Drought tolerant plants? Water tolerant?

I need help finding plants for zone 5. =)

First off, I need plants that are capable of taking lots of sun and happen to be drought tolerant. Preferably something that will grow back year after year.

Secondly, I also need water tolerant plants. There is a portion of my garden that floods when there is a decent amount of rain. Drainage can be really slow because we aren't that far above the water table. I have tried various plants in this area and only two have survived. I've already lost my beloved Lamb's Ear and Gay Feather. Any suggestions on what I should plant in this area? It's get sun and shade and is close to a pine tree, if that matters at all.

Any suggestions are greatly welcomed!

I have read that Elephant Ears live well in water. I believe that they also grow well in part sun and part shade.

Good luck!

Lisa

Sorry, elephant ears are not hardy in your zone.

How's the drainage in the area you want the drought tolerant plants? If you're that close to the water table and drainage is fairly slow, even if you don't have standing water on the surface the drought tolerant plants may not be happy. Most of them do best when you have really good drainage.

Red-twig dogwood likes wetter areas, even shallow water.
Mine has been thriving for years (25 or more). Birds love it!

More information:
http://green.kingcounty.gov/gonative/Plant.aspx?Act=view&PlantID=32&PhotoID=378


This message was edited Apr 18, 2009 10:58 AM

For sun that are drought resistant, but with good drainage:
Sedums, Delosperma (iceplants), and Sempervivums

Wet tolerant plants: There are Irises that are naturally water or bog plants called Louisiana Irises.
Asclepsis incarnata (Pink Swamp Weed)
I believe that the weeping willow also like a moist soil.

I am sort of in the same situation. Several years ago we baught a house, and the builder did not do a very good job with plantings in the creek area for draining, flowing and erosion control. The creek has become a mess, and as far as I am concerned it is a health hazard. We have an awesome playset in the back yard that the kids wont use in the summer because of the mosquitoes. We are redoing the creek area ( my husband is a civil engineer, so he knows about regrading etc.) and are trying to use only native plants (this has been pretty difficult as they are pretty hard to find). We are also trying to incorporate wildlife and benificial bug plants. We are organic, so bug sprays and such are out. There is sunny areas, and shady areas. And I need plants that are tolerant of moisture as well as drought because the creek will dry up during time of low rain. Also need a good website suggestion for identifying wildflowers, as some flowers that are in the area we may want to keep. These flowers are often called weeds by some people, but for us, they may be the natives that attract the good bugs. Any help or suggestions are appreciated.

Mingue and altara74,
Here's a site that might be of help to both of you:

http://www.prairienursery.com/store/index.php?main_page+index&cP

I had a marshy area in my last yard. Some of the things that did well were river birch, red twig dogwood, daylilies, irises, marsh marigold, joe pye weed, japanese primrose, and virginia bluebells.

In my dry rock garden I had many varieties of sedum which are succulents and great in sunny dry areas. Daisies and coreopsis are also good.