Recommended Rain Garden Plants for the Upper Midwest.
A compilation from seven sources.
• Comments from Prairie Moon Nursery. "+" is generally recommended.
• Moisture is wet to dry (left to right).
• Sun requirements: S=Sun, P=Part sun, D=shaDe.
• Height is within a range; in inches, shrubs in feet.
• PN=www.PrairieNursery.com, PM=www.PrairieMoon.com, AG=www.Agrecol.com
Prairie Nursery is the best suited to retail customers.
Download plant lists, sorted by:
• Scientific name
• Common name
• Height
• Prairie community; sunny, no canopy cover.
• Savanna community; < 50% canopy cover.
• Upland forest community; > 50% canopy cover.
• Lowland forest community; > 50% canopy cover.
Copyright © 2004, 2008 Sue Ellingson, suellingson-at-sbcglobal net
| Name | Common Name | Comment | Moisture | Sun | Ht | Bloom | Sold by |
| Forbs | |||||||
| Actaea rubra | red baneberry | + poison | x x x - - | - p d | 24 | spring | PM, PN |
| Agastache foeniculum | lavender hyssop | + | - x x - - | s p d | 36 | summer fall | AG, PM, PN |
| Agastache scrophulariaefolia | purple hyssop | aggressive | - x x x - | s p - | 12 | AG | |
| Allium canadense | meadow garlic, wild garlic | - x x x x | s p d | 15 | spring summer | PM | |
| Allium cernuum | nodding wild onion | + | - x x x - | s p - | 15 | summer | AG, PM, PN |
| Allium stellatum | prairie onion, wild onion | + | - - x x x | s p - | 15 | summer | PM |
| Anemone canadensis | Canada anemone | rhizome | - x x - - | s p - | 18 | spring summer | PN |
| Angelica atropurpurea | great angelica | alkaline | x x x - - | s p - | 84 | spring summer | PM |
| Aquilegia canadensis | columbine | - - x x x | s p d | 24 | spring | AG, PM, PN | |
| Arisaema triphyllum | Jack-in-the-pulpit | + | - x x - - | - p d | 24 | spring | PM, PN |
| Arnoglossum atriplicifolium | pale Indian plantain | - x x x x | s p - | 84 | summer fall | AG, PN | |
| Arnoglossum plantagineum | prairie Indian plantain | - x x - - | s - - | 48 | summer | PM | |
| Arnoglossum reniforme | great Indian plantain | + | - x x - - | s p - | 60 | summer | PM |
| Asarum canadense | wild ginger | + rhizome | - x x x - | - p d | 8 | spring | PM, PN |
| Asclepias incarnata | swamp milkweed | + | x x x - - | s - - | 48 | summer | AG, PM, PN |
| Asclepias tuberosa | butterfly milkweed | + | - - x x x | s p - | 18 | summer | AG, PM, PN |
| Aster dumosus | rice button aster | - x x x x | s - - | 30 | fall | PM | |
| Aster ericoides | heath aster | + | - - x x x | s p - | 24 | summer fall | AG, PN |
| Aster furcatus | forked aster | + rhizome | x x x x - | - p d | 30 | fall | PM |
| Aster laevis | smooth blue aster | + | - x x x - | s p - | 48 | summer fall | AG, PM, PN |
| Aster lanceolatus | panicled aster | x x x - - | - p d | 48 | summer fall | ||
| Aster lateriflorus | calico aster | - x x x - | s p d | 24 | summer fall | PN | |
| Aster linariifolius | flax-leaved aster, stiff aster | - x x x - | s p d | 12 | fall | PM | |
| Aster macrophyllus | big-leaved aster | - x x x x | s p d | 36 | summer fall | AG, PM, PN | |
| Aster novae-angliae | New England aster | + | x x x x - | s p - | 48 | summer fall | AG, PM, PN |
| Aster puniceus | bristly aster | alkaline | x x - - - | s p - | 48 | summer fall | |
| Aster umbellatus | flat-top aster | rhizome | x x x - - | s p - | 36 | summer fall | PM |
| Baptisia alba (B. leucantha) | white wild indigo | + | - x x x x | s p - | 42 | summer | AG, PM |
| Blephilia ciliata | downy wood mint | + | - - x x x | s p - | 24 | summer | AG |
| Blephilia hirsuta | hairy wood mint | - x x - - | s p - | 30 | summer | AG | |
| Boltonia asteroides | False aster | + rhizome | x x x - - | s p - | 36 | summer fall | PN |
| Cacalia - see Arnoglossum or Hasteola | |||||||
