North American Rain Garden Plants
Herbaceous Plants
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Height | Color | Bloom Time | Wet | Moist | Mesic | Dry | Notes |
| Allium cernuum | Nodding wild onion | 0.5 m | Pink/white | Jul-Aug | Sun | ||||
| Amorpha canescens | Leadplant | 1.0 m | Purple | Jun-Aug | X | X | Sun | ||
| Amsonia tabernae-montana | Blue star | 0.5 m | Blue | Apr-May | X | Sun | |||
| Aquilegia Canadensis | Columbine | 0.6 m | Red/yellow | May-Jun | X | Shade | |||
| Asclepias syriaca | Common milkweed | 1.0 m | Pink | Jun-Aug | X | Sun | |||
| Asclepias tuberose | Butterfly weed | 0.6 m | Orange | Jul-Sept | X | Sun | |||
| Aster azureus | Sky blue aster | 0.2 m | Blue | Aug-Oct | X | X | Sun | ||
| Aster lanceolatus | Smooth aster | 1.0 m | White | Aug-Oct | X | X | Sun | ||
| Aster novae-angliae | New England aster | 1.0 m | Blue | Aug-Oct | X | X | X | Sun | |
| Aster novii-belgii | New York aster | 1.0 m | Blue | Jul-Oct | X | X | Sun | ||
| Aster puniceus | Purple-stemmed aster | 1.5 m | Blue | Aug-Sept | X | X | X | Sun | |
| Aster umbellatus | Flat-topped white aster | 1.0 m | White | Aug-Oct | X | X | Sun | ||
| Caltha palustris | Marsh marigold | 30 cm | Yellow | Apr-May | X | X | Sun/shade | ||
| Chefone glabra | Turtlehead | 1.0 m | White | Jul-Sept | X | X | Sun | ||
| Dryopteris cristata | Crested woodfern | 1.0 m | X | X | Shade | ||||
| Echinacea pallida | Pale purple coneflower | 1.0 m | Purple | Jun-Jul | X | X | Sun | ||
| Echinacea purpurea | Purple coneflower | 1.0 m | Purple | Jul-Oct | X | X | Sun | ||
| Equiseturn hyemale | Horsetail | 60 cm | X | X | Sun/partial shade | ||||
| Eupatorium fistulosum | Joe Pye weed | 1.5 m | Pink | Jul-Sept | X | Sun/partial shade | |||
| Eupatorium maculatum | Spotted Joe Pye weed | 1.5 m | Purple | Jul-Oct | X | X | Sun/partial shade | ||
| Eupatorium perfoliatum | Boneset | 2.0 m | White | Jul-Oct | X | X | Sun | ||
| Eupatorium purpureum | Savannah Joe Pye Weed | 2.0 m | Pink | Jul-Aug | X | X | Sun | ||
| Filipendula rubra | "Venusta" | 2.0 m | Pink | Jul-Sept | X | X | Sun | ||
| Fragaria virginiana | Wild Strawberry | 0.2 m | White | Apr-Jun | X | X | Sun | ||
| Geum triflorum | Prairie smoke | 0.2 m | Pink | Apr-Jun | X | X | Sun | ||
| Helenium autumnale | Sneeze-weed | 1.0 m | Yellow | Aug-Oct | X | X | Sun | ||
| Helianthus giganteus | Giant sunflower | 2.0 m | Yellow | Aug-Sept | X | X | Sun | ||
| Helianthus laetifloris | Showy sunflower | 1.0 m | Yellow | Aug-Sept | X | Sun | |||
| Helianthus mollis | Downy Sunflower | 1.0 m | Yellow | Aug-Sept | X | X | Sun | ||
| Heliopsis helianthoides | False sunflower | 1.5 m | Yellow | Jul-Sept | X | X | Sun | ||
| Heliopsis occidentalis | Ox-eye sunflower | 1.0 m | Yellow | Aug-Sept | X | X | Sun | ||
| Iris versicolor | Swamp iris | 0.5 m | Blue | May-Jun | X | X | Sun/partial shade | ||
| Liatris spicata | Marsh blazing star | 1.0 m | Blue | Jul-Sept | X | X | Sun | ||
