Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
Built for the wet center of a rain garden and the boom-and-bust of storm runoff, for clay and loam ground, where it flowers in Apr and May.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
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- South Carolina
- Rain garden
South Carolina · Zones 7–9
Native Rain Garden Plants in South Carolina
Moisture-loving natives for rain gardens, pond edges, downspout basins, and the low spots that stay soggy after a storm. South Carolina sits in a landscape of Sandhills, Piedmont & Lowcountry, and the natives that thrive here are the ones built for its humid subtropical character. The list below — led by Serviceberry and Cardinal Flower — is filtered to species genuinely native to South Carolina and the wider flora of the Southeast and hardy through zones 7–9. 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 South Carolina
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 7–9 · see this collection in other states.
Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
For the wet center of a rain garden and damp low spots, 2–4 ft tall, where it blooms Jul through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
New England Aster
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
Takes the wet center of a rain garden through flood and dry spell alike, royal purple flowers, where it flowers in Sep and Oct.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Cup Plant
Silphium perfoliatum
Takes the wet center of a rain garden through flood and dry spell alike, for clay and loam ground, where it blooms Jul through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–8 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Scarlet Beebalm
Monarda didyma
Happy in the wet center of a rain garden and ground that stays soggy after a storm, happy in clay and loam soil, where it flowers in Jul and Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2.5–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
For the wet center of a rain garden and damp low spots, 5–10 ft tall, where it blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Virginia Bluebells
Mertensia virginica
Takes the wet center of a rain garden through flood and dry spell alike, reaching 1–2 ft, where it blooms Mar through May.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Spotted Joe-Pye Weed
Eutrochium maculatum
Takes the wet center of a rain garden through flood and dry spell alike, spreading 2–4 ft, where it blooms Jul through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 4–7 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Dense Blazing Star
Liatris spicata
For the wet center of a rain garden and damp low spots, reaching 2–4 ft, where it flowers in Jul and Aug.
- Full sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Culver's Root
Veronicastrum virginicum
Happy in the wet center of a rain garden and ground that stays soggy after a storm, reaching 3–5 ft, where it blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Obedient Plant
Physostegia virginiana
For the wet center of a rain garden and damp low spots, 2–4 ft wide, where it flowers in Aug and Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Winterberry
Ilex verticillata
Happy in the wet center of a rain garden and ground that stays soggy after a storm, spreading 5–8 ft, where it flowers in Jun and Jul.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Golden Alexanders
Zizia aurea
For the wet center of a rain garden and damp low spots, 1.5–2.5 ft tall, where it blooms Apr through Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Swamp Milkweed
Asclepias incarnata
Built for the wet center of a rain garden and the boom-and-bust of storm runoff, 3–4 ft tall, where it flowers in Jul and Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Great Blue Lobelia
Lobelia siphilitica
Happy in the wet center of a rain garden and ground that stays soggy after a storm, deep blue flowers, where it flowers in Aug and Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
For the wet center of a rain garden and damp low spots, spreading 6–10 ft, where it flowers in May and Jun.
- Sun to shade
- Average–wet
- 6–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Ninebark
Physocarpus opulifolius
Built for the wet center of a rain garden and the boom-and-bust of storm runoff, hardy in zones 3–7, where it flowers in May and Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Blue Vervain
Verbena hastata
Happy in the wet center of a rain garden and ground that stays soggy after a storm, 3–5 ft tall, where it blooms Jul through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
American Elderberry
Sambucus canadensis
For the wet center of a rain garden and damp low spots, for clay and loam ground, where it flowers in Jun and Jul.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 6–12 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Inkberry Holly
Ilex glabra
For the wet center of a rain garden and damp low spots, inconspicuous flowers, where it flowers in May and Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 4–8 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Common Boneset
Eupatorium perfoliatum
For the wet center of a rain garden and damp low spots, reaching 3–5 ft, where it flowers in Aug and Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Spicebush
Lindera benzoin
For the wet center of a rain garden and damp low spots, good through zone 9, where it flowers in Mar and Apr.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 6–12 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Switchgrass
Panicum virgatum
For the wet center of a rain garden and damp low spots, happy in sand, clay, and loam soil.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 3–6 ft
- Fall color
Cinnamon Fern
Osmundastrum cinnamomeum
Built for the wet center of a rain garden and the boom-and-bust of storm runoff, hardy in zones 3–9.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Foliage
1 more also qualify: Big Bluestem.
Sourcing
Where to find these in South Carolina
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.