Wetlands: Plants

These are not the plants recommended for bioretention cells, rain gardens etc. Bioretention cells, bioswales and similar normally have moderate to dry soil conditions.
If you're looking for bioretention type plants, you may choose from all of these grasses, perennials, shrubs, and trees.

The most common types of emergent vegetation used in North American wetlands are cattails (Typha spp.), bulrushes (Scirpus spp.), and reeds (Phragmites spp.), although a variety of other wetland vegetation can be used as well. In many cases, monocultures are recommended rather than attempting to support biodiverse vegetation since the more “aggressive”, stress-resistant wetland plants (e.g., cattails) will quickly displace others if they are present.

In surface flow wetlands, cattails and bulrushes are the most common types of emergent vegetation used. The most common type of plant used in sub-surface flow wetlands is reeds, but cattails, bulrushes, reed canary grass (Pharis arundinacea) and managrass (Glyceria maxima) have also been used.

Sortable table, click on header you wish to select wetland plants by:

Scientific Name	Common Name	Native	Partial shade tolerance	Drought Tolerance 1=Low 2=Med 3=High	Salt Tolerance 1=Low 2=Med 3=High	Pollution tolerance	Compaction tolerance	STEP star!	Illustration
Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani (Scirpus validus)	Soft-stem Bulrush	Y		1	2-3	Y
Scirpus atrovirens	Dark-green Bulrush	Y		1	2	Y
Scirpus cyperinus	Cottongrass Bulrush	Y		2	2
Typha latifolia	Broad-leaf Cattail	Y		1	2-3	Y

• Plants

A shallow excavated surface depression containing prepared filter media, mulch, and planted with selected vegetation.

A shallow excavated surface depression containing prepared filter media, mulch, and planted with selected vegetation.

A vegetated area such as a bog, fen, marsh, or swamp, where the soil or root zone is saturated for part of the year.

Sustainable Technologies Evaluation Program