Native Landscape Plants List

American Beauty Berry - Callicarpa americana
Full sun/part shade. Height 3-5 feet. Spread 5-6 feet. Moderate moisture tolerance. Purple berries in fall. Dies to ground some years. Grows best in rich soil, with protective mulch.
Provides food and cover for birds.

American Hazel Nut - Corylus americana
Full sun/part shade. Height 10-16 feet. Spread 8-13 feet. Average to dry moisture tolerance. Inconspicuous bloom in February-March. Red-orange foliage in fall. Best where it can spread, such as wildlife belts. Remove suckers to prevent thickets. Provides food, shelter, and nesting for various birds.

American Holly - Ilex opaca
Full sun/part shade. Height 15-30 feet. Spread 10-20 feet. Moderate moisture tolerance.
Waxy white bloom. Berries in fall and winter. Foliage and berries provide excellent winter color. Does not tolerate poor drainage or windy sites. Need male and female plants for fruit.
Birds use for cover, nesting, and food.

Aromatic Aster - Aster oblongifolius
Full sun/part shade. Height 18-30 inches. Spread 24-36 inches. Average to dry soil. Blue violet blossom September – November. Compact, self-supporting mound. Tolerates wide range of conditions. Spreads by self-sowing. Provides nectar for butterflies.

Black-eyed Susan - Rudbeckia hirta
Sun/light shade. Height 24-36 inches. Spread 16-24 inches. Average to dry soil. Yellow blossom June – July, blooming throughout summer. Nectar source for butterflies. Birds eat seeds.

Black Haw - Virburnum prunifolium
Full sun/part shade. Height 12-15 feet. Spread 10-15 feet. Average to high moisture tolerance. White, flat-top bloom clusters in spring. Burgundy foliage in fall. Grow as round headed shrub or mult-stemmed shrub. Prune immediately after blooming. Adapts to many soil conditions. Provides nesting and food for birds. Edible purple-black fruit.

Blazing Star, Eastern - Liatris scariosa
Full sun. Height 30-48 inches. Spread 10-18 inches. Average moisture tolerance. Pink-purple blooms in August – September. Don’t overwater or over-fertilize. Attracts butterflies.

Blazing Star, Prairie - Liatris pycnostachya
Full sun. Height 36-48 inches. Spread 12-24 inches. Average to dry moisture tolerance. Rose purple bloom July – August. Dense spikes on strong stems. Thrive in average soil, but will tolerate drier conditions. Attracts butterflies, hummingbirds, and provides seed for songbirds.

Bluestem, Little - Schizachyrium scoparium
Full sun. Height 2-3 feet. Spread 12 inches. Average to dry moisture tolerance. Summer leaves are blue-green, turning red, orange or yellow in fall. Non-spreading clump-forming grass. Excellent for massed plantings.

Butterfly Weed - Asclepias tuberosa
Full sun. Height 18-24 inches. Spread 24 inches. Average to dry soil. Yellow, orange to red blossom June – August. Plants have deep tap root and slow to emerge in spring. Needs well-drained soil. Host plant for the monarch butterfly.

Cardinal Flower - Lobelia cardinalis
Sun/shade. Height 24-48 inches. Spread 12-18 inches. Moist to average moisture tolerance. Red blossom July – September. Strong upright stems, grow in standing water or moist soil.
Nectar for hummingbirds.

Celandine Poppy - Stylophorum diphyllum
Shade. Height 16 inches. Spread 18 inches. Average to moist . Yellow bloom March – May. Sporadic in summer if kept watered. Showy flowers, blue-green leaves. Naturalizes by self-seeding. Plants go dormant in summer if dry or too sunny. Deer and rabbit resistant.

Cliff Goldenrod - Solidago drummondii
Full sun/light shade. Height 18-36 inches. Spread 18-36 inches. Dry to average moisture tolerance. Deep yellow blossom August – September. Clump forming. Does not spread invasively. Tolerates wide range of conditions. Provides nectar for butterflies.

Columbine, Native - Aquilegia canadensis
Morning sun/afternoon shade. Height 24 inches. Spread 12 inches. Dry to average moisture tolerance. Red and yellow blossom April – May. Plants tend to be short-lived, but will self-sow. Attracts hummingbirds & butterflies.

Copper Iris - Iris fulva
Full sun. Height 24 inches. Spread 12-24 inches. Average to moist tolerance. Deep copper blossoms in April – May. Green sword-shaped leaves. Happy near ponds, streams, rain gardens. Attracts hummingbirds.

Culver’s Root - Veronicastrum virginicum
Full sun/part shade. Height 36-52 inches. Spread 24-48 inches. Moderate to wet moisture tolerance. White to light pink blossom July – August. Candlelike spikes of flowers 6 inches long. Bloom time 4-6 weeks. Long-lived clumps. Provide nectar for beneficial insects.

