12 Best Perennial Plants for Moist Soil

For fabulous flowers and flourishing foliage year after year, perennials are where the party’s at. But soggy soil can spell trouble for perennials prone to root rot and water-borne fungus. These perennial plants naturally grow in boggy areas, wetlands, and on riverbanks, so they’re perfect for your rain garden, water garden, or that pesky ditch that refuses to dry out. 

Many of these perennials are pollinator-friendly native species, which means you can bask in the company of beautiful butterflies, bees, and birds — and you won’t have to worry about expensive fertilizer and pesticide treatments. 

1. Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis)

With crimson red flowers that rival the bright red feathers of male cardinal birds, the cardinal flower is an instant hit in rain gardens, shallow water gardens, and on the border of streams and ponds. It’s a hummingbird-friendly native plant that grows well with others, combining beautifully with irises, swamp milkweed, monkey flower, and rose mallow. 

Tubular flowers bloom in late summer and continue into mid-fall, so your yard won’t lose all its color after the summer. Cardinal flower can tolerate full sun in cooler northern regions, but if you live in a warmer southern area, plant it in a spot where it will get afternoon shade. 

Fun fact: Though cardinal flowers resemble the tailfeathers of cardinal birds, they were actually named for their similarity to the vestments worn by Roman Catholic cardinals in the 1620s. 

Caution: Cardinal flowers are toxic to humans, pets, and horses if eaten in large quantities, so plant them in a place where your kids, Fido, and Black Beauty can’t reach them. 

• Plant type: Upright wildflower
• Hardiness zones: 3-9
• Sun exposure: Full sun, partial shade
• Mature size: 3-6 feet tall; 1-2 feet wide
• Special features: Pollinator-friendly, rabbit-resistant

2. False goat’s beard (Astilbe spp.)

Native to Japan and China, false goat’s beard boasts feathery plumes of pastel red, white, and pink flowers that resemble (you guessed it!) the beard of a goat. With graceful fern-like foliage that forms a dense mound, false goat’s beard is a shade-tolerant superstar that grows in the darkest corners of your yard where other plants get spooked.

False goat’s beard is a popular choice for container gardens, cottage gardens, pollinator gardens, and walkways. Flowers bloom in late spring and early summer to wake your garden from its winter slumber. 

• Plant type: Upright flower
• Hardiness zones: 4-9
• Sun exposure: Partial shade, full shade
• Mature size: 1-5 feet tall; 1-2 feet wide
• Special features: Pollinator-friendly, deer-resistant, rabbit-resistant, black walnut resistant

3. Hosta (Hosta spp.)

Hostas may be the most popular perennials on the market — but it isn’t their flowers that give them their claim to fame! These shade-loving beauties are adored for their eye-catching, uniquely textured leaves, which are often edged with cream or gold and come in a variety of hues from deep green to gold to blue.

Hostas are best planted in spring, and they produce pretty bell-like blue and white flowers for three weeks in early to late summer (depending on the cultivar). Flowers are fragrant and attract bees and hummingbirds. Plant daffodils around your hostas to protect them from grazing deer.

• Plant type: Broadleaf flowering herb
• Hardiness zones: 3-9
• Sun exposure: Partial shade, full shade
• Mature size: Sizes vary by species, from 6-8 inches tall and 1.5-2 feet wide to 3-4 feet tall and 5-6 feet wide
• Special features: Pollinator-friendly, fragrant flowers

4. Japanese primrose (Primula japonica)

Whorls of bright purple, red, and pink flowers accented by light green cabbage-like leaves make Japanese primrose a spring crowd-pleaser. Leaves grow in dense mounds and flowers extend from tall, upright stems, blooming in late spring and early summer. This hardy, deciduous perennial reseeds easily to form a dense colony, making it an excellent ground cover for wet, shady areas.

A favorite among homeowners on the East Coast, Japanese primrose grows beautifully in acidic soil. It’s an elegant choice for cottage gardens, bog gardens, and along stream and pond borders. Grow it as a companion plant with hostas, irises, and ferns. 

• Plant type: Upright flower
• Hardiness zones: 3-8
• Sun exposure: Partial shade
• Mature size: 1.5-2 feet tall; 6-12 inches wide
• Special features: Pollinator-friendly, deer-resistant, fragrant flowers

5. Marsh marigold (Caltha palustris)

Start the spring with a pop of brilliant yellow with buttercup-like marsh marigold. This cheerful native plant boasts glossy, heart-shaped green leaves and yellow flowers that grow on tall branching stems and bloom from April to June. Marsh marigold spreads easily by rhizomes (underground stems), making it an easy-care ground cover for rain gardens and around ponds. 

