There is a great contrast of a large green leaved shrub with a plethora of white blooms. They look lovely in a landscape and create a nice back drop to vibrant flowers. For a white blooming shrub that goes well in wet soils, there are a few great choices. These are some of the shrubs that work well in wet soils.
Bog Rosemary (Andromeda polifolia)
Growing as small as 8 inches to 3 feet tall, this evergreen has blue-green narrow leaves. Flowers are white and bell-like, while a few varieties have pink blooms. Bloom season is from June through July. Plant a bog rosemary in any lighting, from sun to shade, and in wet acidic soil. Propagate by cuttings, layering, or by seed. The bog rosemary is poisonous and should never be ingested.
Groundseltree, or Sea-myrtle (Baccharis halimifolia)
Groundseltree is a perennial shrub with dense branches and gray-green leaves. It grows 6 to 12 feet tall. Flowers are in clusters, small, and usually white or green. Bloom season is between August and October. Grow in partial shade in wet nearly neutral soil. Propagate by cuttings or by seed that has not been pretreated. It attracts both birds and butterflies.
Coastal Sweet Pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia)
Coastal sweet pepperbush grows 6 to 12 feet tall with deciduous green leaves that turn yellow and orange in fall. Clusters of flowers are white and upright. Bark has an interesting texture and is exfoliating. Bloom season is between July and August. Plant a coastal sweet pepperbush in any lighting with a wet acidic soil. Propagate by seed, cuttings, clump division or root division. It attracts song birds, hummingbirds and butterflies.
Bog Laurel (Kalmia polifolia)
The bog laurel grows under 3 feet tall with glossy evergreen blue-green leaves and white or pink bell-like flowers. Bloom season is May through June. Plant in any lighting with wet acidic soil as limey soils can cause chlorosis. It is both flood and shade tolerant. Propagate by cuttings or seed that has not been pretreated. All parts of the bog laurel are poisonous and should not be consumed.
These four selections have interesting features that can always work in a landscape. The shrubs in this listing all work particularly well in soil that goes beyond moist and becomes water-logged. Standing water tracts are typically called bogs, and these bog garden shrubs thrive in that condition. If you have a particularly wet standing water spot in the yard and are tired of things dying, these may be just the thing for you.