Eastern Redbud - Cercis canadensis
Full sun/part shade. Height 20-30 feet. Spread 24-35 feet. Average to dry moisture tolerance.
Deep pink/rose April – May. Flowers are edible. Green or purple pea-shaped seed pods. Heart shaped leaves. Prefers dry, well-drained soil. Provides nesting for birds. Attracts butterflies.

Eastern Witch Hazel - Hamamelis virginiana
Sun/Shade. Height 15-20 feet. Spread 15-20 feet. Moderate to high moisture tolerance.
Medium yellow fragrant bloom in late fall, early winter. Upright growth form. Remove basal sprouts to maintain tree-like shape. Provides food and nesting for birds.

Flowering dogwood - Cornus florida
Full sun/shade. Height 15-30 feet. Spread 15-30 feet. Moderate to dry moisture tolerance.
White bracts, yellow flowers bloom in April – May. Red fall foliage and berries. Has wide range of tolerance, but does not tolerate poorly drained soil. Provides food and nesting for birds. Important food for migrating robins.

Foxglove Beardtongue - Penstemon digitalis
Sun/light shade. Height 24-48 inches. Spread 18-20 inches. Moist to average moisture tolerance. White bloom May – June. Evergreen leaves, red seeds in summer. Attracts hummingbirds and bees.
Garden Phlox - Phlox paniculata
Full sun/part shade. Height 36-48 inches. Spread 24 inches. Average to moist tolerance. Deep pink/rose blossoms July – August. Clusters of fragrant flowers can be 8 inches across. Needs good ventilation to prevent powdery mildew. Provides nectar for hummingbirds & butterflies.

Honeysuckle, Native - Lonicera flava
Vining Plant. Sun or partial shade. Height 5-10 feet. Dry to average moisture tolerance. Yellow to orange blossoms May – June. Twining deciduous woody vine; orange to red berries in late summer. Needs cross pollination to set fruit.

Jacob’s Ladder - Polemonium reptans
Shade. Height 12-18 inches. Spread 14-18 inches. Average to moist. Blue blossom in April – May. Will tolerate some sun. Foliage remains green. Leaflets arranged like rungs of ladder.
Moist, humus, well drained soil. Will spread from seed. Pollinated by butterflies and beneficial insects. Also called Greek valerian.

Maidenhair Fern - Adiantum pedatum
Shade. Height 10-24 inches. Moderate moisture tolerance. Light green lacy leaves turn yellow in fall. Clump forming, can form colonies. Summer drought can cause dormancy; needs leaf mulch.

Missouri Evening Primrose - Oenothera macrocarpa
Full sun. Height .75 to 1 foot. Spread 12-18 inches. Dry to medium moisture tolerance. Yellow bloom May – August. Blossoms open late afternoon and remain open until next morning. Will self –sow. Will tolerate poor soil.

New Jersey Tea - Ceanothus americanus
Sun/light shade. Height 3-4 feet. Spread 2-3 feet. Dry to average moisture tolerance. White bloom in May – June. Attracive small shrub. Leaves can be used to make tea. Trim shrub back to 4 inches when it becomes shaggy. Birds eat seeds.

Ostrich Fern - Matteuccia struthiopteris
Shade. Height 2-4 feet. Spread 2 – 3 feet. Moderate to high moisture tolerance. Light green leaf color. Fronds unfurl in late April. Spreads by underground runners to form large colonies.

Passion Flower, Native - Passiflora incarnata
Vining plant. Sun or partial shade. Height 10-20 feet. Average to wet moisture tolerance. Lavender and white bloom August – October. Large round edible fruit turning pal yellow when ripe. Plants die back to ground each year.

Purple coneflower - Echinacea purpurea
Full sun/light shade. Height 24-36 inches. Spread 18-24 inches. Average to dry moisture tolerance. Pinkish purple petals, orange cone June – August. Adapts to many soil types. Will reseed. Excellent nectar source for butterflies &
hummingbirds. Seed heads provide seed for songbirds.

Prairie Dropseed - Sporobolus heterolepis
Full sun. Height of leaves 12 inches. Spread 36 inches. Average to dry moisture. Arching to vertical seed heads. Non-spreading clump-forming groundcover. Establish by plugs. Food and cover for wildlife.

Prickly Pear - Opuntia humifusa
Fullsun/part shade. Height 6-12 inches. Spread 12-18 inches. Average to dry moisture tolerance. Yellow and orange blossom. Blooms June – July; red fruit in fall. Everygreen groundcover. Prefers sandy or gravelly soil. Pollinated by bees .

Rose Mallow - Hibiscus lasiocarpos
Full sun/part shade. Height 36-84 inches. Spread 24-36 inches. Average to wet moisture tolerance. White/pink blooms with red centers August – September. Large fuzzy leaves and shrub-like form. Plants emerge in late spring. Provides nectar for butterflies, & hummingbirds. Food source for songbirds.

