HELP- I need a shrub for an impossible spot!!!

I need a shrub for my shade area ( under pines and deciduous) BUT in the spring it will have to be able to tolerate being in standing water until spring is over - that area turns into a lake until the summer, any suggestions??? Thank You! Zone 5 needed.

Clethra is a possibility. Might need some supplemental water if there is an extended dry period.

Clethras (summersweet) are super! Also, itea (sweetspire), winterberry (deciduous hollies), bayberry, and some types of viburnum such as Viburnum trilobum (American Cranberrybush) and V. dentatum (Arrowwood). You might consider any of the large hostas too.

You could plant any of the above "high" on slightly raised mounds of topsoil to give them a chance root in themselves as they grow. Sometimes, transplanting into problem areas like yours is too much of a shock. Or else wait until summer when it's drier to plant the new shrubs. By next spring they will have adjusted and be ready for the annual flooding.

By the way, what kind of pines are able to take the standing water?

Pond Pine Pinus serotina, and to a lesser extent Loblolly Pine Pinus taeda. Unfortunately, Pond Pine isn't likely to be fully hardy in zone 5.

Resin

Loblolly Pine? Poster is looking for a shrub right??

Why does it have to be deciduous? I'm thinking some sort of cypress. Pond cypress would do fine I think but will end up to big.

Sorry, I was replying to HoosierGreen's query "By the way, what kind of pines are able to take the standing water?"

Resin

Thanks Resin, and sorry for the confusion CoreHHI. Since loblolly pines aren't usually found into New York state (I think), I hope Ifarber lets us know what type of pine is growing in that location. White pines are the most common, but they hate wet feet.

Hoosiergreen : Hmmm, I never ID'ed the pines, just bought the house 1 1/2 years ago, whatever they are they really take a beating, the water is unreal in the spring- Maybe I'll put up a pic so you can see what they are.....THANK YOU EVERYONE for the suggestions!!!

This is an area that floods in my yard. You can see the very large pine in the center that grows in this. I have more that with stand the floods in the winter and spring. Oh by the way there is a fish pond under that water.

marie, WOW your yard looks like mine!!I never thought that was possible, at least I am not alone :)

This might be a stretch but it's slow growing Taxodium distichum 'Cascade Falls' http://www.naturehills.com/product/cascade_falls_bald_cypress.aspx with a max height of 12' with age. There are a few at work that have remained the same size as received some years ago at about 3'-4'.

Ifarber, you yard floods like that too? They always made fun of my yard in the neighborhood. They called it little victory lake , I live next to 3 lakes and thay are called Victor Lakes.

I'd be very interested in seeing some photos of those pines so they can be ID'd. It might help out some people wanting to plant pines in a wet area, where Pond Pine and Loblolly Pine aren't hardy.

In Nj they are natural not planted. We have areas that are called the pine lands and it is illegal to cut them down. These pines are about 100ft tall and drop losts and losts of pine needles.

I recommend tri-color willow, hakuro nishiki. Beautiful bush, trims well - in fact prefers trimming, it also keeps better color that way, and is ok with water.

boy when I read my post, I need to learn how to spell again....lol

... and you can increase your planting of tri-color willow by sticking the trimmings in the ground where they will root easily and grow like weeds!

Here's what a white pine 75-100' tall can look like in a wet area. This was after the roots were cut off.

and this

Yep they can fall over.. seen that many times here in NJ

I f you want a large shrub I also recommed the tricolor willow. I bought if for a soggy area. I've nvere had any trouble and its about 7 years old.In the moonlight they glow. And grow huge. I've never trimmed mine, but as the beakerljsays they have bettercolor if trimmed I may try it this year. This is almost my favorite shrub.