Landscaping plants to abate a wet area

Factual Questions
1

Can you help me identify plants (zone 8-9) for a small but problematic wet area of the yard? It is partially shaded, continually soggy/squelchy, clay, on a slight incline toward north, narrow (about 3 feet in depth x 15 feet in length between a mulch walkway and a steeper incline held by loose hand- to head-sized stones), and full of giant roots that make installing a gravel and French drainage impossible. There used to be a row of photinia (removed a long time ago) and a Norway maple (cut down quite a few years ago), which probably used a lot of water, and/or an uphill neighbor has an irrigation leak (ours has been checked and is intact), and/or an underground spring has shifted, or all of these.

I know plants that like wet soil–what I want is small, interesting, thirsty plants that will dry the area up. Should it ever become too dry, I can re-activate the irrigation in that zone. Ideas for plants that don’t just tolerate but suck up a lot of moisture? I’m thinking about some combination of mint, Lobelia cardinalis, Fothergilla gardenii “Blue Mist," Iris ensata, corkscrew rush (Juncus effusus, which I have a few of), and red twig dogwood. All like wet soil, but I don’t know if any actually will help abate the squishiness. Current plants enjoying this spot are a very invasive St John’s Wort that I’m trying to remove, violets, primroses, and strawberries. They can stay. Thoughts? Thanks.

2

I had a problem like that in zone 9. Installed 1 inch PVC pipe with drilled holes, covered with landscaping fabric (staples) and put the outlet at a low point in the yard. Made some side branches on the pipe to collect water from a wide area.

Only dug a foot or so for burial.

3

I wish I could, but the strip is full of arm-diameter Norway maple roots.

4

It takes a little time but you can go under the roots. Use a simple nozzle like the one they use to go under concrete driveways.

5

You could consider plantings that thrive in moist/wet areas but that won’t necessarily dry them up.

Cannas and elephant ears (there are many ornamental varieties) should do well if there’s at least six hours or so of direct sun in that spot. Swamp sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius, which I’ve also grown) is also tolerant of dampness.

I’d suggest skunk cabbage as a picturesque planting, but I don’t know if it would thrive in zone 8-9.

*I mildly regret not having the time/inclination to deal with a damp area in my Ohio back yard, which gets soggy and has periods of standing water from winter through late spring before drying out enough to mow.

6

Skunk cabbage would be a bad choice next to the narrow walkway, but it’s an amusing idea.