Properly prepared, marsh marigold greens can be a delicious spring treat. Pour 2 to 3 changes of boiling water over the leaves. Then, cut the leaves into bite-sized pieces and season them with salt, butter, and vinegar.

Caution: Raw marsh marigold is toxic when consumed in large quantities. Only eat the leaves once they have been cooked. 

• Plant type: Clumping wildflower
• Hardiness zones: 3-7
• Sun exposure: Full sun, partial shade
• Mature size: 1-2 feet tall; 1-1.5 feet wide
• Special features: Pollinator-friendly, deer-resistant

6. Queen-of-the-prairie (Filipendula rubra)

Queen-of-the-prairie won’t only reign over the prairie — she’ll also wield the scepter over wet meadows, rain gardens, and cottage gardens. Cloud-like clusters containing hundreds of fragrant, pale pink flowers stand atop tall, sturdy stems. Queen-of-the-prairie is a magnificent statement piece that will resist diseases and pests while attracting butterflies and bees. 

While many perennials only bloom for two to four weeks, queen-of-the-prairie typically blooms from June all the way to August.

• Plant type: Upright wildflower
• Hardiness zones: 3-8
• Sun exposure: Full sun, partial shade
• Mature size: 4-8 feet tall; 3-4 feet wide
• Special features: Pollinator-friendly, fragrant flowers, long blooming season

7. Rocket ligularia (Ligularia dentata)

Ready for your garden to defy gravity? Rocket ligularia’s tall, lemon-yellow bottlebrush spikes are bound for outer space. Flowers bloom in late summer overtop purple stems and large, serrated leaves that look like landing pads. 

Rocket ligularia is an excellent choice for rain gardens, shade gardens, around pools and ponds, and planted en masse in perennial beds as a low-growing hedge. Cut the flowers for a beautiful bouquet or dried arrangement.

• Plant type: Upright flower
• Hardiness zones: 4-8
• Sun exposure: Partial shade
• Mature size: 1.5-4 feet tall; 2-3 feet wide
• Special features: Pollinator-friendly, deer resistant

8. Royal fern (Osmunda regalis)

Royal ferns don’t need the royal treatment to thrive in moist, shady “problem areas” of your yard. These deciduous native plants have long, arching green fronds that turn a spectacular golden yellow in fall. They love acidic, humus-rich soil and naturally grow around marshes, swamps, and streams. 

Plant royal ferns in puddle-prone areas and underneath dense tree canopies, and watch native critters flock to them. Ferns are a valuable source of shelter for small mammals and ground-feeding birds. 

• Plant type: Deciduous fern
• Hardiness zones: 3-10
• Sun exposure: Full sun, partial shade, full shade
• Mature size: 2-5 feet tall; 2-3 feet wide
• Special features: Pollinator-friendly, deer-resistant, rabbit-resistant

9. Siberian iris (Iris sibirica)

Iris may be the goddess of the rainbow, but you don’t need the power of a Greek god to grow low-maintenance, pest-resistant Siberian irises. These hardy bulbs boast showy, tubular purple-blue flowers that bloom in dense clumps (12 to 20 flowers per clump) from late spring to early summer. Long, arching blue-green leaves complement the vibrant flowers. 

Siberian irises produce the most flowers when grown in full sun (at least six hours of direct sun per day). If you live in the South, plant Siberian irises in an area that gets afternoon shade so they don’t get scalded by the hot afternoon sun. 

Caution: Siberian irises are slightly toxic if ingested. Do not eat any part of the plant. 

• Plant type: Upright flower
• Hardiness zones: 3-9
• Sun exposure: Full sun, partial shade
• Mature size: 2-4 feet tall; 1-2 feet wide
• Special features: Pollinator-friendly, deer-resistant, rabbit-resistant, black walnut resistant, long blooming season

10. Spotted joe-pye weed (Eutrochium maculatum or Eupatorium maculatum)

Having a weed in your garden sounds less than appealing, but don’t let the name fool you! A low-maintenance, fast-growing native plant, spotted joe-pye is ready to be the star of your yard. It’s a showy, long-stemmed wildflower that boasts large, flat-topped clusters of lavender and pink flowers that resemble fluffy cotton candy. 

Joe-pye flowers bloom from midsummer into fall, attracting a bounty of butterflies including monarchs, swallowtails, and red-spotted purples. It’s a lovely addition to rain gardens, pollinator gardens, and wildflower gardens. 