| Caltha palustris | marsh-marigold | + | x x - - - | s p d | 18 | spring | PM |
| Camassia scilloides | wild hyacinth | + | - x x - - | s p - | 18 | spring summer | PM |
| Campanula americana | bellflower | + biennial | - x x x - | s p - | 48 | summer fall | AG |
| Campanula rotundifolia | bluebell, harebell | + | - x x x - | s p - | 12 | summer | PM, PN |
| Cardamine concatenata | cut-leaved toothwort | - x x x - | - - d | 8 | spring | ||
| Cassia - See Senna | |||||||
| Caulophyllum thalictroides | blue cohosh | - x x - - | - p d | 24 | spring | PM | |
| Chelone glabra | turtlehead | + | x x - - - | s - - | 24 | summer fall | PM, PN |
| Claytonia virginica | spring-beauty | + | x x x - - | - - d | 60 | spring | PM |
| Coreopsis tripteris | tall coreopsis, tall tickseed | - x x x - | s p - | 72 | summer | AG | |
| Dalea purpurea | purple prairie clover | - - x x x | s - - | 24 | summer | AG, PM, PN | |
| Desmodium canadense | Canada tick-trefoil | - x x x - | s p - | 48 | summer | PN | |
| Diarrhena obovata | beak grass | + | - x x x - | - p d | 24 | – | AG, PM |
| Dicentra cucullaria | Dutchman's breeches | + | - x x - - | - - d | 8 | spring | PM |
| Dodecatheon meadia | shooting-star | + | - x x x - | s p - | 15 | spring summer | PM, PN |
| Echinacea purpurea | purple coneflower | + | - x x x - | s p - | 30 | summer | AG, PM, PN |
| Eryngium yuccifolium | rattlesnake master | + | - x x x - | s - - | 48 | summer fall | AG, PM, PN |
| Eupatorium maculatum | spotted Joe Pye weed | x x x x - | s p - | 48 | summer | AG, PM, PN | |
| Eupatorium perfoliatum | boneset | x x x - - | s p - | 36 | summer fall | AG, PM, PN | |
| Eupatorium purpureum | purple Joe Pye weed | + aromatic | - x x x - | s p d | 60 | summer fall | AG, PM, PN |
| Euthamia graminifolia | grass-leaved goldenrod | aggr, rhiz | x x x x x | s p - | 24 | summer fall | |
| Filipendula rubra | Queen of the prairie | + rhizome | x x x - - | s - - | 48 | summer | PM, PN |
| Gentiana andrewsii | bottle gentian | + | x x x - - | s p - | 12 | summer fall | PM, PN |
| Geranium maculatum | wild geranium | + | - x x x x | s p d | 18 | spring summer | PM, PN |
| Hasteola suaveolens | sweet Indian plantain | + | x x - - - | s p - | 48 | summer | AG, PM |
| Helenium autumnale | sneezeweed | x x x - - | s p - | 48 | summer fall | AG, PM, PN | |
| Heliopsis helianthoides | false sunflower | aggressive | - x x x - | s p - | 48 | summer | AG, PN |
| Hypericum pyramidatum | Great St. John’s wort | + | - x x - - | s p - | 60 | summer | AG, PM |
| Iris versicolor | wild iris | + rhizome | x x x - - | s p - | 24 | summer | PM, PN |
| Iris virginica | blue flag iris | + rhizome | x x - - - | s p - | 30 | summer | AG, PM, PN |
| Liatris ligulistylis | blazing star | + | - x x - - | s p - | 48 | summer fall | AG, PM, PN |
| Liatris pycnostachya | prairie blazing star, gay feather | + | x x x - - | s p - | 24 | summer | AG, PM, PN |
| Liatris spicata | marsh blazing star | + | x x x - - | s p - | 48 | summer | AG, PM, PN |
| Lilium michiganense | Michigan lily, Turk's cap lily | + | - x x - - | s p - | 60 | summer | PM |
| Lobelia cardinalis | cardinal flower | + | x x - - - | s p - | 36 | summer fall | AG, PM, PN |
| Lobelia siphilitica | great blue lobelia | + | x x x - - | s p - | 36 | summer fall | AG, PM, PN |
| Lysimachia ciliata | fringed loosestrife | + rhizome | - x x - - | s p d | 30 | summer | PM |
| Lythrum alatum | winged loosestrife | + rhizome | x x - - - | s - - | 24 | summer | PM |
| Mertensia virginica | Virginia bluebell | + | - x x - - | s p - | 18 | spring | PM |
| Mimulus ringens | monkey flower | + | x x - - - | s p - | 24 | summer | AG, PM, PN |
| Monarda fistulosa | bee balm, bergamot | + | x x x x x | s p - | 42 | summer | AG, PM, PN |
