Buy Natives

Tall stems topped with masses of yellow, daisy-like flowers. Grows and spreads easily in moist to wet areas and would work well in a rain garden or runoff area. It blooms in mid- to late-summer, working well with New England or New York asters for late summer to fall color. Suited for the back of a tall border or a wild meadow. The name sneezeweed comes from its traditional use to make snuff, but it does not cause allergies because it is not wind pollinated.

A tough shrub with arching stems that bloom in that important niche between spring and summer. It is a favorite of pollinators, and its arching branches create cover and nesting sites for birds. It will grow in wet or dry soil.

A wonderful woodland or border plant with pale blue flowers that light up a shady spot. The familiar phlox flower shape, but on lower, delicate foliage.

Pussytoes are groundcover plants with silvery leaves. The flowers resemble tiny cat feet and are a favorite of children. Fuzzy, silvery green leaves create a ground hugging carpet. They often grown to fill in space in rock gardens and other dry, difficult places.

Fringed yellow-loosestrife forms large masses of pale-green, lance-shaped foliage. Five petaled yellow flowers with leafstalks that are fringed with spreading hairs. The name emphasizes the hairy leafstalks of this plant.

Adaptable to dry or rocky conditions, this plant looks more like a dense berry plant than a formal shrub. The berries last well into the autumn. Another good habitat plant, it creates thickets for shelter.

Cynthia looks very much like a tall slender common dandelion. The orange-yellow flower blooms during the late spring and summer. It prefers moist soil, but it can also work as a groundcover in dry, poor soil. It self seeds freely.

Grows in attractive clumps in the shade, with the clumps growing larger each year. Can be used as a slow growing groundcover if you plant multiple plants. A lovely addition to the shade or partially shaded garden. In the spring, it has soft clusters of flowers above attractively mottled leaves.

A tall yellow sunflower with a spreading habit. Preferring moist areas, in the wild it is often found by stream banks or open woods. It works well in perennial borders and tolerates dry conditions once established. Goldfinches love its seeds.

Golden Alexander has a soft, almost lacy appearance, with yellow flowers reminiscent of Queens Anne’s lace. Easy to establish, it’s both an important plant for native pollinators and a larval food of the black swallowtail butterfly. An excellent meadow plant for moist areas and habitat restoration, since it will reseed and spread. However, because it does reseed freely, in more formal settings consider pulling “volunteers.”

A woodland aster with unusually low-growing, fuzzy leaves and purple flowers on taller stems. It can form a dense, spreading groundcover and prefers woodland conditions.

Ironweeds have beautiful magenta-purple flowers on very tall stems, making them good for habitat meadows or at the back of borders. Its flowers seem to be always covered with butterflies. Keep in mind that its roots are dense and, once established, it is difficult to move. This characteristic could make it a wonderful plant to hold soil on a slope mixed with Joe-pye-weed (Eutrochium sp.), another impressive root grower. Both of these plants will reseed and increase in a meadow planting.

A popular cultivar of Oenothera, with deep bronze foliage and red stems contrasted by red buds opening to canary yellow blooms in June. It adds nice early summer color to the garden and provides nectar for bees. A spreading, clumping plant, it can be easily contained by removing the edges of the clump.

With purple flowers on tall spikes, blue vervain is unlike the well-known verbena hybrid found in garden centers. The flower spikes are pointed, unlike the non-native purpletop vervain (Verbena bonariensis). Butterflies and other pollinators flock to vervain.

This is a lacy, delicate-looking but easy-to-grow fern. It grows well in part shade, moist areas.

This drought-tolerant bee-balm grows well in sunny, well-drained areas. The flowers are an intricate stacked combination of pink, green and white. Not as tall as other bee-balms, it has a nice fragrance and is another ecosystem powerhouse for butterflies and pollinators.

One of the highest wildlife value plants that you can add to your garden. It is an excellent plant to add to a wild meadow, as it spreads and will keep up with other spreaders. A key plant for the pollinator garden, it blooms over a long period and is visited by many native bees, butterflies, and other small insect pollinators. Flowers bloom over a long period.It is also very deer resistant.

One of the clumping, less-aggressive goldenrods, this variety is tall and erect with large gray-green leaves. It works well at the back of a border. It is both a favorite for monarch butterflies and a late-season food source for birds.

An adaptable groundcover plant that tolerates dry or moist soils and sun or light shade. It spreads by rhizomes and, once established, is drought-tolerant. It has small, yellow flowers in spring and can be a somewhat more uniform alternative to golden ragwort (Packera aurea).

White bell shaped flowers hanging from arching stems add interest as they wave above other woodland plants. Catbirds like to jump up and catch the seeds that form late in the summer. Consider planting with alumroot (Heuchera sp.), foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia) and mixed ferns for an attractive combination.

This fern is lovely and dependable and grows well in moist soils with part to full shade. Most noticeable are the cinnamon-colored fertile fronds that are produced in spring followed by the vase-like form of the green vegetative fronds of summer.

This fern prefers moist, shady spots but tolerates dry shade. It spreads sideways when in preferred conditions.

This is a tough shrub with flowers and handsome fruit. It is a great addition when creating a natural habitat for pollinators and birds; plentiful fall fruit attracts migrating birds. It has exceptional fall color and a suckering habit.

This violet has fragrant white flowers with a purple-veined lower petal. It is a low-growing perennial which features basal, heart-shaped leaves. Each flower rests atop its own leafless stalk. Blooms in early spring. It can be planted in shaded areas of rock gardens, border fronts and shade gardens. It can form a ground cover for small spaces and left alone it will spread.

Grass-like foliage that is delicate and narrower than northern blue flag (Iris versicolor). It grows well in wet, acidic areas with some sun, and, under these conditions, it will spread, but not aggressively.

One of the earliest-blooming goldenrods, this is another clumping, well-behaved variety that is tough and adaptable. Its licorice-scented leaves make it easy to identify and a favorite for teas.

A beautiful tall, delicate plant, its flowers are soft open plumes of white that bloom in summer. Consider mixing this plant with bee-balm (Monarda didyma) and Culver’s-root (Veronicastrum viginicum), since all three like moist soil and partial shade.

