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Table: Rain Garden Plants
| Botanical Name | Common Name | Height | Moisture* | Exposure** | Native Habitat | Color | Bloom Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aquatic Plants: grown in less than 12" of water, soil is always saturated | |||||||
| Carex comosa | bottlebrush sedge | 24-42" | s,w,um | S | marsh, peatland, lake edge | green | May-June |
| Carex crinita | fringed sedge | 30-42" | s,w,um | S | marsh, swamp, lake edge | green | May-June |
| Carex lacustris | lake sedge | 24-36" | s,w,um | S | marsh, swamp, lake edge | green | May-June |
| Carex stricta | tussock sedge | 24-36" | s,w,um | S | swamp, marsh, peatland | green | May-June |
| Eleocharis palustris | spike rush | 6-24" | s,w,um | S | wetland, wet prairie | brown | August |
| Iris versicolor | blue flag iris | 24-36" | s,w | S, PS | marsh, peatland, lake edge | blue | June-July |
| Juncus effusus | soft rush | 24-48" | s,w,um | S | swamp, marsh, lake edge | brown | July-Aug |
| Sagittaria latifolia | common arrowhead | 24-42" | s,w | S, PS | lake edge, marsh | white | July-Aug |
| Scirpus acutus | hardstem bulrush | 36-108" | s,w | S | lake edge, marsh | green | June-July |
| Scirpus validus | softstem bulrush | 36-108" | s,w | S | marsh, swamp, lake edge | brown | July-Aug |
| Non-Aquatic Plants: Wildflowers or forbs | |||||||
| Agastache foeniculum | fragrant hyssop | 24-40" | um,ud | PS | prairie, savanna | blue | June-Oct |
| Allium stellatum | prairie wild onion | 12-24" | um,ud | S, PS | prairie, savanna | pink | July-Aug |
| Anaphalis margaritacea | pearly everlasting | 6-18" | um,ud | S, PS | prairie, savanna, woodland | white | July-Sept |
| Anemone canadensis | Canada anemone | 12-24" | w,um | PS, Sh | prairie, marsh, swamp | white | May-July |
| Arisaema triphyllum | jack-in-the-pulpit | 8-24" | w,um | PS, Sh | woodland, forest | green | April-June |
| Asclepias incarnata | swamp milkweed | 36-48" | w,um | S | prairie, marsh, lake edge | lavender | June-Aug |
| Asclepias tuberosa | butterfly flower | 12-24" | ud | S, PS | prairie, savanna | orange | June-Sept |
| Aster novae-angliae | New England aster | 24-48" | w,um | S, PS | prairie, marsh, swamp | blue | Aug-Oct |
| Boltonia asteroides | boltonia | 48-96" | w,um | S, PS | prairie, marsh, swamp | white | Aug-Sept |
| Dalea purpurea | purple prairie clover | 12-24" | ud | S | dry prairie, savanna | purple | June-July |
| Echinacea angustifolia | purple coneflower | 24-36" | um,ud | S, PS | prairie, savanna | purple | July-Aug |
| Eupatorium maculatum | Joe-Pye weed | 24-48" | w,um | S, PS | wet prairie, marsh, swamp | purple | July-Sept |
| Gentiana andrewsii | bottle gentian | 18-30" | w,um | S, PS | prairie, marsh, lake edge | blue | Aug-Oct |
| Geum triflorum | prairie smoke | 6-12" | um,ud | S | dry prairie, woodland | purple | April-June |
| Helianthus maximiliani | Maximilian sunflower | 24-108" | w,um | S | swamp, prairie, lake edge | yellow | Aug-Oct |
| Liatris pychnostachya | prairie blazing star | 24-36" | w,um | S | prairie, marsh, lake edge | purple | July-Sept |
| Lobelia cardinalis | cardinal flower | 24-48" | w,um | S, PS | prairie, marsh, lake edge | red | July-Oct |
| Lobelia siphilitica | great blue lobelia | 20-30" | w,um | S | prairie, marsh, lake edge | blue | July-Oct |
| Monarda fistulosa | wild bergamot | 24-48" | um,ud | S, PS | prairie, savanna, woodland | lavender | July-Aug |
| Rudbeckia hirta | black-eyed Susan | 3-4' | um,ud | S, PS | prairie, savanna | yellow | June-Oct |
| Rudbeckia laciniata | wild goldenglow | 36-108" | w,um | S, PS | prairie, swamp, lake edge | yellow | July-Aug |
| Thalictrum dasycarpum | tall meadow rue | 36-72" | w | S, PS | prairie, swamp, lake edge | cream | June |
| Uvularia grandiflora | large-flowered bellwort | 12" | um | PS | deciduous forest | yellow | May |
| Verbena hastata | blue vervain | 24-60" | w,um | S, PS | prairie, marsh, swamp | blue | June-Sept |
| Zizia aurea | golden Alexander | 12-36" | w,um | S, PS | prairie, savanna, woodland | yellow | May-July |
| Graminoides (grasses and grass-like plants) | |||||||
| Acorus calumus | sweet flag | 36" | s,w | S, PS | marsh, peatland, lake edge | yellow | July-Aug |
| Andropogon gerardii | big bluestem | 36-72" | um,ud | S, PS | prairie, savanna, woodland | purple | July-Sept |
| Bouteloua curtipendula | side oats grama | 1-2' | um,ud | S | prairie, savanna, woodland | red | July-Sept |
