Explore Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. Smarty Plants.
Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.
rate this answer
Friday - July 30, 2010
From: Peoria, IL
Region: Midwest
Topic: Trees
Title: Tree for wet area in Central Illinois
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
I live in Central Illinois. When it rains I get a lot of water in my backyard. What kind of tree would be best to plant in this wet area?ANSWER:
Here is a way you can do the research yourself. Go to our Native Plant Database and do a COMBINATION SEARCH choosing 'Illinois' from the Select State or Province option, 'Tree' from Habit (general appearance) and 'Wet - soil is saturated with water' from Soil moisture. This will give you more than 40 trees to choose from that meet those criteria. You can check the other GROWING CONDITIONS for each species to determine if they are also compatible with your site.
Here are few possibilities from that list:
Betula populifolia (gray birch)
Carya aquatica (water hickory) and here are photos and more information.
Acer rubrum var. drummondii (Drummond's maple)
Crataegus viridis (green hawthorn)
Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash)
Ilex verticillata (common winterberry)
Here are photos from our Image Gallery:
More Trees Questions
Leaves falling early from red oaks.
October 08, 2007 - The leaves on my Texas red oaks are dropping off prematurely. This usually doesn't happen until late November/early December. I'm wondering if it has something to do with our wet summer, or if I sho...
view the full question and answer
Cottonwood seed clogging air conditioner in Austin
June 06, 2010 - My husband and I recently moved into a rental house that has a very tall cottonwood tree in the backyard. It has been shedding its seeds all over our yard since the beginning of May and seems to still...
view the full question and answer
Spraying paint on White Pine tree trunks
October 31, 2011 - Is there a paint that is safe to spray on a tree trunk without damaging/killing the tree? We have White Pines that have ~16" spacing without limbs & would like to 'camouflage' the bare space. If pa...
view the full question and answer
Growths on Shumard Red Oak leaves from Katy TX
April 01, 2013 - Our beautiful Shumard Red Oak has developed lots of light green grape like growths on the leaves. Please inform us what this could be and how we should treat it?
view the full question and answer
Ground cover under trees from Austin
November 03, 2012 - I need ground cover plants that can tolerate leaf litter and grow under oak tree shade.
view the full question and answer
 |
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. Mr. Smarty Plants wants you to be his Facebook friend. Click the Facebook icon to add yourself to Mr. Smarty Plants list of friends. |
