Water loving plants are ideal for gardeners that have excess moisture in their homes. It is known that most plants do not thrive in extra damp spaces, as they can rot or die.
And although only a handful of plants enjoy this wet environment. Fortunately, we have listed the top ten water loving plants to include in your garden.
Contents
List of Water Loving Plants
1. Lily of The Valley
A favorite for royal brides, the lily of the valley is an ideal flowering plant for moist environments. It is native to the cool climates of the Northern Hemisphere in Asia and Europe. It is an extremely tolerant plant when it comes to excess moisture, as it loves water.
– Growth Requirements
The plants sometimes serve as ground cover, since they frequently grow closely together to form a dense mat. It normally blooms in May during the spring and early summer.
The nodding white bell-shaped flowers of the lily of the valley are produced in a cluster on one side of a leafless stalk. The plant’s base has glossy leaves, which typically grow in two. Lily of the valley also produces beautiful red berries as fruit.
The spreading, low-growing lily of the valley blooms in late spring each year and grows to a height of six to 12 inches. One species, C. majlis, belonging to the genus Convallaria, is among the best ground coverings providing shade.
– Drawbacks
Lily of the valley is at times even known for being a vicious spreader. It is an invasive plant that will take over your lawn if left alone for too long.
2. Lythrum
The gorgeous spikes of pink flowers and capacity to naturalize on the banks of ponds and canals put this plant on the list. Lythrum’s nectar-rich flowers keep pollinators satisfied, and during the fall time, its leaves take on a lovely scarlet hue. It is a beautiful plant favored by many gardeners.
– Growth Requirements
In temperate and subtropical areas, Lythrum is widely dispersed and prefers warm, humid conditions. It is highly resistant to drought and can withstand temperatures of -13 degrees Fahrenheit.
It is ideal to plant it close to a pond or a ditch because it appreciates damp soil. Not only that, but it may develop slowly if there is not enough moisture, hence it is a watering loving plant.
Like joe pye weeds is also known as the eupatorium maculatum and bee balm, the Lythrum prefers full sun but can grow slowly in shaded areas a lot like weeping willow. A lack of sunlight can slow it down, which is why most people keep it in bright spaces. Being a water-loving plant, Lythrum loves moist soil.
While it can flourish in many acidic and alkaline soil types, it does exceptionally well in a pH range of 5.5-8.5. Just try choosing soil rich in nutrients and has good water retention.
3. Bugbane
With late-season spikes of white blooms on tall, wiry branches, bugbane is a perennial that tolerates shade and requires little maintenance. It makes a wonderful vertical accent for a perennial border, pond edge, or shady garden. Bugbanes have a similar look to clethra alnifolia.
– Features
Bugbane plants produce stems up to foot-long, bottlebrush-shaped flowers from the summer into the fall. Since the flower is made solely of stamens, no petals account for its fuzzy appearance. Note that the slightly aromatic blossoms draw butterflies, but rabbits and deer are not drawn to them.
– Care
Although bugbane plants require shade, they do not like a dry shadow, so avoid placing them under large trees like red maples, river birch, and black gum where they would struggle for moisture.
These water lovers can be planted in the spring or the fall. In places with a hot summer, growing in the early fall is preferred.
To reduce transplant shock when planting bare-root bugbanes, bury the crown one inch beneath the soil’s surface. Where possible, gardeners prefer potted plants to bare-root plants. There are numerous reports of bare-root plants failing to thrive in their new environments.
– Growth
Although it is a hard process, it is possible to grow this plant from seed. However, the seeds should be kept for two months at a consistent temperature of about 60 degrees Fahrenheit, as a way to germinate them. The sources should be cold-stratified by spending an additional two months in the refrigerator.
After that time has passed, plant the seeds indoors in little containers, provide them with minimal watering, and set the container somewhere warm. Remember that the time it takes for seeds to germinate can be up to a year.
4. Sweet Woodruff
Next on our list of moisture-loving plants, sweet woodruff or even called by Galium odoratum, is one of the herbs that is sometimes overlooked.
– Features
It can be a useful addition to most wet areas, especially shadow gardens. The leaves of the herb known as sweet woodruff were once employed as an air freshener and were grown for that reason.
– Advantages
It also has a certain medicinal use, but as with any medicinal herb, you should consult a doctor first. It is a plant that may be eaten and is claimed to have a vanilla-like flavor.
– Growth
The herb known as sweet woodruff should be grown in a shaded region. Although they will also grow in dry soils, they like damp but well-draining soil rich in organic material from decaying leaves and branches. They can grow in USDA Zones 4 to 8.
It spreads swiftly in wet soil and can become invasive under the correct circumstances. It is frequently advised that you plant woodruff ground cover in a location where you wouldn’t mind the plant naturalizing there.
Additionally, you can control sweet woodruff by edging the bed with a spade once a year. Spade edging entails digging a spade into the ground at the edge of the flower bed where sweet woodruff is grown. Thus, the runners will be cut off. Eliminate any lovely woodruff plants protruding from the bed.
5. Daylily
The daylily is an incredibly low-maintenance perennial that requires practically no upkeep. It is simple to grow, almost completely free of diseases and pests, and resistant to drought, uneven sunshine, and bad soil.
– Characteristics
Additionally, there are a huge variety of stunning daylilies available. Daylilies can bloom from late spring until the first October frost if you combine early, midseason, late blossoming kinds, and repeat bloomers.
Note that the Daylilies pair well with asclepias incarnata because of how non invasive they are.
– Growth Requirements
It is suggested to water newly planted daylilies every week, but only once until established of course. These beautiful flowers are known for being fairly hardy and drought-tolerant, so they can go longer without needing regular watering.
Being a water-loving plant, of course, it loves moisture and high amounts of it. So, if you live in a drier climate, adding mulch around the plant can help to keep it moist.
6. Rose Mallow
Need to familiarize yourself with rose mallow? Get ready to be amazed.
– Characteristics
This plant is perfect for you if you live in a cooler climate with excess moisture! Rose mallows or hibiscus moscheutos are native perennials that offer exotic floral beauty similar to marsh marigold or Caltha palustris. But if you don’t live in the cold, rose mallows do incredibly well in the heat.
– Care Requirement
Rose mallow does its best when planted in spring or fall months, or at least when there is no danger of frost. It is also best to plant rose mallow under full sun, at least for six hours a day. But, if you live in hotter climates, you may provide some afternoon shade to avoid damaging its delicate foliage.
These mallows are water-loving plants, so unless you keep them in the pond, water them regularly! Twice a day is good for hotter climates. To make room for the new foliage, cut back the old woody stems to a height of about six inches when the spring growth first appears.
In addition, you can prune the branch tips in the early summer to encourage branching and a bushier environment.
– Companion Plants
Rose mallow makes a strong statement wherever you put it, thanks to its enormous blooms, so use it sparingly to avoid overpowering the other plants in your garden. It works well as a backdrop for ground covers enjoying the sun or plants with scrappy foliage, since they will provide a wonderful textural contrast to the broad leaves.
You can grow rose mallow alongside early bloomers like Jacob’s Ladder, creeping phlox, cardinal flowers or lobelia cardinalis, filipendula rubra, primula japonica, and ilex verticillata. Basically the reason is that these plants can handle the effort for the year’s first half because hardy hibiscus appears later.
7. Blue Vervain
Native to North America, blue vervain graces the environment with spiky, bluish-purple blossoms from June to early October. It is frequently growing in damp, grassy meadows near streams and roadsides.
– Preferred Location
The characteristics of the Blue Vervain, or the American blue vervain and wild hyssop are other names for blue vervain. In practically every region of the United States, the plant grows wild.
However, in areas warmer than USDA plant hardiness zone 8, this cold-tolerant perennial struggles to survive. West Coast Native Americans toasted the seeds before grinding them into meal or flour.
– Advantages
Blue vervain’s roots, leaves, or flowers are used as traditional medicines to cure various ailments, including headaches, bruising, arthritis, stomachaches, colds, and fever.
– Growth
Blue vervain thrives in full sunlight and wet, well-drained, somewhat rich soil. In the late autumn, sow the seeds of blue vervain immediately outside. The seeds’ hibernation is broken by cold temperatures, making them ready for spring germination.
Lightly cultivate the soil and get rid of weeds. Spread the seeds across the soil’s surface, and then you can use a rake to bury them no deeper than one-eighth of an inch.
– Care
This pest- and the disease-resistant plant requires little maintenance once it is established. Till they begin to sprout, keep the seeds moist. After that, one deep watering during warm weather per week usually suffices. Suppose the top one to two inches of soil feel dry to the touch; deeply water the area, keeping in mind that this plant is a water lover.
While the soil should be dry, it also should be kept from getting completely dry. A balanced, water-soluble fertilizer given weekly during the summer promotes this vervain. The growth of weeds is inhibited by a one to three-inch layer of mulch, such as bark chips or compost, which keeps the soil moist. In chilly winter climes, mulch also shields the roots from harm.
8. Monkey Flower
In moist or rainy areas of the environment, monkey flowers with their adorable small “faces” offer a long season of color and charm.
– Characteristics
The blooms grow in marshes, stream banks, and damp meadows, lasting from spring through fall. In flower borders, they also thrive when the soil is kept moist.
