wet tolerant herb

[earthlingom]

I would like to plant herbs/shrubs that would be wet tolerant in MI. we have a mix of clay and sand, drains.... slow after a big rain,
we still have tons of snow. awaiting the thaw.
thank you

[rainbowgardener]

What is the sun exposure?

Did you really mean herbs like culinary herbs or did you just mean plants/forbs and shrubs? Perennials?

How big an area?

[earthlingom]

well, mostly full sun.... does not get hit first thing in the morning with sun, but by the second hour of sunlight or 3rd its all day sun.
the previous farmer of the land planted red willow, in a row, with some evergreen trees, in the middle of the 40ft by 50 or so area.
red willow is known to suck up moisture.(I have recently learned)
so yes, any plant really, I would like to plant a bunch of a few types of herbs, or flowering shrubs, trees....
discovered bee balm is wet tolerant, any suggestions or wisdom on damp soil is greatly appreciated. we have room to plant in not so wet areas as well, but this plot is fenced. so makes deer less likely to come in and dine...

[rainbowgardener]

There's lots of nice native wildflowers that like or tolerate wet soils:

sweet flag or blue flag iris, anise hyssop (one of my favorite tea herbs), white snake root (an aggressive spreader), goatsbeard, milkweed/ butterfly weed, baptisia/ wild indigo, turtlehead, joe pye weed, cardinal flower, goldenrod (also spreads aggressively), ironweed. and the native sunflowers helianthus and helenium.

Shrubs that like your conditions incude;

bog rosemary and bog laurel (but both need strongly acidic soils), leatherleaf, spice bush, purple ninebark, spirea/ meadowsweet and most of the berries -- raspberry, blackberry, huckleberry, cranberry.

Have fun!

[shadylane]

earthlingom, have you thought about a herb wheel, or knot garden. Many herbs do not like wet soil nor heavy clay. A raised herb bed would be a good start, and easy just by adding topsoil. This will save you a big disappointment and expense in the end.

[shadylane]

Excuse me rainbowgardener didnt see your post...a lot of good herbs to grow that you mentioned

[earthlingom]

thank your for your suggestions. I will do some more research on these specifics. and the knot garden and herb wheel. raised beds may be the way we will go for some of the plants.
thanks again, am getting exited about this yrs growing season!!! although we recently received about 10 more inches of snow! am starting to plan:)

[applestar]

Adding afew more off top of my head:

Celery and Chinese Celery, Shiso (Perilla), Cranberry, Blueberry (I think it's the high bush blueberry -- not sure if they are hardy in your area)

For planting out and either digging up and potting up to keep indoors in winter, or growing as annual -- Lemongrass. (I rooted fresh stalks I bought from an Asian market)

For eating the spring shoots -- Ostrich fern -- but they don't like too much sun.
Wild orange daylilies -- flower petals are lovely in salads

Native persimmons.

Butterfly Garden choices:
Definitely Cardinal flower -- in both red and purple and joe pye weed as mentioned.
Marsh mallow flower (Hibiscus moscheutos)
Make sure milkweed is SWAMP milkweed (Asclepias incarnata I think) -- Monarch butterfly larval food
Golden alexander -- heart-leaf or cut leaf -- Black swallowtail larval food.
I have a shrub that likes wet feet that I hoped rainbow would mention because I can't remember what it's called... But she didn't. It has 1" white pompom flowers. Will add later after looking it up.

[rainbowgardener]

applestar, would your shrub be fothergilla (witch-alder) ?




it does handle moist conditions

[ElizabethB]

Another thought that won't help this spring but next year and years after is to start composting. A great way to condition poor soil.

[rainbowgardener]

applestar, did I guess right?

[applestar]

ARRRGH ...no its not fothergilla.... OK OK I can't stand it anymore I'll go look it up...............

Ah ha! it's Cephalanthus occidentalis - Button Bush

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result ... lant=CEOC2

[earthlingom]

is that button bushncold dormant cycle tolerant???
also, am thinking of starting a black berry patch in this area.... any suggestions on companies to order from or how to start a patch?!
I looked up knot gardens, they are so beautiful! cant wait for the snow to melt!

[applestar]

Did you read the linked webpage? That's an excellent database resource with informative details on the plants.

[earthlingom]

the site is great! thanks!