Named hay-scented fern because the crushed leaves smell like fresh mown hay, hay-scented fern’s characteristics are unusual for a fern. It will grow in sun (with sufficient moisture) or shade and tolerates moist to dry conditions. It spreads densely and aggressively by it’s rhizomes and can form large colonies that crowd out other species. Deer and rabbit resistant, consider planting it as a ground cover in a contained bed underneath established trees and shrubs.

A hardy shrub that grows wild on wooded slopes, it grows best when protected from the midday sun. The flowers start out as greenish white, then turn white and fade to brown. Consider cutting it back in the spring, since flowers grow from the tips of new growth.

In bloom, a single flower at the end of a long stalk arises from the upper part of the plant. Flowers are around an inch across with 5 shiny, yellow, generally oval petals and numerous yellow stamens surrounding a green center. The base of the petals is greenish with streaks that serve as nectar guides for visiting insects.

Similar to the yellow variety (Trillium luteum), this trillium features a dark wine-colored, stemless flower that appears atop beautiful mottled leaves.

One of our largest and most dramatic trilliums. Large white flowers that turn pink when pollinated. Slow to establish and particularly long lived.

This plant has marvelous morning color and grows in difficult conditions, in sun or shade. It’s rather haphazard foliage and growth habit make it more fitting for a habitat meadow than an ordered border planting. The Virginia variety can become especially aggressive.

A charming favorite that offers interesting leaves and flowers. The soft white flower plumes are beautiful and delicate, and the foliage creates a nice groundcover in the shade. The leaves of this semi-evergreen turn burgundy and remain on the ground throughout the winter, then provide a boost for the new spring growth. Planting it with Huechera sp. provides mixed-leaf interest.

A charming favorite that offers interesting leaves and flowers. The soft white flower plumes are beautiful and delicate, and the foliage creates a nice groundcover in the shade. The leaves of this semi-evergreen turn burgundy and remain on the ground throughout the winter, then provide a boost for the new spring growth. Planting it with Huechera sp. provides mixed-leaf interest.

This plant has violet flowers with a yellow disk and aromatic foliage. It is not as tall as the New York and New England asters (Symphyotrichum novi-belgii & Symphyotrichum novi-angliae) and is great for the home garden. It spreads by rhizomes and tolerates dry soil. Named best for the home garden.

Purple flowers with a yellow disk on tall stems in late summer into fall. Compared to New England aster, New York aster is more bushy and compact and prefers moist soil.

This aster has violet flowers that bloom in late summer into fall for a mixed sunny border, meadow or woodland edge. It is a personal favorite of Preserve members.

Tough aster that is happy in dry sunny sites. Prolific bloomer with bright white flowers. Height depends on growing conditions and competition. Normally grows 1 to 3 feet high.

Bright yellow flowers bloom over a long spring season and into summer. Easily grown, it tolerates a wide range of light conditions and will spread easily. In moist conditions the foliage will remain throughout the season and it will bloom sporadically. Pairs well with Jacob’s-ladder (Polemonium reptans) and complements many spring ephemerals while outlasting them in bloom.

Spiranthes odorata commonly called Marsh Ladies’-Tresses or fragrant lady’s tresses, is an orchid that is native to marshes, bogs, swamps and other wet areas in the eastern United States from New Jersey south to Florida and Texas. It features small, very fragrant, hooded, white flowers densely arranged in vertical, slightly spiral-like rows on spikes typically growing 9-18″ (less frequently to 24″) tall. Blooms in late summer to fall, often to first frost.

At 2 feet tall, lowbush is shorter than highbush blueberry, which is more commonly grown for fruit in the Mid-Atlantic states. Lowbush, the famous “Maine blueberry,” is more common in the north. Its blueberries are smaller and relished by wildlife of all sorts. Blueberries are nearly always listed among plants that are the most beneficial to wildlife. In acidic soils, it can form a dense groundcover. It grows in the woods but has better fruit set in sun.

Good for borders or meadows. The flower spikes are attractive as cut flowers. A mid- to late summer bloom also makes it very useful in a mixed planting. Also a butterfly magnet.

Long tubular orange-red to salmon-colored flowers begin blooming as the hummingbirds return. In full sun, it blooms throughout most of the summer; in part shade, it blooms profusely in May and then sporadically. Hummingbirds, butterflies and long-tongued insects are the pollinators attracted to this native honeysuckle.

The most well-known of the native irises, northern blue flag can be found growing in the water or along the banks of ponds and streams in the wild. It prefers wet conditions but will grow less robustly in average soil. Feeds both native bees and hummingbirds during the quiet time, between Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) and bee-balm (Monarda sp.), in late spring. Plant native irises, the ecosystem will thank you!

Dwarf Huckleberry grows to about two feet. The drupes are edible and mature late summer into fall. It can be confused with blueberry and blooms are similar (bell-shaped and white). The fruit of blueberry is usually preferred over Huckleberries. Dwarf Huckleberry grows in dry or moist habitat. It can be found in forests, pine barrens, bogs and bays. It often grows alongside eastern red cedar, tamarack, sweetbay, flowering dogwood and blueberry.

This azalea can grow to 15 feet tall and wide and needs moist, acidic well-drained soil high in organic matter. Its flowers have a strong pleasant fragrance.

This perennial has three seasons of interest: blue flowers in late spring, mounds of lush mid-height foliage in summer, and spectacular yellow foliage in fall. It is drought-tolerant and pest-resistant. $6.00 / 4 inch pot

Dwarf crested iris is a low growing plant with a maximum height of about 6 inches.  It can spread readily in full sun to part shade to make a great ground cover.  Deer resistant.

A small evergreen shrub that looks like it belongs in the Southwest, Adam’s needle has 2 to 3 foot fleshy spikes with a curly filament along the edges. A dramatic 5 to 8 foot fragrant flowering stalk emerges in late spring. It grows best in full sun and does well in poor and dry soils. When planting make certain that you select the proper site, the plants can be difficult to remove once established due to deep fleshy roots. Highly deer resistant.

A welcome sight in the spring, common blue violet blooms from March until June and occasionally again in the fall. It spreads by rhizomes and seeds and can become an easy woodland ground cover, especially by transplanting seedlings next to existing clumps. Thrives in part sun and part shade and is not particularly fussy about soil conditions. An important host plant for fritillary butterflies.

A striking violet that has lavender to purple flowers with orange centers and finely lobed leaves, birdfoot violet’s preferences are unlike other violet species. It does best in part or full sun, can easily be crowded out by other plants, and prefers nutrient poor rocky or sandy soil where it can reseed freely. Like all violets it is an important spring nectar plant for native bees and an important host plant for fritillary butterflies.

Pink flowers on an attractive shrub for wet meadows and difficult damp spots that is also tolerant of dry soils, although in dry conditions the blooms are smaller. It spreads rather aggressively by the roots, so it needs to be tended if you do not want it to roam. An important pollinator plant.

A very aggressive, low-growing groundcover with showy white flowers. It will spread sideways indefinitely. This trait might make it useful in waste areas where very little will grow.

An attractive, small shrub with fragrant summer flowers and a high wildlife value. It grows well in moist-to-wet acidic soil, in shade or part shade but tolerates more sun if the soil is wet enough. Butterflies love it, and it makes an attractive alternative to the non-native butterfly bush. Slow to leaf out in spring.

A large, mounding grass with a beautiful arching appearance. The leaves are narrow and glossy medium green. One of the few low-growing native grasses for sunny conditions.

A silvery accent for borders and meadows. Mountain mints attract pollinators while adding a long season of flower beauty. Compared to other mountain mints, this one is more layered, has bigger florets and attracts larger pollinators. It is also very deer resistant.

Narrow, delicate foliage similar to narrowleaf mountain mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium), although it is somewhat taller, stouter and blooms a bit later. Thin-leaved mountain mints make a refreshing tea, while hoary and short-toothed are used as a pest deterrent. It is also very deer resistant.

Often planted for its usefulness to monarch butterflies and fragrant flowers, common milkweed works well in meadows or large sunny areas. Aggressive runners make it impractical for small spaces unless the area is confined by barriers or mowing.

A shorter mountain mint, the foliage on this variety is narrow and has a delicate appearance. It works well in meadows and its attractive flowers provide a nectar source for pollinators. It is also very deer resistant.

A tall plant with with long blooming daisy-like yellow flowers. Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions. It self sows freely and can form colonies, best suited for the back of a border or a meadow. Especially attractive to goldfinches and butterflies.

One of the most adaptable oaks, these are large with a broad crown. They are considered a perfect large specimen tree, with round tips to the leaves and 1-inch acorns.

As the name implies, this oak has vibrant fall color and leaves often remain on the tree throughout winter. It has pointed tips to the leaves and 1-inch acorns.

Jump-start curiosity with this take-along field guide for children ages 4 to 8. From worms, birds, and spiders to trees, flowers, and clouds, young explorers learn what to look and listen for wherever they are — whether in a nature preserve, an urban park, or a suburban backyard. Seek-and-find lists, on-the-trail art projects, and discovery games get kids engaged in hands-on learning about nature, and a real pull-out magnifying glass helps them get a close-up glimpse of leaf veins, seed pods, and tiny insects. Filled with activities, checklists, and stickers, this interactive nature guide belongs in every kid’s backpack.

An attractive and reliable meadow or perennial border plant. Pink tubular flowers rise above clumping foliage. It naturalizes, but not aggressively. Significant pollinator plant as it blooms in the garden’s quiet period between spring and summer, jumpstarting the flowering season in your border plantings before coneflowers begin to bloom.

A white blooming vine in late summer with interesting seed heads. It can be aggressive but blooms on new wood and can be controlled by winter pruning. Consider using it to cover a chain link fence or putting it in a hedgerow or other wild area.

An interesting plant which has a long history with herbalists. The stem grows through the leaves and it was thought that was a sign it would help in healing bones. Not as spectacular as the Joe-Pyes, but has white flowers that are popular with native pollinators and butterflies. It stays under 4 feet tall.

A small shrub with lightly fragrant spring flowers and foliage that turns a gorgeous red to purple in fall. It grows well in sun or shade, in wet or dry habitats. It is well suited for massing and offering cover to birds. It is tolerant of a wide range of conditions.

Lavender flowers bloom over 2 months in the summer. Tolerates a wide range of conditions, is especially drought tolerant. Best for naturalizing as it reseeds freely.

Poke milkweed is a tall plant usually found on the edge of forests. It resembles common milkweed and has been known to hybridize with it. The leaves are quite large and the plant is very aromatic when in bloom.

Large, feathery white plumes on a shrub-like perennial that grows in part shade. A significant pollinator plant as it blooms in the quiet period after spring and before the summer bloomers begin their display. In addition, it fills that difficult niche of non-spring blooming shade plants. Does well in dappled shade and can handle full sun if kept moist.

This quintessential rhododendron features broad evergreen leaves and 4-inch wide pink to white flowers in June to July. It tolerates part shade to sun and can grow 15 to 20 feet high in areas protected from wind. It is a great screening plant.

One of our most beautiful evergreen shrubs with corrugated buds that open to white or pink cup-shaped flowers from May to June. It grows well in shade or sun (more flowers in sun) but is very particular about soil conditions-it must have very acidic, well-drained soil.

A small tree that has it all: lacy white flowers that cover the tree in the spring, wonderful fragrance, large blue fruits on the female and bright yellow fall color. Consider placing it near the house so that you can enjoy it.

Growing in sun or part shade, arrowwood mounds into a dense round form with dark green leaves. It becomes covered with white flowers in late spring, followed by plentiful purple fruits in fall. An easy-to-grow, adaptable shrub. With birds frequently nesting in it, it’s a top 10 wildlife shrub.

One of the smaller native viburnums, often used in the garden. Average to wet soil. Attractive berry clusters range in color from pink to blue to bluish purple. Like all viburnums, it is an excellent nectar source and host plant and provides well-timed nutritious berries for birds.

Winterberries have male and female plants. Both are needed to set fruit. Female plants will produce the berries and this plant will work with ‘Red Sprite.’ Bluebirds, cedar waxwings, robins and many others descend on the berries, usually sometime after the first frost. Grows in moist areas in the wild, but is adaptable in the garden setting. This is the male version of this cultivar. The plant does not produce red berries in the fall and winter, a female plant is needed in addition to the male.

Red berries cover the branches after the leaves drop in the fall for a spectacular landscape show. Bluebirds, cedar waxwings, robins and many others descend on the berries, usually sometime after the first frost. Grows in moist areas in the wild, but is adaptable in the garden setting. Both male and female plants are needed to set the fruit. This is the female version of this cultivar. The plant does produce red berries in the fall and winter. A male plant is also needed for pollination.

Eastern red cedar is often overlooked as a landscape tree, yet it is dense, evergreen, and essentially care-free. Females appear to turn blue when the numerous berries ripen and the berries are staple winter food for many species of birds, cedar wax-wings are so fond of them that they are named after the tree. Grey Owl’ is a broad, slow-growing cultivar with a compact, wide-spreading habit which typically grows up to 3′ tall (infrequently larger) and to 6′ wide. Features scale-like, silver gray foliage. One of our highest wildlife value trees, they provide cover and nesting for birds and are a host plant for a number of butterflies and pollinators. Deep rooted and drought resistant.

An adaptable, problem-free evergreen shrub that can grow in wet or dry locations, in full or part sun. The ‘Shamrock’ cultivar is compact rounded plant that grows 3-4′ tall and suckers less than the species. It thrives in acidic soil but will do well in higher pH conditions. A useful substitute for the non-native boxwood, it can be shaped and pruned for size. Females have black berries that attract birds in winter.

A large shrub or small tree that occupies an import niche in the garden and often becoming a nesting site for birds. As the brilliant yellow leaves drop in the fall, the branches become covered with small yellow flowers that sustain late-season pollinators. Simultaneously, last year’s seed pods have ripened and begin ejecting the seeds up to 25 feet. A larval host plant for the spring azure butterfly, it will grow in sun or shade in just about any type of soil.

This broad-leaf, semi-evergreen sedge has crinkled leaves and grows in clumps. It is one of our smaller sedges. It prefers part shade and moist soil but will tolerate some dryness. Plants slowly colonize from short rhizomes. As with all sedges, it is deer resistant, provides cover and seed for wildlife, and is a host plant for various butterflies.

Elephant’s foot gets its name from the large basal leaves of the plant. In addition to the attractive lower leaves, it is valued for a late summer to fall bloom. Each flower head rests upon leafy bracts and contains pale lavender disc florets. When in full bloom a whole inflorescence can be mistaken for a large single bloom. Elephantopus carolinianus can be found growing along streambanks, roadsides and pastures. It is related to ironweeds.

Lespedeza species are wild meadow plants that are useful to bees and birds. They are not suited as a border plant in an ordered perennial garden. As with most pea family plants it adds nitrogen to the soil. Often visited by pollinators, this bush clover grows in dry, sunny areas. It can grow to 4 feet tall. The fat, round clover-type flowers are off white with magenta centers.

Native to bogs, swamps, and wet shorelines, this low-growing vine or trailing shrub has small, glossy leaves. Flowers range from white to pink and bloom from late spring into early summer. The flowers are followed by plump, red to dark purple fruits. The leaves of this plant are a larval food source for the bog copper butterfly, the flowers are visited by bees, and the fruits are eaten by birds and occasionally small mammals.

Tall and bold-looking, this fern grows well in very wet sites in sun to part shade.

A personal favorite of many, with spikes of red flowers topped by yellow petals. Its main blooming period occurs in early summer, followed by sporadic blooms throughout the rest of the year. This is a nice shade plant favored by hummingbirds.

The larger flowered of the two bellworts, with gracefully nodding bright yellow flowers. It prefers wooded areas with rich moist soils. If planting this in a new woodland garden, consider enriching the soil with extra organic matter. Because of its larger root system, it is more robust than the perfoliate variety (Uvularia perfoliata).

The bracken fern is typically found in the woods, fields, old pastures and thickets. It can grow well in poor soils and can spread once established. Fronds of this deciduous fern die back soon after frost with new ones emerging in the spring.

A charming favorite that offers interesting leaves and flowers. This cultivar has splashes of red on the leaves. The soft white flower plumes are beautiful and delicate, and the foliage creates a nice groundcover in the shade. The leaves of this semi-evergreen turn burgundy and remain on the ground throughout the winter, then provide a boost for the new spring growth. Planting it with Huechera sp. provides mixed-leaf interest.

A shorter shrub with fragrant white tubular flowers, this azalea spreads by root suckers to make it as wide as it is tall. It needs moist, acidic well-drained soil high in organic matter.

One of the last native azaleas to bloom, it is easy to identify by the strong honeysuckle scent of the flowers. Like many other rhododendrons, it needs acidic soil but this one can also take wet soil.

The first of the native azaleas to bloom and an easy favorite. Large pink to white flowers bloom in spring before the leaves emerge. Likes rich, acidic, well-drained soil.

A slowly spreading shade groundcover. It provides a spring display of soft light blue or pink flowers that light up a shady area. It is attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds.

A blue-purple delight that is easy to grow and provides nice patches of color over a long-blooming period—from late summer into fall. It prefers full sun and rich soil, and, if growing conditions are favorable, it can spread aggressively. Clumps expand more slowly in partial shade and are easy to transplant. This plant makes a good garden filler among plants of similar height.

Lavender to blue flowers in late spring to early summer when fewer plants are blooming. Important plant for hummingbirds, bees and butterflies during the transition from spring to summer. A tough plant that self seeds freely and can be mowed into a ground cover when blooming is complete.

A showy, rose-pink milkweed that blooms as common milkweed blossoms fade. As the name implies, it prefers moist areas, although it has been known to reseed and thrive in dry locations. Clump forming, non-aggressive. Often seems to be the preferred milkweed for monarch butterflies.

Purple flowers with a yellow disk on tall stems in late summer into fall. A must for the fall garden. Lower leaves die back as the season progresses, so trim the front few stems early in the season or plant behind lower growing plants. One of our most common and showy asters. Hairy leaves help differentiate this plant from New York Aster (Symphyotrichum novi-belgii).

An excellent plant for naturalizing at woodland edges, elderberry can create a dense thicket about 10 feet high. Birds are attracted to the fruit, as are people who make jams, jellies and wine. It is on almost every list of the top 10 plants for birds.

This aster is great for attracting late season pollinators, blooming from late September through early November, with numerous flower heads in a branched cluster. Each flower head has white, blue or violet ray flowers (they look like petals), and central disk flowers that start out yellow, but turn purple as they age. It prefers full to part sun and moist soil, but is tolerant of soil with clay, gravel or even rocks. In a sunny, moist spot it may reproduce through its underground root system in addition to its flowers and can grow to a height of about four feet.

It is hard to find a native that blooms so spectacularly in shade in the middle of summer. The tall, thin spires of white flowers stand out well in the surrounding green of the forest and would add interest at the back of a border planting.

Purple giant hyssop has an abundance of showy, lavender flowers that bloom over a long period. Bees and butterflies love it, and birds pick at the seed heads all winter. The spiked flower shape works well as a nice contrast with purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) and taller Phlox sp. Slightly taller and longer flowering than anise hyssop and more tolerant of shade.

In Nature’s Best Hope, Douglas W. Tallamy urges homeowners to take environmental action into their own hands, one yard at a time. This homegrown approach sidesteps the shortsightedness of governmental policy and the physical limitations of our isolated national parks ­­– empowering us all to make our planet a better place.

Tallamy’s first book, Bringing Nature Home, sparked a national conversation about the link between healthy local ecosystems and human well-being. This new book takes the next step and outlines his vision for a grassroots approach to conservation by advocating homeowners everywhere turn their yards into conservation corridors that provide wildlife habitats.

This is an unassuming groundcover until it explodes with blue violet flowers above the foliage. It is best used as a moist woodland groundcover, but it will grow in deep shade or even in sun if it is kept moist. Unlike other mints, it is a non-aggressive spreader. It grows low enough to work under small trees or shrubs that are open enough to let dappled sunlight reach the plant.

An attractive and reliable meadow or perennial border plant. White tubular flowers rise above clumping foliage. It naturalizes, but not aggressively. Significant pollinator plant as it blooms in the garden’s quiet period between spring and summer, jumpstarting the flowering season in your border plantings before coneflowers begin to bloom.

A show stopper in bloom with large, 2- to 4-inch wide, flat-topped white flowers. Red berries and brilliant red foliage follow in the fall. If it likes its location, it will grow quickly into a dense 15-foot high shrub, making it an attractive screening option. Loves wet feet but survives during our dry summers.

One of our largest native wildflowers, hibiscus blooms are 5 to 8 inches in diameter and vary in color from red to pink to white. The dramatic flowers stand out in sunny wet spots or runoff areas in your yard. In the wild they grow in swampy and boggy areas, but some gardeners have found success with average moisture conditions. We recommend leaving the stalks standing through winter; many species of birds will rip threads from the stalks for nest building in the spring.

A large shrub or small tree that occupies an import niche in the garden and often becoming a nesting site for birds. As the brilliant yellow leaves drop in the fall, the branches become covered with small yellow flowers that sustain late-season pollinators. Simultaneously, last year’s seed pods have ripened and begin ejecting the seeds up to 25 feet. A larval host plant for the spring azure butterfly, it will grow in sun or shade in just about any type of soil.

The showiest of our native raspberries, with nearly 2-inch purple to pink flowers on thorn-less, arching stems. Very high wildlife value. The large fuzzy leaves and stems are attractive at the back of a border or to add variety to a meadow habitat for birds.

Pink flowers of this well-loved tree cover the branches in the spring before the leaves emerge so the tree appears to have pink branches. A small, understory tree with large, heart-shaped leaves.

Beach plum is a small, suckering shrub that is covered with white flowers in the spring. It is prized for the beach plum jelly made from the small (1 inch) plums that are produced in late summer. An important wildlife plant, pollinators benefit from its early blooming, birds and small mammals eat the fruit, and its dense habitat provides shelter for birds and small mammals. Although mostly native in coastal areas, there is a native population growing in the red shale areas of Bucks and Montgomery counties.

Named for its susceptibility to cold, this easy-to-grow fern does well in wet sites or along the edge of a pond. It will tolerate drier soils but will grow more slowly and be somewhat sensitive to sun exposure.

A lavender bee balm that will grow in most soil conditions but prefers moist soil and sun. Flowers are butterfly magnets. If a butterfly is in the vicinity, it will often be found on bergamot. Works well with summer phlox, downy skullcap and purple hyssop. A partial shade plant with attractive pink flowers and mounded, lacy foliage that blooms all summer if kept moist. Also deer resistant. Truly a winner.

A staple in the native plant garden, Joe-Pye weed is a tough, useful plant with large showy blooms that it is a favorite of butterflies and bees. Spotted Joe-Pye can tolerate some shade and standing water better than other Joe-Pyes. It grows tall and is a staple plant in the native garden. Its roots will form a thick mass, so consider putting it where it will not have to be moved.

Gray goldenrod is one of our shorter goldenrods, usually less than 2 feet high, and blooms over a longer time than most goldenrods—from August through October. It spreads easily, so is best suited for meadows and informal gardens.

Meadowsweet is a shrub that grows in old fields, meadows and swamps. Happy in a number of locations it does prefer drier conditions than Steeplebush.  Meadowsweet produces white or pale-pink flower clusters in summer. A member of the rose family that is an important pollinator for a number of butterflies.

A tough shrub for massed planting that tolerates a range of soil and light conditions but prefers mostly sun. The flowers have a long bloom period and the seed heads are attractive. All St. John’s worts contain a chemical that causes deer to avoid them.

A tall, tough shrub that is excellent for naturalizing, silky dogwood thrives in moist soil but will tolerate drier conditions.  Like all dogwoods, it has a high wildlife value as a food plant for birds and a host and nectar plant for pollinators. Clusters of small white flowers turn into deep blue berries by August, followed by deep red foliage in fall, and reddish stems in winter.  It can be pruned as a small tree but is better suited to naturalizing, as a border shrub, or in rain gardens.

This cheerful yellow daisy-like flower prefers full sun in dry soil. The leaves are very thin, giving it a delicate look, but the species is actually a hardy, dependable perennial. Consider shearing it after its mid-summer bloom to encourage a second round of flowers in fall.

A tall plant with with long blooming daisy-like yellow flowers. Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions. It self sows freely and can form colonies, best suited for the back of a border or a meadow. Especially attractive to goldfinches and butterflies.

Bright yellow daisy-like flowers that bloom in late spring and early summer, lanceleaf coreopsis is a tough plant that is drought tolerant and grows well in dry sunny conditions. A pollinator magnet, one study it was found to be one of the top plants for sheer diversity of pollinators. It has a clumping habit and spreads through reseeding and runners. It is best for naturalizing and meadows or anywhere a large concentration of bright yellow flowers is desired.

This is a low, tidy groundcover, often used in the front of flowerbeds. It has cheery yellow flowers that peak in mid- to late spring and then bloom sporadically throughout the summer. It is very adaptable and does best in well-drained, part-sun locations.

Spikes of white flowers that bloom on upright plants in late summer. The flowers are said to resemble a turtle head emerging from its shell. Bees push against a small hole on the end of the flower until they are completely inside the flower and bump around inside before exiting and flying to the next flower. Late blooms extend the garden season, tolerates sun to part shade in moist soil and tends to naturalize in a loose fashion.

A showy woodland grass with winter interest, very adaptable and grows in moist sun and dry shade. The seed heads are decorative and provide nice winter interest and food for the birds. It roots deeply and may reseed aggressively. Seeds can be cut for arrangements and thus prevent unwanted spread. It roots deeply and may reseed aggressively.

This is a great shrub for butterfly gardens. Butterflies will actually leave a butterfly bush to come to buttonbush. It grows in moist to wet conditions in the wild; if given moist conditions while it establishes itself, it will grow in average conditions. It is slow to leaf out in spring.

A drought-and-wind-tolerant, medium-sized tree. An important host plant for several butterflies and a prolific producer of berries for migrating and overwintering birds. Interesting bark, elm-like leaves. Berries reseed but seedlings can be pulled in spring or allowed to grow and then cut back every spring. Caterpillars prefer the young leaves.

A a high wildlife value shrub which is drought-resistant, and grows well in full or part sun. Small and summer-blooming, it works well as a front edge for taller shrubs, or at the top of a wall. Deer are attracted to spring growth but ignore it the rest of the growing season. Will regrow to full size if browsed over the winter.

Easily identified by its bark, ironwood has a smooth, gray trunk that ripples and resembles straining muscled arms. Often found in the wild as an understory tree in the vicinity of water, it will grow into a neat, dense canopy if grown in the open. It is a small tree with good fall color and hop-like seed heads.

The dogwood tree that we all know and love. Showy flowers, red fruit loved by birds, and great fall color. Often seen blooming in the woods, it does best in sun to light shade. It supports birds and is an important butterfly host, unlike the non-native Kousa dogwood that has berries which are too large for birds, provide inadequate nutrition, and is not a host plant for our butterflies.

A full, mounding shrub in sun, more rangy in shade. Many of us at the Preserve begin to get excited about spring when tiny red flowers bloom on the twigs in March. The unusual nuts are covered with hairy, leaf-like husks that turn from green to yellow in the summer. Nuts are edible if you get to them before the squirrels. Easy-to-grow shrub in average to dry soil.

A full, mounding shrub in sun, more rangy in shade. Many of us at the Preserve begin to get excited about spring when tiny red flowers bloom on the twigs in March. The unusual nuts are covered with hairy, leaf-like husks that turn from green to yellow in the summer. Nuts are edible if you get to them before the squirrels. Easy-to-grow shrub in average to dry soil.

A tall St. John’s wort, this plant’s stems branch just at the top. The flowers have a long bloom period and the seed heads are attractive for fall arrangements. A self-seeder, it should be planted with room to grow. It is also deer-resistant.

This dependable plant needs well-drained soil and not too much sun. Consider planting it as the front edge of a shaded border, since the large, roundish leaves offer a different texture to the taller plants behind it. Dividing plants every 3 to 4 years increases vigor.

A long-blooming summer to fall yellow daisy. A clumping plant, it provides cheerful blooms without rampant spreading. Growing in a range of soils, it works in a wide border or wildflower field.

A dependable, easy-to-recommend perennial has large pink flowers that are quite showy in late spring. Its five-lobed leaves make a nice clump, and its seed heads resemble a crane’s bill. It grows in sun or shade in average soil moisture, though it is prefers part shade. With luck, it will reseed.

Cherished for their blue flowers, bottle gentian flowers look and stay tightly closed to the human eye, but the bees make their way completely inside the flower—keep your eye out for wiggling flowers. After being pollinated, the edges of the petals turn pink, which tells the bees to move on to another flower. It grows well in moist soil and a mix of sun, and is ideal in a border planting. In the wild, they are found in woodlands with rich soil and dappled sun.

Also called rattlesnake master, this striking plant has yucca-like leaves topped with flowers that look like spiked white balls. It grows well in dry soil and, in the right conditions, will reseed. Favored by numerous pollinators and is deer-resistant.

A reliable, long blooming plant that is ideal for a border or meadow. It is a butterfly favorite and a dependable food source for goldfinches. Consider dead-heading some plants to keep the bloom going and letting some go to seed to attract birds.

An easy-to-grow evergreen fern. Common in the winter woods of Bucks County, its lacy leaves make it easy to distinguish from the more robust Christmas fern.

This lacy, evergreen, semi-arching wood fern adds garden interest even in winter. New fronds emerge from a central rhizome. Great in a woodland, shade or rock garden. Can tolerate rocky, clay soil.

A tall, white aster for sunny, moist areas. It can grow to 4 or 5 feet tall, so best in the back of the border or, even better, in an informal meadow setting.

