ÌÞÊ/ÀiiÃ
&ROM THE )NTRODUCTION h0LANTED STORMWATER RETENTION
AND INFILTRATION PRACTICES ARE IMPORTANT FOR REDUCING RUNOFF AND
MAXIMIZING GREEN SPACE IN URBAN AREAS 7HILE A WIDE VARIETY
OF HERBACEOUS PLANTS ARE OFTEN SUCCESSFULLY USED IN THESE
SPACES THEY CAN PRESENT MAINTENANCE ISSUES BECAUSE
OF THE NEED TO ANNUALLY CUT BACK DEAD FOLIAGE AND STEMS
5TILIZING WOODY PLANTS DECREASES THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL SEA
SONAL MAINTENANCE WHILE SUCCESSFULLY ADDING AESTHETIC AND
FUNCTIONAL VEGETATION TO STORMWATER RETENTION PRACTICESv
.EW FROM THE 5RBAN (ORTICULTURE )NSTITUTE
7OODY 3HRUBS FOR 3TORMWATER 2ETENTION 0RACTICES
.ORTHEAST AND -ID!TLANTIC 2EGIONS
! &REE PAGE 'UIDE BY %THAN
$ROPKIN AND .INA "ASSUK
)NCLUDES AN EXTENSIVE SUGGESTED
PLANT LIST WITH BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS
*ÌÃÊLÞÊÌ>ÊÀ«
+EY #ONCEPT h7HEN SELECTING PLANTS FOR STORMWATER INFILTRA
TION COMMON SENSE WOULD SEEM TO DICTATE THE USE OF WETLAND
PLANTS (OWEVER DUE TO THE RATE AT WHICH MOST OF THESE PRAC
TICES ALLOW WATER TO INFILTRATE THE MAJORITY OF PLANTED STORM
WATER PRACTICES WILL LIKELY ONLY BE INUNDATED FOR A FEW MINUTES
AFTER A SMALL STORM EVENT AND UP TO A DAY OR TWO FOR A LARGER
EVENT 5NLIKE MOST PERMANENT OR SEMIPERMANENT WETLANDS
THESE AREAS REMAIN RELATIVELY DRY MOST OF THE TIME "ECAUSE
OF THIS CHARACTERISTIC PLANTS THAT CAN HANDLE BOTH TEMPORARY
INUNDATION AND RELATIVELY PROTRACTED DROUGHT ARE THE BEST
CHOICES FOR A LOWMAINTENANCE PLANTINGv
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SHRUBS?STORMWATER?HI?RESPDF
