Plants for Standing Water

Standing water can occur in a garden either on purpose or by accident. These plants go by the sides of ponds, streams and other water features. They also go in the area of a garden that stays wet or exhibits 'puddling" after a rain storm. Plants that cannot take standing water where their roots stay wet for a while, develop root rot that can lead to the death of the plant.

Red twig dogwood (Cornus sericea 'Cardinal') is a deciduous shrub hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8. The shrub grows from 6 to 9 feet tall and 8 to 12 feet wide with white flowers that bloom in May and June. The flowers give way to clusters of white to blue fruits that attract song birds. Egg to lance shaped leaves measure 2 to 4 inches long and turn a red-purple in the fall. The plant likes full sun or partial shade and a soil that is moist to wet. Red twig dogwood is adaptable to different types of soil and can take swampy or boggy conditions.

Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum 'Peve Minaret') is a small version of the tall bald cypress, growing from 5 to 6 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. The tree is hardy in zones 4 to 9 and likes full sun and a soil that is moist to wet. The tree features flat, yellow-green needles that turn yellow to rusty brown in the fall.

Yellow flag (Iris pseudacorus) is also known as water flag and yellow iris. The plant has gray-green, sword-shaped leaves 3 to 5 feet long and yellow flowers 3 to 4 inches in diameter on stems 4 feet tall. Each stalk holds 4 to 12 flowers. Plant in full sun and a soil that is very moist. This one can be planted in water. The plant is hardy in zones 4 to 9.

Papyrus (Cyperus papyrus) is also known as bulrushes.
The plant grows to a height of 10 feet with feathery spikes 5 to 12 inches long growing at the top of the stems in umbrella shaped clusters. A single small flower grows at the tip of each spike. Papyrus grows in shallow water and wet soils. The plant will do equally well in full sun or partial shade and is hardy in zones 9 to 11.