– Growing Locations
Native to North America, monkey flowers (Mimulus ringens) flourish in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 9. The bottom petal on the one to twelve inches flowers have three lobes, while the top has two. The blossoms frequently have spots and are colorful, giving them a face-like appearance.
– Pollinators
Baltimore and Common Buckeye butterflies depend on the monkey flower plant as a host plant for their larvae. When the caterpillar hatches, the greenery where these magnificent butterflies deposit their eggs serves as an immediate supply of nourishment.
– Growth
Monkey flower maintenance is simple as long as they receive a lot of moisture. They do well in either full sun or light shade. In addition, when starting seeds inside, plant them around 10 weeks before the last spring frost and chill them in the refrigerator in clear plastic bags. Plant the seeds outside in the late winter and allow the bitterly cold weather to cool the bases.
Please don’t cover the seeds with soil because they need light to germinate. When you remove the seed trays from the refrigerator, put them somewhere at 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit and have lots of bright light. You can remove the seed trays from the bag as soon as the seeds begin to sprout.
– Care
Caring for monkey flower plants is fairly simple. Always keep the soil wet. Mulch applied in a two and four-inch layer will aid in retaining moisture. This is particularly crucial in warmer areas. To promote a new flush of flowers, remove the faded flowers. That is all there is to grow a monkey flower and care for it once it is established.
9. Iris
The tall, stunning iris comes in various magnificent hues and is named after the Greek goddess who rode rainbows. Despite its miraculous roots, this lovely flower is hardy, dependable, and simple to grow.
– Characteristics
Iris reticulata, Iris xiphium, and Iris x hollandica are bulb-growing irises blooming earlier than rhizomatous irises. The majority of irises, however, display their well-known flowers in the early summer, while some also bloom again in the late summer. Siberian iris is a popular variety that many gardeners love.
– Features
They create excellent cutting flowers and are noted for luring butterflies and hummingbirds. The iris comes in a wide range of colors and sizes, from the shortest dwarf variation, which only reaches a height of 6 inches, to the highest type, which can reach a height of four feet. The blue flag variety is especially popular because of its vibrant hues.
– Growth
Bulb iris require full sun and well-drained soil to avoid the bulbs rotting. Dwarf iris bulbs, like Iris reticulata, can be planted outside or indoors undercover in a greenhouse or a cool, well-lit space.
Plant iris bulbs two to three times their depth, as you would with most other bulbs. Before planting, there is no need to soak them. In borders, cultivate larger bulb iris.
Border irises require full light and soil that drains well since the extensive root system serves as a reservoir for water. More shadow than Iris Germania can be tolerated by Iris sibirica.
These flowers that enjoy dampness can be grown in bog gardens, perennially wet soil or shallow water near ponds, and they will grow happily.
10. Ligularia
The genus Ligularia contains 150 different species. The majority of them have beautiful ornamental leaves and, on rare occasions, blooms.
They flourish in regions of Asia and Europe that are close to water. Ligularia grows on wet and marshy soils but can tolerate dry conditions with extra water. They belong to the Aster genus and are also known as ragwort flowers.
– Features
The toxic pasture weed ragwort, which belongs to the Senecio genus, should not be confused with the ragwort flower or Ligularia. The ragwort plants we are discussing have broad, serrated or notched leaves, and in the late summer, they erupt in spires of yellow flowers.
– Characteristics
The plants grow in mounds; some species support their foliage on lengthy petioles. The Latin word “ligula,” which translates to “small tongue,” is the name’s source and alludes to how the florets on the flower spire are arranged. According to the literature on Ligularia plant propagation, plants can grow from seed or division.
– Growth
Ligularia flourishes in partially shaded regions near rivers or ponds. However, ragwort flower needs nutrient-rich soil with lots of compost or leaf litter.
Ragwort flower is particularly adaptable to a range of pH levels. To improve moisture retention, incorporate a small amount of bone meal and peat moss before planting.
– Planting Needs
According to the directions for planting Ligularia, you must bury the crown at least 12 inches beneath the soil’s surface. Mulch should be used all around the plants to assist retain moisture.
Don’t be concerned if the foliage wilts after planting or throughout the hot summer; the decorative leaves react quickly to changes in temperature or disturbance. The foliage will wake up and seem new again as the temperatures drop in the evening.
Conclusion
All the plants mentioned above do wonderfully in wet environments. Many beginner gardeners need to know what plants to choose for moist soils because they need help tolerating them.
Before planting, remember these points:
- Daylilies are extremely resilient plants perfect for rookie gardeners looking to start easy.
- Irises come in different variations, so choosing one that suits your environment will be ideal.
- Bugbanes are ideal for low-maintenance plants but avoid placing them in direct, dry shade as they will not be able to cope.
Whichever plant you decide to grow, all of the ones on this list love water! So, don’t be afraid to place them near it.
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