Whats a good tree or large shrub to soak up water in my lawn?

I have a pretty big section in my back yard that frequently gets stagnant water in it when it rains. About an inch. I was thinking maybe if I planted a tree or shrub nearby it would not only help with the drainage in my yard but maybe soak up some of the water. Is there any tree or shrub that is good for this? It would also be good for screening as I have no trees in my yard except one small pine.

Whats a good tree or large shrub to soak up water in my lawn?
I like Weeping Willows, they're so graceful, and they should serve your purpose beautifully, but they're pretty messy. Red Maples like it wet, too..





I don't know where you are, but pear trees will also grow in standing water. If you'd prefer flowers, so will Sweetbay Magnolias.
Reply:If there is lots of sun there (and it sounds like there is) and you live where temps don't go below say 0 deg F, then plant a weeping willow. These are quick growers with adequate water. They will quickly grow from a single sprig to a 20'+ tree with a huge unbrella of leaves. They are also interesting in winter, long lived and graceful. Drawbacks come when they shed their leaves and stems and after they are large the shade is so dense that you must sow a specialty grass under them or make a mulch bed of some type.
Reply:The Weeping Willow uses a lot of water, but they get very big.


Go to a garden shop and ask them what would be a good tree ?
Reply:cypress trees
Reply:Elephant ears. They are easy to grow and maintain and will come back every year. Plus they are very pretty.
Reply:weeping willow is good but only if it is far from any structures or plumbing or concrete that could bereached byt he roots..the roots are very aggresive...a swamp oak likes damp gound and needs a lot of water..
Reply:Heritage River Birch (Betula nigra 'Heritage') is a good tree for this if you want a deciduous tree. It will make a good screen except in winter. Evergreen: try Atlantic Whitecedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides). They are both natives of the eastern US that grow in wet sites naturally.


I would avoid Weeping Willows like the plague. They are really messy, dropping twigs and branches constantly. After they get a little age on them big branches start to die out and must be removed. And they will die long before most other deciduous trees. The only good place for a Weeping Willow is a property with lots of land, where it can be far away from the house, like way down a hill beside a lake, for example; far enough away to enjoy the pretty weeping structure, without having to deal with the huge mess in your beds, lawn, patio, walks, etc
Reply:If a willow is too big, put in an island full of siberian lilies. They pull a lot of water.
Reply:I've always heard that eucalyptus trees are good to plant in marshy ground. There are anecdotes about how the first Jewish settlers in British Palestine planted euclayptus trees to dry up the swamps in Galilee so they could plant crops in the soil. And now present day Israel has the highest crop yields of any Middle Eastern state. So I would take their word for it.
Reply:willow tree
Reply:I would say the weeping willow, but, you have to watch where you plant it, the roots could grow towards the main water system of your house. It would be best to ask a professional gardener.
Reply:best way to find out is to go to your local garden store, they will beable to tell you what would work best in your local, and in the type of soil and lighting you have in your yard
Reply:From your description, it doesn't sound like the issue would be helped by planting a tree of any sort. Your problem obviously has to do with poor drainage of the soil in one particular area. Whether it's a section of the yard with an extreme amount of clay, caliche (mineral deposits that form a sheet-like barrier in the soil), or something else, the soil is the problem.





If you address the problems with the soil, then the tree should be unnecessary. If you don't address the problems with the soil, then the tree (or whatever you plant there) will more than likely do poorly, if not die altogether. If the soil is so dense that it won't allow water to drain, it's not going to support plant life well.


Most trees won't be helped by standing water on the soil surface above them. And those that do put out roots along the surface won't help your situation any (unless you're trying to build a bog).





Fix your soil first - then plant whatever you want there ;)