Water Tolerant Trees

Q: I need to plant some trees to help with a water issue in my yard. We get
water from my neighbors when it rains because their house is slightly uphill
from us. We figure trees will help soak up the water.

A: Some trees and shrubs tolerate wet soil, but they don’t “soak up” the water
nearby. If you’re looking to have water-tolerant screen plants, Florida anise,
Illicium floridanum, Inkberry, Ilex glabra, sweet pepperbush. Clethra alnifolia,
sweetshrub, Calycanthus floridus, Virginia sweetspire, Itea virginica, and
winterberry, Ilex verticillata, are good choices.