PlantLegit
Short answer: 30 non-invasive plants rated by NC State Extension for wet or poorly drained sites[1], cross-checked with USDA wet-soil tolerance[2] or the VCE rain-garden list[3]. If water stands against the house, see the French drain comparison below and our wet yard guide.
Sources (9)
- [1] NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox (soil drainage / wet-site tolerance, zones)
- [2] USDA NRCS PLANTS Database characteristics (anaerobic tolerance)
- [3] Andruczyk M., Fox L.J. Rain Garden Plants. Virginia Cooperative Extension 426-043 (rev. 2018).
- [4] VCE SPES-13: Fact Sheet 5 — Rain Gardens – Virginia Cooperative Extension
- [5] UGA Urban Stormwater: Stop 2 — French Drain – urbanstorm.org
- [6] WSU Extension: Improving Drainage – wpcdn.web.wsu.edu
- [7] Web Soil Survey: official soil map for your property – USDA NRCS
- [8] ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants List
- [9] Rutgers deer ratings – extension.rutgers.edu
| Plant | Zones | Type | Height | Deer (Rutgers) | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American elderberry Sambucus canadensis not in ASPCA list VCE rain-garden list | 4–8 | shrub | 5 ft - 12 ft tall | B | NC State Ext. |
| American hornbeam Carpinus caroliniana not in ASPCA list VCE rain-garden list | 3–9 | tree | 20 ft - 30 ft tall | not rated | NC State Ext. |
| American wisteria Wisteria frutescens ASPCA: toxic to dogs, cats USDA wet-soil tolerance: Medium | 5–9 | vine | 15 ft - 40 ft tall | not rated | NC State Ext. |
| American witch-hazel Hamamelis virginiana not in ASPCA list VCE rain-garden list | 3–9 | shrub | 15 ft - 30 ft tall | B | NC State Ext. |
| Bottlebrush buckeye Aesculus parviflora ASPCA: toxic to dogs, cats VCE rain-garden list | 5–9 | shrub | 8 ft - 12 ft tall | A | NC State Ext. |
| Bugleweed Ajuga reptans not in ASPCA list VCE rain-garden list | 3–10 | groundcover | 0 ft 6 in. - 1 ft tall | A | NC State Ext. |
| Canadian serviceberry Amelanchier canadensis not in ASPCA list USDA wet-soil tolerance: MediumVCE rain-garden list | 3–8 | shrub | 15 ft - 25 ft tall | B | NC State Ext. |
| Cardinal flower Lobelia cardinalis ASPCA: toxic to dogs, cats VCE rain-garden list | 3–9 | perennial | 4 ft - 5 ft tall | not rated | NC State Ext. |
| Great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica not in ASPCA list VCE rain-garden list | 4–9 | perennial | 1 ft 6 in. - 4 ft tall | not rated | NC State Ext. |
| Hybrid witch-hazel Hamamelis × intermedia not in ASPCA list VCE rain-garden list | 4–9 | shrub | 15 ft - 20 ft tall | not rated | NC State Ext. |
| Inkberry Ilex glabra not in ASPCA list USDA wet-soil tolerance: HighVCE rain-garden list | 4–11 | shrub | 5 ft - 10 ft tall | B | NC State Ext. |
| Lizard's tail Saururus cernuus not in ASPCA list VCE rain-garden list | 3–9 | perennial | 1 ft - 2 ft tall | not rated | NC State Ext. |
| New York ironweed Vernonia noveboracensis not in ASPCA list VCE rain-garden list | 5–9 | perennial | 5 ft - 8 ft tall | not rated | NC State Ext. |
| Northern blue flag Iris versicolor ASPCA: toxic to dogs, cats VCE rain-garden list | 3–9 | perennial | 2 ft - 3 ft tall | not rated | NC State Ext. |
| Pickerelweed Pontederia cordata not in ASPCA list VCE rain-garden list | 3–10 | perennial | 2 ft - 4 ft tall | not rated | NC State Ext. |
| Red chokeberry Aronia arbutifolia not in ASPCA list USDA wet-soil tolerance: MediumVCE rain-garden list | 3–9 | shrub | 6 ft - 12 ft tall | B | NC State Ext. |
| Royal fern Osmunda regalis not in ASPCA list VCE rain-garden list | 3–10 | fern | 5 ft - 6 ft tall | A | NC State Ext. |
| Scarlet beebalm Monarda didyma not in ASPCA list VCE rain-garden list | 4–9 | perennial | 2 ft - 4 ft tall | B | NC State Ext. |
| Scarlet rose mallow Hibiscus coccineus not in ASPCA list VCE rain-garden list | 5–9 | perennial | 6 ft - 8 ft tall | not rated | NC State Ext. |
| Silky dogwood Cornus amomum not in ASPCA list USDA wet-soil tolerance: Medium | 5–8 | shrub | 6 ft - 12 ft tall | not rated | NC State Ext. |
| Steeplebush Spiraea tomentosa not in ASPCA list VCE rain-garden list | 3–8 | shrub | 2 ft - 4 ft tall | not rated | NC State Ext. |
| Swamp azalea Rhododendron viscosum ASPCA: toxic to dogs, cats VCE rain-garden list | 4–9 | shrub | 2 ft - 8 ft tall | not rated | NC State Ext. |
| Swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata ASPCA: toxic to dogs, cats USDA wet-soil tolerance: HighVCE rain-garden list | 3–9 | perennial | 3 ft - 5 ft tall | B | NC State Ext. |
| Swamp rose Rosa palustris ASPCA: non-toxic (dogs, cats) VCE rain-garden list | 4–9 | shrub | 3 ft - 6 ft tall | not rated | NC State Ext. |
| Swamp rose mallow Hibiscus moscheutos not in ASPCA list VCE rain-garden list | 4–9 | perennial | 2 ft - 6 ft tall | C | NC State Ext. |
| Swamp sunflower Helianthus angustifolius ASPCA: non-toxic (dogs, cats) VCE rain-garden list | 5–9 | perennial | 5 ft - 8 ft tall | not rated | NC State Ext. |
| Sweetbay magnolia Magnolia virginiana not in ASPCA list VCE rain-garden list | 5–10 | tree | 10 ft - 35 ft tall | not rated | NC State Ext. |
| Virginia spiderwort Tradescantia virginiana not in ASPCA list VCE rain-garden list | 4–9 | perennial | 1 ft 6 in. - 3 ft tall | not rated | NC State Ext. |
| Wild ginger Asarum canadense not in ASPCA list VCE rain-garden list | 4–6 | groundcover | 0 ft 6 in. - 1 ft tall | A | NC State Ext. |
| Winterberry Ilex verticillata not in ASPCA list VCE rain-garden list | 3–9 | shrub | 3 ft - 15 ft tall | B | NC State Ext. |
No plants match.
Checked 2026-10-15. Informational only, not legal or professional advice.
Plants vs. a French drain
| Wet-tolerant plants / rain garden | French drain | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Plants that tolerate saturated soil; a rain garden is a planted depression[4] | Gravel trench with perforated pipe wrapped in geotextile fabric[5][6] |
| Siting rules | VCE: rain gardens at least 10 ft from foundations, not over utilities/septic, not in high-clay soil or a high water table; bottom at least 2 ft above the seasonal high water table[4] | UGA: at least 1% slope (~⅛ in per ft)[5]; WSU: 0.5–1%[6] |
| Check first | Your soil's drainage class and ponding frequency in the USDA Web Soil Survey[7] | |