Native Plants
![](../_images/smarty_plants.gif)
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
![](../_images/mr_smarty_plants_logo_web_200w.jpg)
rate this answer
![](../_images/star_00.gif)
Wednesday - January 07, 2009
From: El Campo, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Water Gardens
Title: Flowers for a pond area that will not hold water
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
We are in area code 77437 in the Coastal Plains of Texas. We have a 1 acre pond that will not hold water (dug to deep into the clay)and we would like to fill this pond with flowers (maybe wildflowers) that are native to the area and that does not require daily care. Please advise.ANSWER:
Too bad about your pond, but perhaps we can make it look beautiful anyway. Since it was designed to be a pond, I imagine when it rains it is going to fill with water that will persist for short while before draining away. In that case we need to consider plants that will grow and thrive in such conditions. These condtions are essentially the same as those for a rain garden where plants need to be able to tolerate growing in standing water, but also need to be able to survive when the water dries up. There is an article about rain gardening, "Showering of Gifts" by Julie Bawden Davis, in the Summer 2006 (Volume 22, number 4) issue of Native Plants, the former name of the Wildflower Center's quarterly magazine. You may be able to find a copy in your local library if you would like to read it. Members of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center now receive our new publication Wildflower, published quarterly. Here are some suggestions for plants that would be suitable for a rain garden in El Campo, Texas. Since I don't know your sunlight/shade conditions, you should check the "Growing Conditions" section of each of these plants to see if they match your situation:GRASSES/GRASS-LIKE:
Andropogon glomeratus (bushy bluestem)
Muhlenbergia capillaris (hairawn muhly)
Tripsacum dactyloides (eastern gamagrass)
Sedges such as:
Carex blanda (eastern woodland sedge)
Carex cherokeensis (Cherokee sedge)
HERBACEOUS PLANTS:
Lobelia cardinalis (cardinalflower)
Physostegia intermedia (slender false dragonhead)
Physostegia pulchella (showy false dragonhead)
Hydrolea ovata (ovate false fiddleleaf)
Teucrium canadense (American germander)
Monarda fistulosa (wild bergamot)
Oenothera speciosa (pinkladies)
SHRUBS:
Amorpha fruticosa (desert false indigo)
Hibiscus laevis (halberdleaf rosemallow)
Kosteletzkya virginica (Virginia saltmarsh mallow)
You can search for more possibilities by visiting our Recommended Species page and selecting the South Texas area from the map or the pull-down menu. This will give you a list of "commercially available native plant species suitable for planned landscapes in South Texas". You can then NARROW YOUR SEARCH and select species by "Soil moisture" and/or "Light requirement".
More Water Gardens Questions
Propagation information from Queens NY
October 04, 2012 - Hello. I would appreciate information on when to plant the following plants. I found on the USDA website that all these plants could withstand the cold. ALthough they can withstand harsh weather, ...
view the full question and answer
Aquatic Plants for a Small Pond in Missouri
June 11, 2015 - We have a small backyard pond (4' x 5' x 2' deep) with a shelf for marginal plants, and a pump that feeds a nice little creek and waterfall into the pond. We don't really want fish, but we'd lik...
view the full question and answer
BEST plants for keeping water clean
February 19, 2005 - We're in the process of building a small swimming pool that will utilize Texas native bog and marginal plants to clean the water for the pool. Do you know of some good resources (i.e. online, books, b...
view the full question and answer
Plants for wet soil in turtle enclosure in Virginia
September 03, 2010 - We recently installed a turtle pond in our backyard in Arlington, VA. We built an enclosure around the pond to protect the turtle from raccoons and herons, and left some open area for the turtle to g...
view the full question and answer
Perennial plants for full sun around pond
April 28, 2012 - I am looking for full sun perennial plants for the exterior of a water pond. Planting suggestions?
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |