Plants to Plant Near Water

Silver Maple

• The silver maple (Acer saccharinum) grows even in mucky soils where the drainage is poor. In the wild, this maple species occurs in the eastern half of North America near lakes, streams and rivers, so planting it near water makes perfect sense. Silver maple grows quickly, with maximum sizes reaching 100 feet, but most remaining between 50 and 80 feet tall. Silver maple has distinct five-lobed leaves with a silvery glean to their undersides. The tree is a solid specimen tree for the landscape near water; one drawback is that its wood is weak, with branches cracking off in winter storms.

Inkberry

• Known for an ability to grow in wet conditions, inkberry (Ilex glabra) belongs to the holly family. While the younger shrubs have a compact form with many branches, the older inkberry individuals have most of their leaves on the upper parts of the plant. Inkberry is evergreen, with its foliage handsome even in winter as long as the mercury stays above zero F. Inkberry produces black September fruit on the female plants. Inkberry is salt tolerant to a degree, according to the University of Connecticut Plant Database. The shrub grows to 8 feet tall and works well near the water.

Yellow Twig Dogwood Flaviramea

• The root system of the yellow twig dogwood (Cornus sericea) hybrid known as Flaviramea battles the effects of erosion near water. The shrub grows to 9 feet and spreads out between 6 and 10 feet. Flaviramea dogwood has excellent winter presence, with its yellow branches contrasting with snowy landscapes. Able to grow from U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 through 8, yellow twig dogwood's older stems are not as colorful as the younger growth, prompting their removal at the start of spring to promote the new growth.

Ostrich Fern

• The underground rhizomes of the ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) spread to create colonies of this plant. It is a good fit for proximity to the water, since it grows in wet soils with no effort. Ostrich fern attains heights of 6 feet and spreads as wide as 8 feet. The ferns ability to thrive in the shade makes it a suitable species for wet woodlands, ponds, and streams that exist in the shadows of larger growth. The ostrich fern is not appropriate for landscaping jobs in areas where summers become hot and humid.