Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
Takes the wet center of a rain garden through flood and dry spell alike, for clay and loam ground, where it flowers in May and Jun.
- Sun to shade
- Average–wet
- 6–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Georgia · Zones 6–9
Native Rain Garden Plants in Georgia
Moisture-loving natives for rain gardens, pond edges, downspout basins, and the low spots that stay soggy after a storm. Every species here is genuinely native to Georgia and the wider flora of the Southeast and hardy through zones 6–9 — proven performers for Georgia's humid subtropical climate across Piedmont, Blue Ridge & Coastal Plain, not a generic list. Local standouts include Arrowwood Viburnum and Great Blue Lobelia. A rain garden catches roof and driveway runoff and lets it soak in instead of rushing to the storm drain, and these natives are built for that boom-and-bust of flood then dry. Put the most water-tolerant species in the wet center and the merely moisture-loving ones up on the sloped edges. Once established they handle both the standing water and the dry weeks between storms.
The plants
25 native species for Georgia
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 6–9 · see this collection in other states.
Great Blue Lobelia
Lobelia siphilitica
Takes the wet center of a rain garden through flood and dry spell alike, deep blue flowers, where it flowers in Aug and Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
For the wet center of a rain garden and damp low spots, electric scarlet flowers, where it blooms Jul through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Culver's Root
Veronicastrum virginicum
For the wet center of a rain garden and damp low spots, cold-hardy to zone 3, where it blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
Takes the wet center of a rain garden through flood and dry spell alike, reaching 15–25 ft, where it flowers in Apr and May.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Dense Blazing Star
Liatris spicata
Takes the wet center of a rain garden through flood and dry spell alike, magenta flowers, where it flowers in Jul and Aug.
- Full sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Scarlet Beebalm
Monarda didyma
Takes the wet center of a rain garden through flood and dry spell alike, hardy in zones 4–9, where it flowers in Jul and Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2.5–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Virginia Bluebells
Mertensia virginica
For the wet center of a rain garden and damp low spots, spreading 12–18 in, where it blooms Mar through May.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Golden Alexanders
Zizia aurea
Built for the wet center of a rain garden and the boom-and-bust of storm runoff, happy in clay and loam soil, where it blooms Apr through Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
For the wet center of a rain garden and damp low spots, good through zone 9, where it blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
New England Aster
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
For the wet center of a rain garden and damp low spots, for clay and loam ground, where it flowers in Sep and Oct.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Spotted Joe-Pye Weed
Eutrochium maculatum
Takes the wet center of a rain garden through flood and dry spell alike, mauve-pink flowers, where it blooms Jul through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 4–7 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Obedient Plant
Physostegia virginiana
Takes the wet center of a rain garden through flood and dry spell alike, reaching 2–4 ft, where it flowers in Aug and Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Cup Plant
Silphium perfoliatum
Built for the wet center of a rain garden and the boom-and-bust of storm runoff, yellow flowers, where it blooms Jul through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–8 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Swamp Milkweed
Asclepias incarnata
Happy in the wet center of a rain garden and ground that stays soggy after a storm, 3–4 ft tall, where it flowers in Jul and Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Winterberry
Ilex verticillata
Happy in the wet center of a rain garden and ground that stays soggy after a storm, for clay and loam ground, where it flowers in Jun and Jul.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Spicebush
Lindera benzoin
For the wet center of a rain garden and damp low spots, for clay and loam ground, where it flowers in Mar and Apr.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 6–12 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Ninebark
Physocarpus opulifolius
Takes the wet center of a rain garden through flood and dry spell alike, happy in clay, rocky, and loam soil, where it flowers in May and Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
American Elderberry
Sambucus canadensis
Happy in the wet center of a rain garden and ground that stays soggy after a storm, reaching 6–12 ft, where it flowers in Jun and Jul.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 6–12 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Blue Vervain
Verbena hastata
Built for the wet center of a rain garden and the boom-and-bust of storm runoff, violet-blue flowers, where it blooms Jul through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Common Boneset
Eupatorium perfoliatum
Happy in the wet center of a rain garden and ground that stays soggy after a storm, hardy in zones 3–8, where it flowers in Aug and Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Inkberry Holly
Ilex glabra
Takes the wet center of a rain garden through flood and dry spell alike, reaching 4–8 ft, where it flowers in May and Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 4–8 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Big Bluestem
Andropogon gerardii
Built for the wet center of a rain garden and the boom-and-bust of storm runoff, for sand, clay, and loam ground.
- Full sun
- Dry to wet
- 4–7 ft
- Fall color
Switchgrass
Panicum virgatum
Takes the wet center of a rain garden through flood and dry spell alike, 2–3 ft wide.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 3–6 ft
- Fall color
1 more also qualify: Cinnamon Fern.
Sourcing
Where to find these in Georgia
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
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