• Plant type: Upright wildflower
• Hardiness zones: 3-8
• Sun exposure: Full sun, partial shade
• Mature size: 3-6 feet tall; 4-5 feet wide
• Special features: Pollinator-friendly, deer-resistant

11. Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

Swamp milkweed is like chocolate and red wine for native pollinators. The nectar of these pretty rose-pink wildflowers is a vital food source for monarch butterflies, caterpillars, and honeybees. Cinnamon-scented flowers bloom in clusters from midspring to early fall, complemented by bright green, lance-like leaves. 

Native to the Midwest and East Coast, milkweed thrives in acidic soil and can tolerate a high clay content. Plant swamp milkweed in your butterfly garden, wildflower meadow, or on erosion-prone slopes and hills. The milkweed’s deep taproots will help stabilize the soil. 

Caution: Swamp milkweed is slightly toxic if eaten. 

• Plant type: Upright wildflower
• Hardiness zones: 3-9
• Sun exposure: Full sun, partial shade
• Mature size: 3-5 feet tall; 2-3 feet wide
• Special features: Pollinator-friendly, deer-resistant, long blooming season, fragrant flowers

12. White turtlehead (Chelone glabra)

For a brood of adorable floral turtles, look no further than the white turtlehead. This hardy native wildflower produces a bounty of dainty, tubular pinkish white flowers from late summer into midfall, attracting hummingbirds, bumblebees, and butterflies, including the Baltimore checkerspot. 

Sun-loving and low-maintenance, white turtlehead and other chelone species are excellent choices for rain gardens, water gardens, and wet meadows in the eastern half of the U.S. You can find chelone varieties with pink, purple, or ivory flowers — and one cultivar (“Black Ace”) even boasts black foliage.

• Plant type: Clumping wildflower
• Hardiness zones: 3-8
• Sun exposure: Full sun, partial shade
• Mature size: 2-3 feet tall; 1-2 feet wide
• Special features: Pollinator-friendly, deer-resistant, rabbit-resistant

How to start and care for your perennials

Starting perennials takes time and energy, but once they’re established, perennials are low-maintenance plants that don’t require as much fertilizer, water, or garden work as annual and biennial plants do. 

Planting perennials

• Test your soil and make the necessary soil amendments (ex. spreading lime to neutralize the pH of acidic soil, or adding sulfur to lower the pH of alkaline soil).

• Choose plants with different blooming times for a staggered blooming season. Most perennial flowers bloom for only two to four weeks each, so it’s important to plant perennials that bloom at different times for color all through the season. 

• Plant in spring or fall, depending on the bloom time of your perennial. If the perennial blooms in late summer or fall, plant it in the spring. If the perennial blooms in the spring or early summer, plant it in late summer or early fall.

• Plant on a cloudy day to reduce sun and heat stress.

• Plant in groups of threes to give each planting a natural, full appearance.

• Spread a 2- to 3-inch layer of organic mulch around new plants to protect roots and prevent weeds.

• Water your new plants daily for the first week. After two to three weeks, switch to a watering schedule of two to three times per week, ensuring that your perennials get a total of 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week (either from irrigation or natural rainfall). Water deeply and infrequently, rather than lightly and often, to encourage roots to grow deep.

Maintaining perennials

• After the first year, switch to a watering schedule of once a week, giving your plants 1 to 1.5 inches of water or more as needed. Keep the soil consistently moist. If you’ve planted these perennials in a dry area, expect to water them more than other perennials. If you’ve planted them in a naturally swampy area, you may not need to water them at all.

• Trim and prune scraggly or sickly stems and branches to maintain your plant’s shape and prevent diseases from spreading to the rest of the plant.

• Weed by hand every week.

• Deadhead fading flowers to encourage fresh blossoms.

• Spread a fresh layer of mulch each fall.

• Stake top-heavy plants early to prevent them from flopping over as they grow.

• Divide perennials every few years if overcrowding becomes an issue. You can transplant them to another part of your yard or give them as gifts to your neighbors. 

• Work compost into the soil once a year to give plant roots an organic nutrient boost. Compost is best applied in early fall so it has time to decompose before spring growth. 

FAQ about perennial plants for moist soil

Embrace the wet with water-loving perennials

Whether you live on the edge of a wetland, are planning a water garden, or simply have a low-lying corner of your lawn that invites pooling water, moisture-loving perennials can make your gardening experience a lot easier. 

Designing your garden and picking out the prettiest perennials can be boatloads of fun, but once you’ve dug the holes and planted your perennials, you may want to take a breather from yard work. If you’re ready to cool off in the shade, call a local lawn care pro to do the mowing, garden care, and yard cleanup for you.

Main Photo Credit: anslatadams | Flickr | CC BY-ND 2.0