Grasses, especially native grasses, are versatile, hardy and easy to maintain, but offer a dramatic beauty. Here are a few to consider for moist or wet sites: Muhly grass enjoys damp soil and pond edges. Also, most types of sedge do well in wet, sandy soil.
Ficus, Philodendron, Pothos, Kentia palm, Rhapis palm, Chamaedorea (bamboo palm), cycads, Schefflera, Strelitzia (Giant Bird of Paradise), crotons, Cordyline. Plants that should be watered when the soil surface is damp: These plants like to stay evenly moist.
Plants that require the most water are typically those with high water demands, such as rice (Oryza sativa), watercress (Nasturtium officinale), water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes), and certain varieties of willow trees (Salix spp.).
3. Vegetables: Tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, and other leafy greens often flourish in these containers. 4. Flowering plants: Begonias, impatiens, and fuchsias appreciate consistent moisture levels.
Annuals that grow well in moist to wet soils include, wax begonia (Begonia × semperflorens) flowering kale (Brassica oleracea) spider flower (Cleome hassleriana)
Gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa) is tolerant of wet and dry conditions, a native shrub that is excellent for use in hedges and as screening. It can be incorporated into the shrub border and useful as a mass planting, but its suckering habit makes it impractical for formal gardens.
Plants such as peace lilies, Boston ferns, and English ivy are excellent for damp environments. They help to absorb moisture and improve air quality, reducing the risk of mold and mildew formation.
In general, for maximum growth and health, it is important to provide ferns with plenty of humidity, generous watering, lots of space, sufficient light without direct sun exposure, and rich, well-draining soil.
Hydrangea shrubs require moist and well drained soil. They are not picky and can thrive in a variety of soil types; however, overly dry soils or soils that retain a lot of water such as heavy clay should be avoided.
Organic mulches like wood chips, bark, and straw absorb water. Inorganic mulches like rocks, gravel, pebbles, and rubber don't absorb water but may allow water to drain through the gaps between pieces.
Horsetail. If you're looking for a no-work native perennial plant that likes wet soil, consider horsetail (Equisetum hyemale). It's prized for its stiff, upright, bamboolike, dark green, segmented stems. Horsetail, also commonly called scouring rush, proliferates by underground runners in moist soil or shallow water.
A couple of other small ornamentals that can handle wet areas would be the Sweetbay Magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) and the Pawpaw (Asimina triloba).
Since clay soils can hold water like moist soils do, choosing plants that do well in clay might also work for these wet conditions. Iris (Iris spp.) Cattail (Typha spp.) Willow (Salix spp.)
Impatiens perform best in moist, well-drained soils in partial shade. Sites that receive 2 to 4 hours of filtered sun during the day or morning sun and afternoon shade are usually ideal.
Plants like epiphytes, succulents, Snake plants, Calathea, Aloe, more mature Maranta, Sedums, Kalanchoe, Begonias, African violets, and Pothos have shallow roots. If you prefer to bottom water these types, keep them in shallow containers so the wicking action can reach their roots or else supplement with top watering.
Your plant simply gets the amount of water it needs, when it needs it, so you never have to worry about over- or under-watering. With self-watering pots, the soil is consistently kept moist, since the water gets delivered from the reservoir at the same rate that the plants use it.