Abstract: A thorough assessment of 5 herbs’ waterlogging tolerance was conducted, furnishing a theoretical foundation for the fabrication of sponge city. Using 5 kinds of garden plants as experimental materials, potted water control used to simulate flooding stress, the wilting degree of plants under flooding stress was investigated. The comparison of the proline content（Pro）, peroxidase（POD）, superoxide dismutase（SOD）and catalase（CAT）of different plant leaves were made. The four indexes' comprehensive evaluation of D value was calculated by the principal component analysis（PCA）, and the waterlogging tolerance of 5 garden plants was thoroughly evaluated. After 28 days of flooding stress, the wilting degree and four physiological indexes of each plant changed significantly. The Pro content in Acorus calamus leaves decreased first and then increased, and the other 4 plants increased first and then decreased the contents of SOD, POD and CAT in the leaves of the five plants showed a certain synchronicity, and all showed a trend of first increasing and then decreasing. The evaluation results revealed that the order of waterlogging tolerance of the 5 plants, ranging from strong to weak was: Pontederia cordata>Acorus calamus>Canna indica>Iris tectorum>Axonopus compressus. Moreover, the five garden herbs showed good waterlogging tolerance during the 28-days flooding test. These kinds of plants were suitable for selection and application in the construction of rain gardens.

Key words: garden plants, physiological response, waterlogging evaluation, sponge city, waterlogging stress