willows like water - might be a good choice...
you may want to do an internet search on "rain gardens" there is tons of information out there for plantings that like to get their feet ... you may also want to look at the lady bird johnson wildflower center - its in texas - so it probably has info appropriate for your area...

Be careful with Willows, they have long roots that can find their way into the home's sewer system. At least in Chicagoland, the regular Willow tree gets way too big for most yards, and end up getting chopped down just when they reach their full majestic beauty. The smaller Willows may not give much shade, though, so they wouldn't be a good choice either.

Good advice above about looking into rain gardens, check into bog gardens as well. I am envious of your Houston weather. I hear gardening is a beautiful pastime there.

On a final note, do a google search for "trees for wet yards". A lot of good info came up.

i should have mentioned buttonbush - its not a tree but its a great shrub that likes to have wet feet ...

Bald cypress like wet feet and get huge. Although it is a conifer, it loses its leaves in the fall. They are native to Texas. My live oak, which is the coastal live oak, quercus virginiana, has withstood standing water quite well, and has grown pretty fast because of the additional water. I've had water stand on the root zone of it for 8 weeks, once, without harm. The hill country form, quercus fusiformis (?), would not take the standing water so well, I think. If you plant live oak, be aware that the limbs can grow down to the ground, and you'll need to prune it if you want to get under it. It heavily shades the ground under it, so don't expect to grow anything under it. Mine is about 17 years old, and is over 20' tall and 20' wide. I planted it from a 3 gallon pot. Another native tree that likes water is sweetgum, which also gets huge. It has spiky seed balls that fall from it and can make walking under it difficult. It has large leaves that give good fall color. Pecans will also take periods of standing water. I have 7 natives, and have had water stand on some of them for over a week, with no problems noted.

Wax myrtle, a large native shrub/tree, will take periods of standing water. It is evergreen, can be pruned to a tree, but I prefer the shrubby look. It does sucker. Since I planted this, the yellow-rumped warbler and ruby-crowned kinglet have overwintered in the yard. I do have the female shrubs, that produce berries. They are about 8-10' tall and 6-9' wide.

If you have sun, swamp roses will take standing water. Mine love it when water stands. Mine are about 5-6' tall and about as wide. They bloom pink in the late spring, only. These are the only roses that I know of that take wet feet.

Bog sage does well with water standing after storms. It spreads by underground runners. It will take some shade. It gets about 4' tall and blooms spring to fall. Heavy wind can make it lean.

I have obedient plants in my areas where water stands. They get about 3' tall, spread some, and come in spring or fall blooming types. There's a nice white bloomer that does well.

Texas star hibiscus takes seasonally standing water. Mine are currently 6' tall aand have bloomed since June. They freeze to the ground here, but come back.

Louisiana irises take standing water, but don't like to dry out, so if you don't irrigate them when it gets dry, you can lose them.

Elderberries will take seasonally standing water too. These are large deciduous shrubs that sucker prolifically. They bloom in the early summer, and make berries beloved by birds. Don't plant them near anything you don't want stained by purple bird droppings.

Inland sea oats is a native grass that will take seasonally standing water. It is prolific, has nice seed heads in the fall, and doesn't take regular mowing.

Those come immediately to mind.

When my fiance' and I moved to our new home last year, we planted river birch in the yard because of the standing water. They are thriving.

Dianna

Thanks - very helpful. I may combine a tree or two with other plants. Please add any other thoughts.

try pin oak or shingle oak. Both take some standing water. A curley willow would be fabulous, too. I'd get one of the shrubby ones, not the tree. The shrubby ones get to 10-15 feet

I have the same problem in the side yard (especially during this years many hurricanes and when I occasionally forget that I've left the hose on in the pool and flood the yard)... I planted 3 bald cypress (that I got as seedlings off ebay) and they are absolutely thriving. I also have about 8 banana trees on that side that have done very well. My cannas also seem to be very "wet feet" happy and add a nice splash of color to the landscape.

I suggest for those zone 8 and 9'ers Loblolly bay for its evergreen deciduous foliage, flowers and shape. Native

Also water tupleto (close releteve to black gum, corkwood- all natives and swamp privet.

hum i 'ave written my privious post very poorly. i would reccomend Loblolly bay, for it is a native broadleaf evergreen from the tea family that requiers sutch sites to grow(youd need to add some organic matter to the planting area, if it has none. it has 3 inch white flowers that are very fragrent, concentrated at branch tips and blooms for a long piriod of time. the flowers are like the camelias, to wich it is closely related.

It would need adquite mulch to keep its roots cool and moist during your dry summer spells, and watered during drought. But your site requierments would suit the plant pretty well... probably.

Also try water and/ or swamp tupelo, close releteves of the back gum. the swamp has large edible fruit and water tupleto ranks with the baldcyprees as our most flood tolerent trees. both are quite hardy.

also try coorkwood if the above mentions species dont appeal to you...

I also have an area that is sloppy all the time. Where the neighbors back yard meets mine, our sprinklers overlap. Anyway, I have planted a White swamp oak. Also I have River Birch, and I am going to get a Bauld Cypress. Like mentioned before, they do lose their leaves (needles) in the winter, but work well in wet areas.
Leslie

dawn redwood....they can get huge in wet areas. not sure on your space but they are really nice

Another large shrub would be Clethra- great smelling flowers in summer (2 weeks).
Itea will also take wet.
Hibuscus mucheutos (spelling) likes wet feet.
Ilex glabra -Inkberry Holly will do also- needs a facer plant as it tends to drop lower branches.

I can help--Alders would love you as would willows (willows have a life of @12 years so its good to plant a slower grower with it) Willows love what you described however, dont plant near septic systems..Beautiful and fun to watch change, as well as corkscrew willows too, beautiful shapes in winter. I have a lot of this soil you describe, I have planted alders, willows,birch,nootkarose and Osier dogwoods drink it up beautifully...and of course Cottonwoods and there are tall beautiful grasses to choose from...the grasses are fun to mix in there. this of course can add up $ though
Good luck, Id like to know what you plant and how its all doing