Persimmon is tolerant of moist to dry conditions and can grow into quite a large tree. Its grandest hour is in the fall when the fruit is ripe, the leaves have fallen and the large salmon colored fruits are silhouetted against the clear blue sky. Edible fruit, easy to grow. It fruits only on the female tree—consider buying two.

The beautiful purple flowers blooming in mid to late summer will attract Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and butterflies to your garden. Deer resistant.

This reliable woodland sedge can be planted as a specimen or in groups as a groundcover. Its deer-resistant wide leaves often have a bluish cast. Plants slowly colonize from short rhizomes. As with all sedges, it is deer resistant, provides cover and seed for wildlife, and is a host plant for various butterflies.

With delicate fountains of fine foliage, this sedge makes a lovely groundcover, especially in dappled light. It prefers moist to dry soil in shade or part sun. It is often used as a lawn substitute, since it works well where grass does not grow under tree. As with all sedges, it is deer resistant, provides cover and seed for wildlife, and is a host plant for various butterflies.

A welcome spring bloomer, two-leaved toothwort’s delicate white or light pink flowers arise on a stalk above three lobed and coarsely toothed leaves. Plants emerge in the fall, bloom from April to June, and go dormant in summer. Plants will gradually spread through their roots and possible reseeding. As with most spring ephemerals, two-leaved toothwort is an important plant for early pollinators.

Jack-in-the-pulpit’s flowers are concealed inside the ‘pulpit’ (spathe) at the base of the spadex. Typically the flowers on an individual plant in a given season are either all male or all female, and can change sex from one season to the next, depending on how much energy the plant was able to produce during the previous growing season. Female flowers produce a cluster of bright red fruit. Does well in heavy shade, likes moist well-drained soil, and can tolerate growing near Black Walnut.

A favorite in the later spring garden, the red and yellow flowers dance above the foliage. Hummingbirds hover under the flowers, using the nectar to help fuel their migration and nest building. Frequently reseeds and mingles with other May bloomers, looking especially nice with Jacob’s-ladder (Polemonium reptans) and golden alexander (Zizia aurea).

Pussytoes are groundcover plants with silvery leaves. The flowers resemble tiny cat feet and are a favorite of children. Fuzzy, silvery green leaves create a ground hugging carpet. They often grown to fill in space in rock gardens and other dry, difficult places.k

This tall herbaceous perennial with solid purple or purple-spotted stem blooms for several weeks during the summer. Its many small flowers are attractive to bees and butterflies. Good rain garden candidate, and for naturalizing.

White flowers emerge on stalks above the leaves, giving way to interesting elongated seed heads, followed by fluffy, cotton-like fluff after frost. Seed heads provide winter interest and food for birds and small mammals. Works well in dry, part sun/shade. It is not aggressive like Canada anemone (Anemone canadensis), but will reseed.

A cheery precursor of spring, hepatica blooms in woodlands in March. Delicate violet, pink, purple or white flowers emerge on a downy stalk as late winter turns to spring. Sharp lobed leaves remain all year, with the previous year’s leaves protecting the flower buds and new leaves that emerge after flowering. A delicate plant, it may not return if soil and light conditions do not suit it.

Delicate white flowers cover the tree before leaves emerge, a very welcome sight after a long winter. After flowering, it forms red fruits that ripen into purple in June and July. Berries were traditionally used for pies and jellies. Taller (25 to 40’) than Juneberry (Amelanchier canadensis) with sweeter berries. The purple-to-bronze color of the emerging leaves in spring may the only obvious key to identity. This lovely tree also offers dramatic orange to red fall color.

Delicate white flowers cover this tree before leaves emerge, a very welcome sight after a long winter. After flowering, it forms red fruits that ripen into purple in June and July. Its berries were traditionally used for pies and jellies. It also offers dramatic orange to red fall color. Shorter (10 to 20’) than smooth shadbush ( Amelanchier laevis).

Also known as hazel alder, smooth alder is a fast growing shrub that is commonly found along stream banks and other wet areas. Clusters of yellow-brown catkins emerge on bare branches in early spring and twigs are topped with small red flowers. Flowers turn into nutlets that resemble pinecones and remain on the plant, providing seed well into winter. Dense deep green foliage provides cover for birds and hosts numerous butterflies. Fixes nitrogen in the soil.

The profusion of flowers produced by this late season bloomer and member of the Aster family is great for all kinds of pollinators, especially bees, flies and butterflies. It does well in a shady garden, and in natural areas. White snakeroot is reliably deer resistant.

It is hard to find a native that blooms so spectacularly in shade in the middle of summer. The tall, thin spires of white flowers stand out well in the surrounding green of the forest and would add interest at the back of a border planting.

Named for its shiny round white fruits with a black dot in the middle, doll’s eyes is shade plant with delicate, attractive white flowers. Berries are relished by wildlife but are poisonous for humans

A tough shrub with flowers and handsome fruit, this is a great addition when creating a natural habitat for pollinators and birds; its plentiful fall fruit attracts migrating birds. It has exceptional fall color and a suckering habit. It grows taller than wide, so consider planting it with something shorter to avoid a leggy look.

A tough shrub with flowers and handsome fruit, this is a great addition when creating a natural habitat for pollinators and birds; its plentiful fall fruit attracts migrating birds. It has exceptional fall color and a suckering habit. It grows taller than wide, so consider planting it with something shorter to avoid a leggy look.

A tough shrub with flowers and handsome fruit, this is a great addition when creating a natural habitat for pollinators and birds; its plentiful fall fruit attracts migrating birds. It has exceptional fall color and a suckering habit. It grows taller than wide, so consider planting it with something shorter to avoid a leggy look.

The bright yellow flowers and rich green leaves add a cheerful note in spring when trees have yet to leaf out. The plant goes dormant after seeds ripen. It absolutely needs moisture to survive, so consider planting it by a runoff stream or pond edge where it will be wet but not under water.

A clump-forming woodland plant with lavender flowers in whorls around the stem. Happy in dry to average soils, it needs just a few hours of sun for best blooms. Loved by pollinators. Not as aggressive as many mints, it has been described as a “gentle colonizer.”