| Lobelia cardinalis | Cardinal flower | 0.6 m | Red | Jul-Sept | X | X | Sun | ||
| Lobelia siphilitica | Great blue lobelia | 1.0 m | Blue | Aug-Sept | X | X | Sun | ||
| Lysimachia clethroides | Gooseneck | 80 cm | White | Aug-Sept | X | X | |||
| Matteuccia pensylvanica | Ostrich fern | 70 cm | X | X | Partial shade | ||||
| Mimulus ringens | Monkey flower | 0.5 m | White | Jun-Sept | X | X | Sun | ||
| Monarda didyma | Beebalm | 1.2 m | Red | Jul-Sept | X | X | Sun/partial shade | ||
| Monarda fistulosa | Bergamot | 1.0 m | Lavender | Jul-Aug | X | X | Sun | ||
| Oenothera biennis | Evening primrose | 1.0 m | Yellow | Jul-Oct | X | X | Sun | ||
| Osmunda cinnamomea | Cinnamon fern | .5 m | X | X | Sun/partial shade | ||||
| Penstemon digitalis | Bearded foxglove | 1.0 m | White | May-Jul | X | X | Sun | ||
| Petalosternum purpureum | Purple prairie clover | .5 m | Purple | Jun-Aug | X | X | Sun | ||
| Phlox divaricata | Woodland phlox | .2 m | Blue | Apr-Jun | X | X | Shade | ||
| Phlox pilosa | Downy prarie phlox | .2 m | Pink | Apr-Jun | X | X | Sun | ||
| Physostegia virginiana | Obedient plant | 1.0 m | Pink | Jun-Sep | X | X | Sun/partial shade | ||
| Pycnathemum virginianum | Mountain mint | 1.0 m | White | Jul-Sep | X | X | Sun/partial shade | ||
| Ratibida pinnata | Yellow coneflower | 1.2 m | Yellow | Jun-Aug | X | X | X | Sun | |
| Rudbeckia fulgida | Black-eyed Susan | 1.0 m | Yellow | Jul-Oct | X | X | Sun/partial shade | ||
| Rudbeckia laciniata | Tall coneflower | 1.5 m | Yellow | Jul-Sep | X | X | Sun/partial shade | ||
| Rudbeckia subtomentosa | Sweet black-eyed Susan | 1.0 m | Yellow | Aug-Sep | X | X | Sun | ||
| Rudbeckia triloba | Brown-eyed Susan | 1.0 m | Yellow | Jul-Oct | X | Shade | |||
| Silphium laciniatum | Compass plant | 2.0 m | Yellow | Jun-Sep | X | X | Sun | ||
| Silphium perfoliatum | Cup plant | 2.0 m | Yellow | Jul-Sep | X | Sun | |||
| Silphium terebinthinaceum | Prairie dock | 2.0 m | Yellow | Jul-Sep | X | Sun | |||
| Solidago gigantea | Giant goldenrod | 1.5 m | Yellow | Aug-Sep | X | X | Sun | ||
| Solidago patula | Rough-leaved goldenrod | 1.5 m | Yellow | Aug-Oct | X | X | Sun | ||
| Solidago ridellii | Riddell's goldenrod | 1.0 m | Yellow | Aug-Sep | X | X | |||
| Solidago rigida | Stiff goldenrod | 1.0 m | Yellow | Jul-Oct | X | X | Sun | ||
| Solidago speciosa | Showy goldenrod | 1.0 m | Yellow | Jul-Oct | X | X | Sun | ||
| Stellaria palustris | Marsh stitchwort | 30 cm | White | May-Jun | X | X | Sun | ||
| Thalictrum pubescens | Tall meadow rue | 2.0 m | White | Jun-Jul | X | X | Sun/partial shade | ||
| Tradescantia ohiensis | Spiderwort | 1.0 m | Blue | Apr-Jun | X | X | Sun | ||
| Verbena hastata | Blue vervain | 0.6 m | Purple | Jul-Oct | X | X | Sun | ||
| Veronica fasciculata | Ironweed | 1.5 m | Purple | Jul-Sep | X | X | X | Sun | |
| Veronicastrum virginicum | Culver's root | 1.0 m | White | Jun-Aug | X | X | Sun/partial shade | ||
