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Rain Garden Plants

Deep-rooted plants and the sunken profile of rain gardens help infiltrate stormwater runoff and reduce erosion. And rain gardens can be as beautiful as they are functional. In fact, many of our most beautiful regional plants need the type of regular moisture found in a rain garden to thrive.

Keep in mind that your rain garden, unlike a water garden, will be dry most of the time. Plants should be able to tolerate short periods of inundation, but not require constant standing water. Select plants with moderate moisture requirements for areas that will have moist, well-drained soil. For drier sites like the edge of your rain garden, use plant that have low or moderate moisture requirements. Perennial plants should be hardy in your growing zone. if you are not sure about your zone, see the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.

Save plants for your project by clicking the 'My Plant List' button on the plant's page. For help in making your selections, use our Find the Right Plant feature.

View All Types Annuals Only Butterfly Attracting Only Drought-Defiant Only Midwest Native Only Ornamental Grass Only Rain Gardens and Bioswales Only Salt-Tolerant Only Shade-tolerant Only Summer Color for Sunny Sites Only Trees & Shrubs Only Vines and Groundcovers Only Wetlands and Streambank Stabilization Only

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Quercus acutissima ''Gobbler'' Common Name: Sawtooth Oak Dense and pyramidal in youth, but oval-rounded to broad-rounded at maturity. Leaves are a brilliant yellow to golden yellow when opening in spring then turning dark lustrous green in summer changing back to yellow in fall. The acorns are beautifully ... [ More Info ]

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Quercus alba Common Name: White Oak This large, majestic, and long-lived oak holds year long interest. It is a dominant tree in many Ozark woods with round-lobed leaves and smooth, medium-sized acorns. In the spring, the foliage is pinkish-white which opens to a medium-green in summe... [ More Info ]

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Quercus bicolor Common Name: Swamp White Oak Large and imposing tree forms coarse outline with a broad crown. Leaves turn varied shades in fall from yellow-bronze to red-purple. The broad, shallow-lobed leaves are dark green and usually gray-green underneath.... [ More Info ]

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Quercus coccinea Common Name: Scarlet Oak Member of the red oak group with lobed leaves and is valued for its ornamental attributes as well as its fine wood. It is considered an excellent alternative to the overplanted pin oak because it is beautiful throughout the year and tolerates alkalin... [ More Info ]

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Quercus ellipsoidalis Common Name: Northern Pin Oak Northern Pin Oak leaves are a beautiful dark green with a pale green beneath changing to a russet red in fall. It is pyramidal in youth and becoming oval to pyramidal in form with maturity.... [ More Info ]

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Quercus imbricaria Common Name: Shingle Oak The leaves of this oak do not have typical oak lobes, but instead are fairly long and narrow. The leaves are dark green and turn a gorgeous russet brown and yellow in fall. If a hard frost occurs while this oak is still green, it will hold its leav... [ More Info ]

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Quercus lyrata Common Name: Overcup Oak One of the most flood tolerant oaks. It has large, dark green, lobed leaves that are nearly white underneath with gray and fissured bark similar to White Oak. The acorn is nearly hidden by the cap, giving the tree its common name.... [ More Info ]

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Quercus macrocarpa Common Name: Bur Oak This oak has the largest acorns and leaves of all the oaks. It is slow-growing and long-lived. In the fall, the leaves turn brown or a light yellow and do not drop but remain on the tree all winter. When young, Bur Oak develop a massive trunk and ... [ More Info ]

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Quercus michauxii Common Name: Swamp Chestnut Oak The leaves of this oak are leathery with the underside covered in soft hairs, similar to a Chestnut. They turn a beautiful scarlet-red in fall. It is magnificent in old age. This oak is fairly fast-growing with scaly bark and large sweet acorns loved... [ More Info ]

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Quercus muehlenbergii Common Name: Chinkapin Oak A rarity among oaks, this specimen is useful for growing in limestone soils. The foliage is attractive with large toothed leaves like those of a Chestnut. Leaves are green and shiny, turning to a yellow-orange in fall, a different color for an oak. ... [ More Info ]

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Quercus nigra Common Name: Water Oak Water Oak is a deciduous tree with a semiconical to round top. Glossy dark green foliage lasts well into winter. Makes an excellent specimen or background tree.Acorns are quite small and a good food source for wildlife.... [ More Info ]

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Quercus pagodifolia Common Name: Cherrybark Oak Cherrybark Oak trees are a highly-valued red oak. Its form makes it a great shade tree. The lustrous green leaves turn copper in fall. It is larger and better formed than other red oaks and commonly grows on more moist sites. It also has heavy stron... [ More Info ]

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Quercus palustris Common Name: Pin Oak These strongly pyramidal trees have pendulous lower branches and glossy, dark-green leaves. In the fall, the leaves turn to bronze or red. During the winter, like many oaks, the tree will hold many dried brown leaves. The Pin Oak's light brown aco... [ More Info ]

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Quercus phellos Common Name: Willow Oak A 2005 Missouri Botanical Garden Plants of Merit winner. This useful tree has bright green leaves shaped like beefy willow leaves that turn yellow to russet red in fall. In youth, it is pyramidal but then the tree's habit becomes more oblong-oval. ... [ More Info ]

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Quercus robur 'X bicolor F3' Common Name: Pyramidal Upright Oak Pyramidal version of the parent trees with a open head and short trunk. The leaves of this tree are dark green to blue-green in summer; fall color is yellow-brown. Slow to moderate in growth.A 2005 Missouri Botanical Garden Plants of Merit winner. Th... [ More Info ]

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Quercus rubra Common Name: Northern Red Oak This long-lived, statuesque shade tree has a relatively fast growth rate. As new leaves unfurl, they are reddish while mature leaves are shiny dark green, deeply lobed with a distinct point. Fall brings color from russet-red to bright red. Nursery... [ More Info ]

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Quercus shumardii Common Name: Shumard Oak A huge, bottomland tree considered the southern counterpart to the Northern Red Oak. This oak has deep green and deeply lobed leaves with pointed tips while the smooth bark is striped. In fall, it shows good red color and it one of the first of the... [ More Info ]

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Quercus texana Common Name: Nuttall Oak One of the many Red Oaks, it is superior to those more commonly used with a richer red fall color, better branching structure, and higher transplant survival due to a stronger root system.... [ More Info ]

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Quercus virginiana Common Name: Live Oak Large, long-lived, evergreen oak. Low-branching and broad spreading. Often seen draped with Spanish Moss.... [ More Info ]

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Quercus X schuettei ''Kimberley'' Common Name: Schuette Oak, Kimberley Select A cross between Bur and Swamp White Oaks, this is a dependable and prolific acorn bearer. One of the best oaks for wildlife.... [ More Info ]