Chesapeake Bay Rain Garden Native Plant Species List

Starter Kit for Chesapeak Bay Rain Garden Poster.

Every good poster must start with a horticultural dream scene. What better way to seed dreams of beautiful plants living in rain garden Eden than these species?

Here is a list from Chesapeake Ecology Center to start us off.

Common Name Scientific Name Basic Growing Requirements Average Size

Ferns

Cinnamon Fern Osmunda cinnamomea Sun to shade; wet to moist soil 2-5’
Royal Fern Osmunda regalis Sun to shade; wet to moist soil 1.5-6’

Grasses and sedges
Broomsedge Andropogon virginicus Sun; wet to dry soil 1-3’
Switchgrass Panicum virgatum Sun; wet to dry soil 3-6’
Tussock Sedge Carex stricta Sun; wet to moist soil 1-3.5’
Virginia Wild Rye Elymus virginicus Sun to shade; moist to dry soil 1.5-5’

Herbaceous flowering perennials

Beebalm Monarda didyma Sun to partial shade; wet to moist soil 2-5’
Blue Flag Iris Iris versicolor Sun to partial shade; wet to moist soil 3’
Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis Sun to partial shade; wet to moist soil 2-4’
Foxglove Beardtongue Penstemon digitalis Sun to partial shade; moist to dry soil 2-5’
Joe Pye Weed Eupatorium fistulosum Sun to partial shade; wet to moist soil 1.5-10’
Mistflower Conoclinium colestinum Sun to shade; wet to moist soil 1.3-5’
Narrow-Leaved Mountain Mint Pycnanthemum tenuifolium Sun to partial shade; moist to dry soil 1.5-2.5’
New York Ironweed Vernonia noveboracensis Sun to partial shade; wet to moist soil 3.5-8’
Swamp Milkweed Asclepias incarnata Sun to partial shade; wet to moist soil 4-6’
Swamp Sunflower Helianthus angustifolius Sun; wet to moist soil 1.5-5.5’
Turtlehead Chelone glabra Sun to partial shade; wet to moist soil 1.5-6.5’

Shrubs

American Beautyberry Callicarpa americana Sun to partial shade; moist to dry soil 6’
Black Chokeberry Photinia melanocarpa Sun to partial shade; wet to dry soil 3-6’
Buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis Sun to shade; wet to moist soil 6-12’
Elderberry Sambucus nigra Sun to shade; wet to dry soil 6-12’
Highbush Blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum Sun to partial shade; wet to dry soil 6-12’
Inkberry Ilex glabra Sun to shade; moist to dry soil 6-10’
Northern Bayberry Morella pensylvanica Sun to partial shade; wet to dry soil 5-10’
Oak Leaf Hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia Sun to partial shade; moist soil 4-6’
Red Chokeberry Photinia pyrifolia Sun to partial shade; wet to dry soil 1.5-13’
Silky Dogwood Cornus amomum Sun to partial shade; wet to moist soil 6-12’
Spicebush Lindera benzoin Partial shade to shade; wet to moist soil 6.5-16’
Southern Arrowwood Viburnum dentatum Sun to shade; wet to dry soil 10-15’
Sweet Pepperbush Clethra alnifolia Partial shade to shade; wet to moist soil 6-12’
Virginia Sweetspire Itea virginica Sun to shade; wet to moist soil 6-10’
Wax Myrtle, Southern bayberry Morella cerifera Sun to partial shade; wet to dry soil 6-15’
Winterberry Ilex verticillata Sun to shade; wet to moist soil 6-12’

Trees
American Holly Ilex opaca Sun to shade; moist soil 15-50’
Red Maple Acer rubrum Sun to partial shade; wet to moist soil 40-100’
River Birch Betula nigra Sun to partial shade; wet to moist soil 50-75’
Sweetbay Magnolia Magnolia virginiana Sun to shade; wet to moist soil 12-30’