10 Thirsty Garden Plants That Need Lots of Water
Everything needs water, but some plants are needier than others. It’s important to understand each species’ needs before you add them to your garden. Today, we’ll discuss a few plants that need lots of watering. Desert-garden options these are not, but if you live in humid conditions, these may be right up your alley!
The Bigleaf hydrangea is a deciduous shrub native to Japan, and is known for its lush, oval, colorful inflorescence. The two types of Hydrangea macrophylla are mopheads – with large, ball-shaped, sterile flower clusters, and lacecapes – with small round fertile flowers in the center, and sterile flowers on the outer side of each inflorescence. Depending on soil pH, blooms can change color from pink to blue.
Lily of the valley is highly poisonous and originates in Euroasia. Although it is toxic, it is popular in gardens and perfume industry for its charming flowers and fragrance. Lily of the valley is the national flower of Finland and was the national flower of former Yugoslavia.
The Nephrolepis exaltata is commonly known as the Sword fern or sword fern. It is a common and popular houseplant that is native to tropical environments. While the Sword fern can survive droughts, it prefers humid environments and should be misted regularly. It is generally considered non-toxic and is pet friendly.
Blue flag is considered a wetland species, which means it does well planted near pond or lake edges, in water meadows, and near other water features. It can tolerate being in standing water that is less than 6 inches deep and can be completely submerged for a short time. Blue flag is a flowering herbaceous perennial plant that grows 4’31 in high.
Giant taro (Alocasia macrorrhizos) is a flowering plant that grows in rainforest environments within its native Asia and Australia. Most parts of the plant are highly toxic if swallowed and can also irritate the skin. Native Hawaiians have a saying that translates to “Those who eat Giant taro will have an itchy mouth,” which is used to mean, “There are consequences for partaking of something bad.”
The Common sunflower is recognizable for its bright flower on a very tall stem. It is often grown in gardens. These flowers have been important in culture: they were worshipped by the ancient Inca people, and today, they represent eco-friendly movements. The artist Vincent Van Gogh made a famous series of paintings about Common sunflowers. Wild versions of the plant branch out to many flower heads, but domesticated plants typically only have one.
The Bird of paradise is a bright, flowering plant. It is native to South Africa, where it is important to national culture, even being featured on the country’s 50-cent coin. The Bird of paradise has also become the official flower of Los Angeles in spite of its non-native status. In the wild, these flowers attract sunbirds as pollinators.
The Orange daylily is a perennial plant known for its captivating lily-like blooms. Its natural habitats are meadows and forests, but it is also a common garden plant in temperate regions around the world. Each individual flower lasts only a day, but the plant will bloom new ones for weeks. Orange daylily’s young buds and flowers are edible either raw or cooked. As a bonus to vegetarians, the flowers contain more fats than most vegetables.
Begonia cucullata is a native of South America. It is often used as a ground cover and also does well in containers. The blossoms of Wax begonia can be red, white, or pink. In some states like Florida and Georgia, Wax begonia is considered an invasive species due to its tendency to reseed prolifically in the right conditions.
Named after German scientist Christian Ehrenfried Weigel, the Weigela is known for beautiful tubular flowers in shades of pink. The Weigela blooms in early spring and can produce sporadic repeat blooms through mid to late summer. Weigela is especially attractive to hummingbirds.