Ornamental Trees That Do Well in Wet Areas
- Within USDA zone 3, where bitter cold is the general rule of thumb during winter, several species of maple trees work as ornamentals for wet sites. Among them is the Freeman maple hybrid called Autumn Blaze, a tree that lives up to its name with brilliant red fall foliage. The Silver Queen is a 40-to 50-foot species of silver maple that grows in wet soils, exhibiting bright green leaves in summer with silvery undersides; they change to yellow come autumn. The paper birch, European white birch and grey birch all have whitish, exfoliating bark that makes them valued ornamental types. These birches thrive in moist conditions in sun or shade.
- Fir trees such as the white fir have ornamental aspects, with a bluish tint to its needles. In USDA zone 5, white fir has little trouble handling a wet location. The birch cultivar Crimson Frost has burgundy foliage and takes on a pyramidal shape as it develops. Varied catalpa species -- including northern, southern and Chinese catalpa -- all have large leaves, attractive spring flowers and elongated, bean-like seedpods as ornamental features. The large size, fluted trunk and soft fern-like leaves of the dawn redwood make it a candidate for open spaces where the ground is moist; this Chinese species grows between 70 and 100 feet.
- The borders of ponds or streams are suitable scenarios for the pawpaw tree, a species with drooping foliage, cup-like flowers and edible fruit. It grows within zone 7, as does the bitternut hickory, an ornamental shade tree growing to 80 feet. Tupelo gum, sweet bay magnolia and swamp magnolia all take to wet ground within this zone. Tupelo gum is a relative of the black gum tree, a plant that prefers moist, acidic soil and displays almost fluorescent fall foliage colors such as orange and purple.
- In the wild, a river birch is a common sight along streams and in floodplains, with its exfoliating bark of many colors its greatest virtue. As an ornamental, it is the sole birch species reliable for USDA zone 9 growing conditions, which features heat and humidity. The leaves of willow oak give this tree its name, resembling those of willow species; the tree does very well in wet spots as an ornamental shade or specimen tree. The bald cypress hybrid known as Cascade Falls is only from 8 to 20 feettall. It has a weeping form and its green needles turn rust brown before falling off when fall arrives.