| Napaea dioica | glade mallow | + | - x x - - | s p - | 60 | summer | AG |
| Parthenium integrifolium | feverfew, wild quinine | + | - - x x - | s - - | 30 | summer | AG, PM, PN |
| Penstemon digitalis | white beard tongue | + | - x x - - | s p d | 36 | summer | AG, PM, PN |
| Phlox divaricata | wild blue phlox | + rhizome | - x x x - | s p d | 18 | spring summer | PM |
| Phlox glaberrima | smooth phlox | + | - x x - - | s p - | 24 | summer | PM |
| Phlox pilosa | downy phlox, prairie phlox | + | - x x x x | s p - | 18 | spring summer | PM, PN |
| Physostegia virginiana | obedience plant | + rhiz | x x x - - | s - - | 30 | summer fall | AG, PM, PN |
| Polemonium reptans | Jacob's ladder | + | - x x x - | s p d | 15 | spring | AG, PM, PN |
| Polygonatum biflorum | Solomon's seal | + | - x x x - | s p - | 24 | spring | |
| Pycnanthemum virginianum | Virginia mountain mint | + rhizome | x x x - - | s p - | 30 | summer | AG, PM |
| Ratibida pinnata | yellow coneflower | + | - - x x - | s p - | 48 | summer | AG, PM, PN |
| Rudbeckia hirta | black-eyed Susan | + biennial | - x x x x | s p - | 24 | summer fall | AG, PN |
| Rudbeckia subtomentosa | sweet black-eyed Susan | + long-lived | x x x - - | s p - | 42 | summer fall | AG, PM, PN |
| Rudbeckia triloba | brown-eyed Susan | + short-lived | - x x x - | s p - | 36 | summer fall | AG, PN |
| Saxifraga pensylvanica | swamp saxifrage | + | x x - - - | s p d | 24 | spring | PM |
| Scutellaria lateriflora | skullcap | rhizome | x x - - - | s p - | 24 | summer fall | |
| Senna hebecarpa | wild senna | + | x x x - - | s p - | 60 | summer | AG, PM, PN |
| Silene stellata | starry campion | - x x x - | s p - | 18 | summer fall | AG, PM | |
| Silphium integrifolium | rosinweed | - x x x x | s - - | 60 | summer fall | AG, PM, PN | |
| Silphium laciniatum | compass plant | + | - x x x x | s p - | 96 | summer fall | AG, PN |
| Silphium perfoliatum | cup plant | - x x - - | s p - | 72 | summer fall | AG, PM, PN | |
| Silphium terebinthinaceum | prairie dock | + | - x x x - | s p - | 96 | summer fall | AG, PM, PN |
| Smilacina racemosa | false Solomon's seal | + rhizome | - x x x x | s p d | 24 | spring summer | PM, PN |
| Smilacina stellata | starry false Solomon's seal | + rhizome | - x x x x | s p d | 16 | spring | PM, PN |
| Solidago flexicaulis | zigzag goldenrod | aggressive | - - x - - | s p - | 24 | summer fall | AG, PN |
| Solidago ohioensis | Ohio goldenrod | + | x x x - - | - p - | 30 | summer fall | AG, PN |
| Solidago riddellii | Riddell's goldenrod | + alkaline | x x x - - | - p - | 30 | summer fall | AG |
| Solidago rigida | stiff goldenrod | + | - x x x x | s p - | 48 | summer fall | AG, PM, PN |
| Thalictrum dasycarpum | tall meadow-rue | + | x x x - - | s p - | 60 | summer | AG, PM |
| Thalictrum dioicum | early meadow-rue | + | - x x x - | - p d | 18 | spring | PM, PN |
| Tradescantia bracteata | spiderwort | + rhizome | - x x x x | s p - | 12 | summer | PM, PN |
| Valeriana edulis | valerian | - x - - - | s p - | 30 | spring summer | PM | |
| Verbena hastata | blue vervain | x x x - - | s - - | 48 | summer | AG, PN | |
| Vernonia fasciculata | ironweed | + | - x x - - | s p - | 48 | summer fall | AG, PM, PN |
| Veronicastrum virginicum | Culver's root | + | x x x - - | s p - | 48 | summer | AG, PM, PN |
| Viola canadensis | Canadian white violet | aggressive | x x - - - | - - d | 12 | spring summer | |
| Zizia aptera | heart-leaved golden Alexanders | + | - x x x - | s p - | 24 | spring summer | AG, PM, PN |
| Zizia aurea | golden Alexanders | + | x x x - - | s p - | 24 | spring | AG, PN |
| Ferns | |||||||
| Adiantum pedatum | maidenhair fern | + | x x x - - | s p d | 42 | – | PM |
