Retention pond bottoms plant recommendation?
 

We're working on an apartment complex that has 3 storm water retention
ponds. The bottoms of these ponds will be submerged or at least boggy
during the wet part of the year, and during the summer, could be very dry.
There is an irrigation system that can be used to keep vegetation growing.
Combined area is close to an acre.

My question is, does anybody have recommendations for perennial plants that
might survive under these conditions? Am thinking about Acorus or Iris or
other things that are typically considered bog plants. We've already rotted
one round of Bermuda sod, and we need an alternative. Zone 9, southeast.

Retention pond bottoms plant recommendation?
 

I am not sure exactly what will work in zone 9 but I have experience
with a similar situation, I live in a "winter spring" that is swamp in
winter/spring and a desert in the summer/fall....zone 6b. Siberian
iris will work, lysmachia, Ascelepia incarnata (swamp milkweed), iron
weed, elderberry bushes, Chelone obliqua (turtlehead, or maybe it is
false turtlehead), arrowood viburnum, bee balm, daylilies, look for
things that grow in the natural swamps in the area and plant them in
the fall...... ones that are showy in the spring often go dormant in
the summer, which could allow them to survive the summer! Good luck!


"di" wrote in message ...
We're working on an apartment complex that has 3 storm water retention
ponds. The bottoms of these ponds will be submerged or at least boggy
during the wet part of the year, and during the summer, could be very dry.
There is an irrigation system that can be used to keep vegetation growing.
Combined area is close to an acre.

My question is, does anybody have recommendations for perennial plants that
might survive under these conditions? Am thinking about Acorus or Iris or
other things that are typically considered bog plants. We've already rotted
one round of Bermuda sod, and we need an alternative. Zone 9, southeast.

Retention pond bottoms plant recommendation?
 

"di" wrote:

We're working on an apartment complex that has 3 storm water retention
ponds. The bottoms of these ponds will be submerged or at least boggy
during the wet part of the year, and during the summer, could be very dry.
There is an irrigation system that can be used to keep vegetation growing.
Combined area is close to an acre.

My question is, does anybody have recommendations for perennial plants that
might survive under these conditions? Am thinking about Acorus or Iris or
other things that are typically considered bog plants. We've already rotted
one round of Bermuda sod, and we need an alternative. Zone 9, southeast.

What native plants grow in the occasionally flooded river bottoms
and other flood plains near you? They would be the logical
plants to use ... bog plants require CONSTANT moisture and are
otherwise rather finicky. And what is growing in other retention
basins locally?



Tsu

--
To doubt everything or to believe everything
are two equally convenient solutions; both
dispense with the necessity of reflection.
- Jules Henri Poincaré

Retention pond bottoms plant recommendation?
 

"Valkyrie" wrote...
"lois" wrote ...

[...]

Thank you all - this is good advice to talk to the administrators of the
local code department (the ones we're trying to please). I should have
thought of that - I'm showing my inexperience!
Thanks again.