A small (20’ to 40”) birch that develops chalky white bark with dark triangular patches where branches meet the trunk. Bark is similar to paper birch but is non-peeling. Fast growing, tolerates difficult sites but can be short lived. All birch trees have high wildlife value and are important host plants.

Known for its colorful exfoliating bark, river birch is an attractive and adaptable tree. As its name implies, it prefers moist soil and is happy in our moisture retaining clay soils. Once established it tolerates heat, cold, drought and soil compaction. Fast growing and prefers full sun. All birch trees have high wildlife value and are important host plants.

Also known as cherry or black birch as the bark on younger trees is a deep reddish color which resembles young cherry trees, sweet birch makes an attractive landscape tree in the right conditions.  It requires moist to average soil and should be watered during summer drought for its first few years. Maturing into a stately tree, fall color is a reliable golden-yellow. As with all birch trees, it has high wildlife value and is an important host plant.

An extremely adaptable deer-resistant shrub that has showy flowers is well loved by pollinators, and provides seed heads in the fall. It is best used in informal settings.

An unusual fern that is named for its tendency to develop new plants where the tips of its leaves touch the ground. It likes moist, mossy limestone rocks, in the shade—consider planting them in crevices or on top of moss.

This lovely evergreen fern does best in well-drained rocky soils in part shade or shade. Great in a rock garden.

A groundcover can add an attractive, uniform, almost elegant look to a shaded area. Plants fill in to make a dense mat of heart shaped leaves a few inches above the ground. It works well with spring ephemerals that vanish as leaves are starting to emerge in late spring.

A groundcover can add an attractive, uniform, almost elegant look to a shaded area. Plants fill in to make a dense mat of heart shaped leaves a few inches above the ground. It works well with spring ephemerals that vanish as leaves are starting to emerge in late spring.

A tough shrub with flowers and handsome, plentiful fruit, this is a great addition when creating a natural habitat for pollinators and birds. It has exceptional fall color and a suckering habit.

A tough shrub with flowers and handsome, plentiful fruit, this is a great addition when creating a natural habitat for pollinators and birds. It has exceptional fall color and a suckering habit.

A tough shrub with flowers and handsome, plentiful fruit, this is a great addition when creating a natural habitat for pollinators and birds. It has exceptional fall color and a suckering habit.

A tough plant with bright yellow star shaped flowers that bloom over a long period of time, yellow star grass provides a nice accent in the rock garden or any place where it is not overshadowed by larger plants. An adaptable plant, it can spread into a nice carpet or intermingle with other low growing plants. Foliage is indistinguishable and resembles thick blades of grass.

As its name implies, this is one of our most spectacular goldenrods. Later-blooming than other varieties, its large, showy plumes are worth the wait. It grows well in poor, dry soils and becomes aggressive in rich, moist soil.

People often confuse our native sumacs with poison sumac, poison sumac grows in swampy conditions and if you are confused, poison sumac has smooth edges on its leaves, staghorn sumac has toothed edges. It is a large clumping shrub that grows in poor soils and all but the wettest conditions. The berries are a late winter food for almost a hundred species of birds and broken stems are homes for solitary bees. The plant is an aggressive spreader, give it lots of room or clip off runners.

Yellow flowers blooming in a large pyramidal cluster in early summer are attractive to many pollinators, including bees, flies and butterflies. Pollinated flowers are replaced with red fruit in late summer, appealing to many birds and small mammals. Great foliage color in early fall. The fallen, decomposing leaves are food for the caterpillars of Red-banded Hairstreak butterflies. This shrub spreads readily through its underground root system, so is best used where it has room to run.

This shrub’s fragrant foliage, red fruit on female plants, and orange-to-red fall color make it attractive in borders and foundation plantings. A cultivar, “Grow Low,” works well to cover steep banks. It is drought-tolerant and deer-resistant.

One of the most adaptable oak trees, grows in wet or dry conditions and tolerates compacted soil. Excellent yard tree and one of the faster growing oaks.

A shorter mountain mint, the foliage on this variety is narrow and has a delicate appearance. It works well in meadows and its attractive flowers provide a nectar source for pollinators. It is also very deer resistant.

An underutilized spring flowering tree, American plum is covered in fragrant white flowers in spring. In late summer small reddish gold fruits appear, the skin is tart but flesh is sweet, and the plums are frequently used for preserves. Fruiting is best when another tree is in the vicinity for cross pollination. It can be grown as a single trunk tree or allowed to sucker and form thickets useful for screening. Exceptionally high wildlife value for pollinators and butterflies and moths.

A lovely woodland spring ephemeral and an easy favorite.The flowers bloom white or pink while the petals flare backward, like an upside-down umbrella, and are quite showy. It needs moisture in the spring during growth and bloom. It goes dormant in summer.

Named for the sight and sound of it’s rustling (quaking) leaves, quaking aspen is a handsome tree with whitish or very light green bark and beautiful yellow color in the fall. A rapidly growing tree, it can form large groves by spreading root shoots, and is best placed in an area where it will be allowed to spread or where the sprouts can be controlled by lawn mowing or frequent pruning. Although it will tolerate many soil conditions it is happiest in moist, well-drained sites. Host to over 300 species of butterflies and moths.

This is the wonderful evergreen fern that brightens moist hillsides, sometimes right along with icicles in winter. If planted in rich, moist soil with some shade, it can be enjoyed year-round.

A stalwart of the spring garden that provides a nice show of light blue flowers. It is not fussy about light or soil, is easy to transplant, and reseeds just enough to be helpful. It goes well with the wood poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum), another stalwart that tolerates a range of conditions and provides a long blooming season.

Always a delight to see in the woods, mayapple grows well in woodland areas and will spread a bit each year. It blooms as the Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica) are finishing and after other woodland ephemerals. As the colony grows it can become an attractive woodland ground cover and may crowd out other species. Its seeds are a favorite of box turtles.

Beautiful pink flowers on a no maintenance rose. Expands into a thicket and can be used as a wildlife friendly hedge, providing food and cover for birds. Deep red foliage in the fall, rose hips provide winter interest and food for birds.