| Athyrium filix-femina | lady fern | + | x x x - - | - p d | 18 | – | PM |
| Matteuccia struthiopteris | ostrich fern | rhizome | x x x - - | s p d | 36 | PM | |
| Onoclea sensibilis | sensitive fern | + rhizome | x x - - - | s p d | 30 | PM | |
| Grasses | |||||||
| Andropogon gerardii | big bluestem | + | - x x x x | s - - | 72 | – | AG, PM, PN |
| Bromus ciliatus | fringed brome | - x - - - | s p - | 36 | – | AG | |
| Bromus kalmii | prairie brome | x x x - - | s p - | 16 | – | AG | |
| Calamagrostis canadensis | blue-joint grass | aggr, rhiz | x x x - - | s p - | 48 | – | AG, PN |
| Cinna arundinacea | wood reed | x x x - - | s p - | 42 | – | AG | |
| Elymus canadensis | Canada wild rye | + | - x x x - | s p - | 54 | – | AG, PN |
| Elymus riparius | wild rye | - x x - - | s p - | 36 | |||
| Elymus villosus | silky wild rye | + | - x x x - | s p - | 36 | – | AG |
| Elymus virginicus | Virginia wild rye | - x x - - | s p d | 48 | – | AG, PN | |
| Glyceria canadensis | rattlesnake grass | x x - - - | s p - | 36 | – | AG | |
| Glyceria grandis | reed manna grass | x x - - - | s - - | 60 | – | AG | |
| Glyceria striata | fowl manna grass | x x x - - | s p - | 42 | – | AG, PN | |
| Hierochloe hirta | northern sweet grass | aggr, rhiz | x x x - - | s p - | 24 | ||
| Panicum virgatum | switch grass | + | - x x x x | s p - | 54 | – | AG, PM, PN |
| Schizachyrium scoparium | little bluestem | - - x x x | s - - | 30 | – | AG, PM, PN | |
| Spartina pectinata | prairie cord grass | aggr, rhiz | x x x - - | s - - | 84 | – | AG, PM, PN |
| Sporobolus heterolepis | prairie dropseed | + | - x x x x | s p - | 30 | – | AG, PM, PN |
| Rushes | |||||||
| Juncus effusus | soft rush | x x x - - | s - - | 36 | PM | ||
| Juncus torreyi | Torrey’s rush | + rhizome | - x x - - | s - - | 24 | PM | |
| Sedges | |||||||
| Carex bebbii | Bebb's sedge | - x x - - | s - - | 24 | |||
| Carex comosa | bristly sedge | + | x x - - - | s - - | 18 | – | AG |
| Carex crinita | fringed sedge | x x - - - | s p d | 42 | |||
| Carex grayi | bur sedge | + | x x x - - | s p d | 30 | – | PM |
| Carex hystericina | bottlebrush sedge | + | x x - - - | s - - | 24 | – | AG, PM |
| Carex scoparia | pointed broom sedge | + | x x x - - | s - - | 18 | ||
| Carex sprengelii | long-beaked sedge | - x x x - | s p d | 12 | – | AG | |
| Carex stipata | fox sedge | x x - - - | s p d | 30 | – | AG | |
| Carex stricta | tussock sedge | x x - - - | s p - | 30 | – | AG | |
| Carex vulpinoidea | brown fox sedge | x x x - - | s p - | 24 | – | AG | |
| Scirpus atrovirens | dark green bulrush | + | x x - - - | s - - | 48 | AG, PM | |
| Scirpus cyperinus | Wool grass | + | x x - - - | s - - | 48 | – | AG |
| Shrubs | |||||||
| Amelanchier laevis | Allegheny serviceberry | + | x x x x x | s p - | 25 | spring | PM |
| Amorpha fruticosa | false indigo | - x x x - | s p - | 1 | summer | PM | |
| Aronia melanocarpa | black chokeberry | rhizome | x x x x - | s p - | 5 | spring | PM |
| Cornus alternifolia | pagoda dogwood | + | x x x - - | - p d | 20 | spring summer | PM |
| Corylus americana | American hazelnut | rhizome | - x x x - | s p - | 6 | spring | PM |
| Hamamelis virginiana | witch hazel | + | - x x x - | - p d | 15 | fall | PM |
| Salix discolor | pussy willow | + | x x x - - | s p d | 20 | spring | PM |
| Sambucus canadensis | elderberry | rhizome | - x x x - | s p d | 6 | summer | PM |
| Viburnum acerifolium | maple-leaf arrowwood | + | - x x x x | - p d | 4 | spring summer | PM |
| Viburnum lentago | nannyberry | + | x x x - - | s p d | 15 | spring | PM |
| Viburnum rafinesquianum | downy arrowwood | + | - x x x - | - p d | 4 | spring | PM |
| Viburnum trilobum | American cranberry | + | x x x - - | s p d | 10 | spring | PM |