingbirds
Bald Cypress becomes a very large tree and should be underplanted with ground covers to protect its 'knees' from mower blades.
Red Chokeberry has stunning red berries in winter and attractive fall foliage. It is a small shrub only reaching 4 to 5 feet tall.
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Plants for Damp & Wet Spots
Many times, the best and easiest way to deal with a frequently mushy or wet spot in your yard is to plant plants that will thrive in those conditions. This method allows rainwater to soak into the ground and return to the underground aquifers from which we get our drinking water. Planting water-loving ground covers also means you don’t have to try to mow in these areas. Sometimes we call these planting areas Rain Gardens. The plants listed here are all considered native to this region.
Wet soils are places where standing water may be present for a few days at a time. If you have standing water for extended periods of time, you may need to consider using aquatic plants instead.
Trees
Bald Cypress (Taxodium distichum) average, damp/moist & wet soils
Black Gum/Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica) average & damp/moist soils
Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) average & damp/moist soils
Red Maple (Acer rubrum) dry, average & damp/moist soils
River Birch (Betula nigra) average, damp/moist & wet soils
Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor) average, damp/moist & wet soils
Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) average, damp/moist & wet soils
Shrubs
American Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis) average & damp/moist soils
Button Bush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) average, damp/moist & wet soils
Inkberry Holly (Ilex glabra) average & damp/moist soils
Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) average & damp/moist soils
Summersweet Clethra (Clethra alnifolia) average & damp/moist soils
Swamp Azalea (Rhododendron viscosum) damp/moist & wet soils
Vernal Witchhazel (Hamamelis vernalis) average, damp/moist & wet soils
Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica) average, damp/moist & wet soils
Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata selections) average, damp/moist & wet soils
Withrod Viburnum (Viburnum cassinoides, V. nudum) average & damp/moist soils
Perennials
Blueflag & Slender Iris, (Iris versicolor, I. prismatica) damp & wet soils
Boneset (Eupatorium hyssopifolium) average, damp/moist & wet soils
Goatsbeard (Aruncus dioicus) average & damp/moist soils
Hardy Ageratum (Conoclinium/Eupatorium coelestinum), average, damp & wet soils
Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium dubium, E. maculatum) average, damp/moist & wet soils
Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris) average, damp/moist & wet soils
New York Ironweed (Vernonia novaeboracensis) average, damp/moist & wet soils
Ostrich Fern (Mattuccia strutheropteris) average, damp/moist & wet soils
Perennial Hibiscus (Hibiscus moeschutos) average, damp/moist & wet soils
Red & Blue Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis, L silphatica), ave., damp & wet soils
Rosy Coreopsis (Coreopsis rosea) average & damp/moist soils
Royal & Cinnamon Ferns (Osmunda regale, O. cinnamomea) ave., damp & wet soils
Sedges (Carex species) damp/moist & wet soils
Switch Grass (Panicum virgatum) average & damp/moist soils
Swamp Sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius) average, damp/moist & wet soils
Turtlehead (Chelone species) average & damp/moist soils
Additional images
Button Bush has charming round flowers in summer that
attract butterflies.
The flowers of Summersweet Clethra have a strong
fragrance and come in both white and pink. Dwarf
selections are also available for small spaces.
Perennial Hibiscus is a native wetland plant that has been
refined for the garden. Give it plenty of room.
A native Iris, Slender Blueflag Iris (I. prismatica) is only
happy in damp to wet soils.