I live in new Jersey and after a heavy rain storm, I have puddles that accumulate in certain area of the property. Are there trees or plants that I can plant that will help to absorb the water more rapidly rather that waiting for evaporation or the soil to absorb it? much of the soil is clay



.

Thank you

plants don't like clay..try puting in a french drain. Plantings are NOT going to absorb all that much water..

www.google.com

www.diy.net

I can answer a tree:
Its the Wipping Willow

What you need are plants that don't mind sitting in water like bog plants. There is a wonderful plant called the cork screw rush and it likes sitting in water as well as most carnivorous plants. You could start a bog garden.

Corkscrew Rush: (other bog and pond plants) I have this plant and I love it. I just keep it in a pot and water it daily.
http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fs earch%2Fimages%3F_adv_prop%3Dimage%26va%3Dcorkscre w%2Brush%26sz%3Dall%26ei%3DUTF-8%26fr%3Dks-ans%26b%3D21%26ni%3D20&w=139&h=106&imgurl=www.kinn eynursery.com%2Fimages%2FCcorkscrewrush_small.jpg& rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kinneynursery.com%2Fbog.htm& size=3.9kB&name=Ccorkscrewrush_small.jpg&p=corkscr ew+rush&type=jpeg&no=37&tt=100&oid=2f682399e46e97d 2&ei=UTF-8
Info on carnivorous plants:
http://www.cobraplant.com/venus-flytrap.html
How to build a bog garden:
http://www.eenorthcarolina.org/garden/boggarden.htm
http://www.wm8c.com/bog_gardens.htm
http://www.backyardgardener.com/bog/
Good Luck

Willow trees absorb tons of water....just don't plant them anywhere near a well if you are in the country. You could always add more soil to your yard and gradually slope it off to rid the problem, but that can be very expensive.

not treally a plant but try using mulch. it absorbs water, helps other plants grow, and it doesnt require alot of caretaking

A trend here in the Midwest is for homeowners to go with the flow and convert those areas in your yard that naturally hold water into a rain garden. The idea is to enhance the natural water retention capabilities by digging 3-12" deeper and then plant those areas with native plants that can tolerate the moisture extremes. Here in the Midwest native prairie plants that tolerate wet or wet mesic soils work well. Prairie plants have extensive root systems and once establed can absorb large amounts of water. But plants that naturally grow along river and stream banks also work great as they have evolved to tolerate moisture extremes. Here are a few web sites that will provide you with more information on the development of a rain garden:

http://www.npsnj.org/rain_garden_home.htm
http://www.dof.virginia.gov/rfb/rain-gardens.shtml
http://www.raingardens.org/Index.php
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/water/wm/nps/rg/
http://www.raingardennetwork.com/

And here is a list of plants suitable for rain gardens along the North Atlantic & other areas put out by the Brooklyn Botanical Garden: http://www.bbg.org/gar2/topics/design/2004sp_raingardens.html