Rose Verbena - Glandularia canadensis
Full sun. Height 6-12 inches. Spread 12-24 inches. Dry moisture tolerance. Deep pink/rose-purple bloom March – May, then sporadically. Good ground cover. Needs well drained soil. Attracts butterflies.

Rusty Black Haw - Viburnum rufidulum
Full sun/shade. Height 10-15 feet. Spread 5-10 feet. Average to dry moisture tolerance. White, flat-top bloom in March-April. Purple-black clusters of fruit, red foliage in fall. Glossy green, leathery leaves; can be grown as shrub or pruned as small tree. Provides nesting and food for birds.

Sassafras - Sassafras albidum
Full Sun/some shade. Height 20-50 feet. Spread 10-30 feet. Moderate to dry moisture tolerance. Yellow blossom April – May. Berry-like fruit August - October Often forms colonies. Fruit eaten by birds. Host plant for a variety of moths and butterflies. Often called the mitten tree.

Service Berry - Amelanchier arborea
Full sun/shade. Height 10-20 feet. Spread 10-15 feet. Moderate to dry moisture tolerance. White bloom in March – April. Orange fall foliage, berrylike fruit. Adapts to moist or dry conditions. Provides food for songbirds

Solomon’s Seal, Native - Polygonatum biflorum
Shade. Height 24-48 inches. Spread 24-26 inches. Moist to dry. Light yellow-green blossom on arching stems in May. Blue fruit in late summer. Foliage turns yellow in fall. Spreads slowly by rhizomes. Long-lived perennial.

Southern Blue Flag - Iris virginica v. shrevei
Full sun. Height 24-36 inches. Spread 12-24 inches. Wet to average moisture tolerance. Blue violet bloom May – June. Excellent in swampy ground or near ponds. May need division when it becomes overcrowded to promote bloom. Provides nectar for hummingbirds.

Swamp or marsh milkweed - Asclepia incarnata
Full sun. Height 36-48 inches. Spread 36-48 inches. Moist tolerance. Deep pink/rose bloom August – September. Has faint vanilla frangrance. Excellent for rain gardens, marshy areas. Short-lived, but reseeds. Host plant for monarch butterfly. Provides nectar for butterflies and hummingbirds.

Switch Grass, Native - Panicum virgatum
Full sun to part shade. Height 3-6 feet. Spread 2-3 feet. Pink-tinged blossom July – February. Medium to wet moisture tolerance. Tolerates wide range of conditions, but prefers lean soil over rich. Stiff columnar form. Grows primarily in clumps but will naturalize by rhizomes.
Good food source for birds in winter.

Tickseed - Coreopsis Lanceolata
Full Sun. Height 1- 2 feet. Spread 12-18 inches. Dry to medium moisture tolerance. Yellow blossoms May – July. Thrives in poor rocky soil. Self-sows and will naturalize. Foliage may be cut back if it becomes unkempt.

Tussock Sedge - Carex stricta
Sun to light shade. Height 12-18 inches. Spread 18-30 inches. Wet to average moisture tolerance. Blooms in April. Narrow green fountain-shaped foliage. Useful for water or rain gardens. Provides cover and nesting sites for birds.

Virginia Bluebells - Mertensia virginica
Shade. Height 12-24 inches. Spread 12-18 inches. Moist to average. Sky blue to pink blossom in March – April. Naturalizes in rich soil under trees. Foliage is dormant in summer. Provides nectar for bumblebees.

Virginia Creeper - Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Vining Plant. Sun or shade. Height 30-50 feet. Average to moist moisture tolerance. White blossom. Bright red and burgundy fall foliage. Spreads aggressively. Birds eat berries.

Wild Geranium - Geranium maculatum
Shade. Height 16-22 inches. Spread 12-24 inches. Moist to average soil. Medium pink to lilac blossom April – May. Deeply cut, dark green foliage. Seeds are launched by spring-loaded pods. Prefers moist rich soil, but will tolerate average. Will go dormant in summer if soil dries out. Birds eat seeds. Nectar for butterflies.

Wild Sweet William - Phlox divaricata
Shade. Height 12-16 inches. Spread 12 inches. Moderate to dry moisture tolerance. Light blue bloom in April – May. Fragrant star-shaped flowers. Grows best in well-drained rich soil. Short-lived, but reseeds. Provides nectar for hummingbirds & butterflies.

Wild Hydrangea - Hydrangea arborescens
Part sun/shade. Height 3-4 feet. Spread 3-4 feet. Dry to average moisture tolerance. Creamy white bloom in July – August. Flowers last for several weeks. Can be used in flower arrangements – fresh or dried. Blooms on new growth, so prune back in early spring to control size. Flowers attract butterflies and bees.

Yellow Coneflower - Echinacea paradoxa
Full Sun. Height 2-3 feet. Spread 12-18 inches. Dry to medium moisture tolerance. Yellow bloom June – August. May self-seed if spent seed heads remain. Good food source for birds.