Sustainable Gardening

Native Plants for Northeast Gardens

Native plants are those that are naturally found in a particular region. They are well-adapted to the local climate and soil conditions, and they provide food and shelter for native wildlife. Including native plants in your garden can benefit the environment and create a beautiful, sustainable landscape.

Perennial Flowering and Foliage Plants

Perennial plants come back year after year, making them a low-maintenance choice for your garden. Here are some popular native perennials for Northeast gardens:

• Alumroot (Heuchera americana) has attractive foliage and produces clusters of small, bell-shaped flowers in the spring.
• Aromatic Aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolius) is a tall, showy plant with fragrant, lavender-blue flowers that bloom in the fall.
• Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa) attracts pollinators with its bright red or pink flowers.
• Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium) is a small, delicate plant with blue flowers that resemble eyes.
• Blue Iris (Iris versicolor) is a striking plant with sword-shaped leaves and blue-violet flowers.
• Blue Wild Indigo (Baptisia australis) is a tall, drought-tolerant plant with blue-purple flowers that bloom in the spring.
• Bugbane (Cimicifuga racemosa) is a shade-loving plant with tall, elegant spikes of white flowers.
• Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) is a host plant for monarch butterflies and produces clusters of bright orange flowers.
• Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis) is a wetland plant with showy, scarlet-red flowers.
• Common Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) is a tall, sturdy plant with clusters of small, white flowers that attract butterflies.
• Common Sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale) is a late-blooming plant with yellow, daisy-like flowers.
• Culver’s Root (Veronicastrum virginicum) is a tall, stately plant with spikes of white or pink flowers.
• Cutleaf Coneflower (Redbeckia laciniata) is a showy plant with deeply cut leaves and large, yellow flowers.
• Dwarf Crested Iris (Iris cirstata) is a small, early-blooming plant with blue-violet flowers.
• False Solomon’s Seal (Smilacina racemosa) is a shade-loving plant with arching stems and clusters of white flowers.
• Foxglove Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis) is a tall, showy plant with spikes of white, pink, or purple flowers.
• Garden Phlox (Phlox paniculata) is a popular garden plant with fragrant, pink, purple, or white flowers.
• Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea) is a spring-blooming plant with clusters of yellow flowers.
• Golden Ragwort (Senecio aureus) is a tall, showy plant with yellow, daisy-like flowers.
• Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica) is a wetland plant with tall, showy spikes of blue flowers.
• Green-and-Gold (Chrysogonum virginianum) is a low-growing plant with bright yellow flowers.
• Heartleaf Foam Flower (Tiarella cordifolia) is a shade-loving plant with heart-shaped leaves and clusters of white flowers.
• Jacob’s Ladder (Polemonium reptans) is a shade-loving plant with clusters of blue or white flowers.
• Marsh Blazing Star (Liatris spicata) is a tall, showy plant with spikes of purple or white flowers.
• Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris) is a wetland plant with bright yellow flowers that bloom in the spring.
• Meadow Bottle (Gentiana clausa) is a small, delicate plant with blue flowers.
• New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) is a tall, showy plant with purple or blue flowers that bloom in the fall.
• New York American Aster (Symphyotrichum novi-beggii) is a tall, showy plant with white flowers that bloom in the fall.
• New York Ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis) is a tall, showy plant with purple flowers that bloom in the fall.
• Orange Coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida) is a showy plant with orange or yellow flowers.
• Ox-eye Sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides) is a tall, showy plant with yellow flowers that resemble sunflowers.
• Red Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) is a showy plant with red or yellow flowers that bloom in the spring.
• Scarlet Bee Balm (Monardo didyma) is a tall, showy plant with bright red flowers that attract hummingbirds.
• Showy Goldenrod (Solidago speciosa) is a tall, showy plant with golden-yellow flowers that bloom in the fall.
• Slender Mountain Mint (Pycanthemum tenuifolium) is a tall, showy plant with clusters of white or pink flowers.
• Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum biflorum) is a shade-loving plant with arching stems and clusters of white flowers.
• Spotted Cranebill (Geranium maculatam) is a showy plant with pink or purple flowers and spotted leaves.
• Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) is a wetland plant that is a host plant for monarch butterflies and produces clusters of pink or purple flowers.
• Swamp Sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius) is a tall, showy plant with yellow flowers that resemble sunflowers.
• Swamp Verbena (Verbena hastata) is a tall, showy plant with spikes of purple or white flowers.
• Sweet Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum) is a tall, showy plant with clusters of purple flowers.
• Tall Coreopsis (Coreopsis tripteris) is a tall, showy plant with yellow flowers.
• Trumpetweed (Eutrochium fistulosum) is a tall, showy plant with spikes of white or purple flowers.
• Turk’s Cap Lily (Lilium michiganense) is a showy plant with nodding, orange or red flowers.
• Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica) is a shade-loving plant with clusters of blue flowers.
• White Turtlehead (Chelone glabra) is a wetland plant with white flowers that resemble turtle heads.
• White Woodland Aster (Eurybia divaricatus) is a shade-loving plant with white flowers that bloom in the fall.
• Wild Bleeding Heart (Dicentra eximia) is a shade-loving plant with heart-shaped leaves and pink or white flowers.
• Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense) is a shade-loving plant with heart-shaped leaves and reddish-brown flowers.

Ferns

Ferns are non-flowering plants that add a touch of elegance to any garden. Here are some popular native ferns for Northeast gardens:

• Cinnamon Fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum) is a tall, showy fern with cinnamon-colored fertile fronds.
• Interrupted Fern (Osmunda claytoniana) is a medium-sized fern with interrupted fertile fronds.
• Marginal Wood Fern (Dryopteris marginalis) is a medium-sized fern with deeply cut leaflets.
• Northern Lady Fern (Athyrium angustum) is a graceful fern with delicate, arching fronds.
• Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) is a large, showy fern with tall, plume-like fronds.
• Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis) is a stately fern with large, glossy fronds.
• Sensitive Fern (Onoclea sensibilis) is a unique fern with fronds that are sensitive to touch.

Grasses, Rushes, and Sedges

Grasses, rushes, and sedges are all grass-like plants that can add texture and interest to your garden. Here are some popular native grasses, rushes, and sedges for Northeast gardens:

• Common Rush (Juncus effusus) is a tall, slender rush that is found in wet areas.
• Fox Sedge (Carex vulpinoidea) is a medium-sized sedge with narrow leaves and brown flower spikes.
• Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans) is a tall, showy grass with blue-green leaves and reddish-brown flower spikes.
• Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) is a medium-sized grass with blue-green leaves and purplish flower spikes.
• Pennsylvania Sedge (Carex pensylvanica) is a medium-sized sedge with narrow leaves and brown flower spikes.
• Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) is a medium-sized grass with blue-green leaves and airy flower spikes.
• Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a tall, showy grass with blue-green leaves and purplish flower spikes.
• Tussock Sedge (Carex stricta) is a medium-sized sedge with narrow leaves and brown flower spikes.

Bushes

Bushes are woody plants that can