| Viola pedata | Bird's-foot violet | 0.1 m | Purple | Apr-Jun | X | X | X | Sun/shade | |
| Zizia aurea | Golden Alexanders | 1.0 m | Yellow | May-Jun | X | X | Sun/partial shade |
Grasses
| Name | Common name | Height | Bloom | Wet | Moist | Mesic | Dry | Notes |
| Andropogon gerardii | Big bluestem | 1.5 m | Aug-Nov | X | X | Sun | ||
| Andropogon scoparius | Little bluestem | 1.0 m | Aug-Oct | X | X | Sun | ||
| Deschampsia cespitosa | Tufted hair grass | 1.0 m | Jun-Jul | X | X | Sun/shade | ||
| Glyceria occidentalis | Western manna grass | 1.0 m | Jul | X | X | Sun | ||
| Juncus effusus | Soft rush | 60 cm | Jun-Aug | X | X | Sun | ||
| Panicum virgatum | Switch grass | 1.2 m | Aug-Oct | X | X | Sun | ||
| Sorghastrum nutans | Indian grass | 1.5 m | Aug-Oct | X | X | Sun | ||
| Sporobufus heterolepis | Prairie dropseed | 1.0 m | Sept-Nov | X | X | Sun |
Shrubs
| Name | Common name | Height | Color | Bloom time | Wet | Moist | Mesic | Dry | Notes |
| Aronia arbutifolia | Chokeberry | M | White | May-Jun | X | X | X | ||
| Calycanthus floridus | Sweet shrub | M | Purple | Apr-May | X | ||||
| Clethra alnifolia | Sweet pepper bush | L | White | Aug | X | X | |||
| Cornus alternifolia | Pagoda dogwood | M | X | ||||||
| Corylus americana | American Hazelnut | L | X | ||||||
| Hamamelis virginiana | Witch hazel | X | |||||||
| Hydrangea quercifolia | Oak leaf hydrangea | M | White | Aug-Sept | X | X | Sun/partial shade | ||
| Ilex decidua | Possumhaw | M | Red berries | Jun | X | X | |||
| Ilex glabra | Inkberry | M | |||||||
| Ilex verticillata | Winterberry | M | Red berries | Jun | X | X | |||
| Itea virginica | Virginia sweetspice | M | White | Jun | X | X | |||
| Ledum palustre | Bog tea | M | X | X | |||||
| Mahonia aquifolium | Oregon grape | S | Yellow | Apr | X | X | X | ||
| Physocarpus opulifolius | Ninebark | M | White | Jun | X | ||||
| Rubus odoratus | L | Pink | Jun-Jul | X | X | ||||
| Sambucus canadensis | Common elderberry | L | White | Jul | X | X | |||
| Vaccinium uliginosum | Bog blueberry | S | X | X | |||||
| Viburnum dentatum | Arrow-wood | L | White | May-Jun | X |
Trees
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Height | Wet | Moist | Mesic | Dry |
| Acer circinaturn | Vine maple | S | X | X | ||
| Acer rubrum | Red maple | L | X | |||
| Aesculus octandra | Yellow buckeye | L | X | X | ||
| Alnus rubra | Red alder | M | X | X | X | |
| Alnus serrulata | Tag alder | M | X | X | ||
| Amelanchier spp. | Service berry | M | X | |||
| Betula lenta | Cherry birch | M | X | |||
| Betula nigra | River birch | M | X | X | X | |
| Carpinus caroliniana | Ironwood | M | X | X | ||
| Cercis Canadensis | Redbud | M | X | X | ||
| Chionanthus virginicus | Fringe tree | M | X | |||
| Fraxinus pennsylvanica | Green ash | L | X | |||
| Liquidambar styraciflua | Sweet gum | L | X | X | ||
| Nyssa sylvatica | Blackgum | L | X | X | ||
| Quercus phellos | Willow oak | L | X | X | ||
| Taxodium distichums | Swamp cypress | L | X | X | X | X |