| Bouteloua gracilis | blue grama | 6-18" | um,ud | S | prairie, savanna | purple | July-Sept |
| Bromus kalmii | Kalms brome | 24-36" | w,um,ud | PS, Sh | prairie, savanna, woodland | green | June-July |
| Calamagrostis canadensis | bluejoint grass | 36-72" | w,um | S, PS, Sh | prairie, marsh, swamp | green | July-Sept |
| Carex bebbii | Bebbs sedge | 24-36" | w,um | S | marsh, swamp, lake edge | green | May-June |
| Carex comosa | bottlebrush sedge | 24-42" | s,w,um | S | marsh, peatland, lake edge | green | May-June |
| Carex lacustris | lake sedge | 24-36" | s,w,um | S | marsh, swamp, lake edge | green | May-June |
| Carex pensylvanica | Pennsylvania sedge | 6-8" | um,ud | S, Sh | dry to mesic forest | brown | May |
| Carex scoparia | pointed broom sedge | 6-30" | w | S | marsh, wetland, lake edge | tan | May-June |
| Carex sprengelii | Sprengel's sedge | 12-24" | um,ud | S | woodland, forest | green | June-July |
| Carex stricta | tussock sedge | 24-36" | s,w,um | S | swamp, marsh, peatland | green | May-June |
| Carex vulpinoidea | fox sedge | 12-36" | w,um | S | swamp, marsh, lake edge | green | May-June |
| Eleocharis palustris | spike rush | 6-24" | s,w,um | S | wetland, wet prairie | brown | Aug |
| Elymus hystrix | bottlebrush grass | 24-48" | w,um,ud | PS, Sh | forest, woodland, lake edge | green | June-July |
| Glyceria canadensis | rattlesnake manna grass | 24-36" | w | S | marsh, peatland, lake edge | green | July-Aug |
| Glyceria grandis | tall manna grass | 36-60" | w | S | swamp, peatland, lake edge | green | July-Aug |
| Hierochloe odorata | sweet grass | 12-24" | w,um | S | lake edge, marsh, prairie | green | May-June |
| Juncus effusus | soft rush | 24-48" | s,w,um | S | swamp, marsh, lake edge | brown | July-Aug |
| Juncus tenuis | path rush | 6-12" | w,um | S, PS, Sh | swamp, marsh, lake edge | brown | July-Aug |
| Koeleria macrantha | June grass | 12-24" | um,ud | S | prairie, savanna, woodland | green | June-July |
| Panicum virgatum | switchgrass | 36-72" | w,um,ud | S | prairie, swamp, lake edge | purple | June-Oct |
| Schizachyrium scoparium | little bluestem | 24-48" | um,ud | S | prairie, savanna, woodland | amber | July-Sept |
| Scirpus atrovirens | green bulrush | 36-48" | w | S | marsh, swamp, lake edge | brown | June-July |
| Scirpus cyperinus | wool grass | 36-48" | s,w,um | S | marsh, swamp, lake edge | brown | June-July |
| Scirpus validus | softstem bulrush | 36-96" | s | S | lake edge, marsh | brown | June-Aug |
| Sorghastrum nutans | Indian grass | 24-72" | w,um | S, PS | prairie, savanna, woodland | amber | July-Sept |
| Spartina pectinata | cord grass | 36-72" | w,um | S | prairie, marsh, lake edge | yellow | Aug-Oct |
| Shrubs and small trees | |||||||
| Amelanchier laevis | serviceberry | 15-25' | um,ud | PS | forests, fields, clearcuts | white | April-May |
| Aronia melanocarpa | black chokeberry | 3-6' | w,um,ud | S, PS | lake edge, forest, swamp | white | May-June |
| Cornus alternifolia | pagoda dogwood | 15-25' | um,ud | PS | forest, swamp | white | May-July |
| Cornus racemosa | gray dogwood | 5-15' | um,ud | PS, Sh | forest, fields, lake edge | white | May-July |
| Cornus sericea (stolonifera) | red-osier dogwood | 6-12' | w,um,ud | S, PS, Sh | forest, wetland, lake edge | white | May-July |
| Corylus americana | American hazel | 8-15' | um,ud | S | forest, wetland, lake edge | purple | March-April |
| Diervilla lonicera | bush honeysuckle | 2-4' | um,ud | PS, Sh | woodland, forest, clearcuts | yellow | June-July |
| Prunus virginiana | chokecherry | 20-30' | um,ud | S, PS | forest, woodland | white | May |
| Sambucus pubens | red berried elderberry | 4-8' | um,ud | PS, S,Sh | dry to moist forest | white | May |
| Symphoricarpos albus | snowberry | 4-6' | ud | S | forest, woodland | whitish | May-July |
| Viburnum atropurpurea | downy arrowwood | 6' | ud | S, PS | woodland, forest, clearcuts | white | May-June |
| Viburnum lentago | nannyberry | 12-18' | um,ud | PS | forest, swamp, lake edge | white | May-June |
| Viburnum trilobum | highbush cranberry | 5-15' | w,um | S, PS | forest, swamp, lake edge | white | June |
* Moisture Zone Key: ud = upland-dry (dry, well-drained soils); um = upland-mesic (soil is moist, but not wet); w = soil is wet, occasionally standing water; s = shallow water most of the time
** Exposure Key: S = full sun, PS = partial sun, Sh = shade
Sourced from MN Department of Natural Resources & the University of Minnesota