Quick answer: 9 native plants for wet soil and rain gardens are native to Alaska, 5 with a live listing as of 04 Nov 2026.
9 species
- Bog Labrador tea Ledum groenlandicum · 11 states
- Bog laurel Kalmia polifolia · 13 states
- Broadleaf cattail Typha latifolia · 39 states
- Marsh marigold Caltha palustris · 28 states
- Quaking aspen Populus tremuloides · 39 states
- Seep monkeyflower Erythranthe guttata · 15 states
- Sitka spruce Picea sitchensis · 1 states
- Western hemlock Tsuga heterophylla · 1 states
- Western redcedar Thuja plicata · 1 states
Native plants for wet soil and rain gardens in Alaska: what to know
9 of the 40 plants native to Alaska in this directory fit this need: 22% of the state's list, above the 15% share across all species.
Between them they flower from March through September, with the most in bloom in April. Mixing early and late bloomers keeps the planting useful all season.
Many do double duty: 7 are also shade-tolerant, 5 are also good for birds, 4 are also good for pollinators.
7 of them grow in full or partial sun and 7 tolerate shade, so there are options for open beds and woodland edges alike. Sizes run from low plants like Bog laurel and Marsh marigold to trees such as Quaking aspen and Sitka spruce. For wildlife, 4 support pollinators, 5 provide food or cover for birds and 3 are caterpillar host plants.
5 of the 9 have a seed or plant listing we verified as the wild species.
Good places to start
Verified wild-species listings that take sun and are widely native, so they are forgiving first plants.
- Quaking aspen Populus tremuloides · Sun, Part Shade, Shade · blooms Mar-Jun
- Broadleaf cattail Typha latifolia · Sun, Part Shade · blooms Apr-Jun
- Sitka spruce Picea sitchensis · Sun, Part Shade, Shade · blooms Apr-May