Some Suggested Native Plants for Wildlife
Perennials for "Shady" Flower Bed
Note: because these are shade-tolerant plants historically adapted for woodland conditions, they need moist, loamy soils containing good organic matter! Amend the soil with shredded leaves or leaf compost. Locate these plants underneath trees or close to a building, such as on the east or north side of the site, where the plants will be shaded from the afternoon sun; otherwise they'll cook in summer. When installing a garden under trees, use small size plants so as not to disturb tree roots too much. Stay at least 3'-4' away from tree trunks and large roots. If soil amendments will be added, use no more than 2" of organic matter or mulch over tree roots. Any more than 2"-3" of material total will smother the tree's fine feeder roots, and the tree will decline over time.
| Plant | Scientific Name | Height |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern columbine | Aquilegia canadensis | .5' - 3' |
| American or tall bellflower | Campanula americana | 1.5' -6.5' |
| White turtlehead | Chelone glabra | 1.5' - 6.5' |
| Black snakeroot | Cimicifuga racemosa | 2.5' -8.5' |
| Dwarf larkspur | Delphinium tricorne | .5' -3' |
| Squirrel corn | Dicentra canadensis | .5' - 1' |
| Dutchman's britches | Dicentra cucullaria | .5' - 1' |
| Wild bleeding heart | Dicentra eximia | 1.5' - 2' |
| Wild geranium | Geranium maculatum | 1' - 2' |
| Alumroot | Heuchera americana | 1' - 3.5' |
| Twinleaf | Jeffersonia diphylla | .5' - 1' |
| Virginia bluebells | Mertensia virginica | 1' - 2.5' |
| Wild blue phlox | Phlox divaricata | 1.5' |
| Mayapple | Podophyllum peltatum | 1' - 2' |
| Solomon's seal | Polygonatum biflorum or P. pubescens | 1' - 3.5' |
| Heart-leaved aster | Aster cordifolius | 1' - 5' |
| Golden Alexanders | Zizia aurea | 1' - 2.5' |
| Mistflower | Conoclinium coelestinum or Eupatorium coelestinum | 1' - 3.5 |
| Foamflower | Tiarella cordifolia | .5' - 1' |
Groundcovers for moist shade:
| Plant | Scientific Name |
|---|---|
| Wild ginger | Asarum canadense |
| Green-and-Gold | Chrysogonum virginianum |
| Partridgeberry | Mitchella repens |
| Bloodroot | Sanguinaria canadensis |
| Allegheny spurge | Pachysandra procumbens |
Avoid planting English Ivy or Periwinkle, as these are invasive exotics that will spread to naturalized areas and eventually become a monoculture, which means low biodiversity — not good for wildlife! Just look around at some old woodlots…
Perennials for Hot, Dry, Sunny Areas
(Soil amendments still welcome!)
| Plant | Scientific Name | Height |
|---|---|---|
| Common milkweed | Asclepias syriaca | 2' - 6' |
| Butterfly Weed | Asclepias tuberosa | 1' - 3' |
| Purple Coneflower | Echinacea purpurea | 1' - 3' |
| Smooth blue aster | Symphotricum laeve var laeve or Aster laevis | 1' - 5' |
| Threadleaf coreopsis | Coreopsis verticillata | .5' - 3.5' |
| Black-eyed Susans | Rudbeckia hirta | 1' - 3.5' |
| Eastern or northern blazing star; tall gayfeather | Liatris scariosa | 1' - 3.5' |
| Moss phlox or moss-pink | Phlox subulata | groundcover |
Ornamental "Small" Trees
(They're only small relative to a forest canopy!)
| Plant | Scientific Name | Height |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern redbud | Cercis canadensis | 25'-35' |
| Flowering dogwood | Cornus florida | 20' - 50' |
| Downy serviceberry | Amelanchier arborea | 15' - 25' |
| White fringetree | Chionanthus virginicus | 20' - 35' |
| Witch hazel | Hamamelis virginiana | 15'-30' (actually a shrub but can look like a tree) |
Shrubs
(These need a fairly sunny site for maximum flower/berry production-at least 6 hours of sun per day)
| Plant | Scientific Name | Height |
|---|---|---|
| Sweet pepperbush | Clethra alnifolia | 6' -12' |
| Silky dogwood | Cornus amomum | 6' -12' |
| Inkberry | Ilex glabra | 6' -10' (can be used as a hedge) |
| Virginia sweetspire | Itea virginica | 6' -10' |
| Black chokeberry | Aronia melanocarpa | 3'-6' (can be used as a hedge) |
| Red chokeberry | Aronia arbutifolia | 2' -13' |
| Common elderberry | Sambucus nigra or S. canadensis | 6' -12' |
| Lowbush blueberry | Vaccinium angustifolium | 1' -2' |
| Highbush blueberry | Vaccinium corymbosum | 6' -12' |
Viburnums
Excellent shrubs for birds in particular because they love the berries — thrashers, mockingbirds, and cardinals, to name a few!
| Plant | Scientific Name | Height |
|---|---|---|
| Maple-leaved arrowwood | Viburnum acerifolium | 3' -6' |
| Southern arrowwood | V. dentatum | 10'-15' |
| Possumhaw viburnum | V. nudum | 6.5' -20' |
| Blackhaw | V. prunifolium | 12' -24' |
Vines
| Plant | Scientific Name |
|---|---|
| Trumpet honeysuckle | Lonicera sempervirens |
| Trumpet vine | Campsis radicans (be sure this has a lot of space and a strong support) |
| Virginia creeper | Parthenocissus quinquefolia |
| Carolina jessamine | Gelsemium sempervirens - an evergreen |
| Crossvine | Bignonia capreolata (large and spreading, needs good support) |
Tall Native Grasses
For large, wide-open spaces or fields (not next to buildings or in small yards). However, you could use a clump of 3 of these as an accent or focal point in a large flower bed. These grasses tolerate dry conditions and need full sun.
| Plant | Scientific Name | Height |
|---|---|---|
| Indiangrass | Sorghastrum nutans | 2.5' - 8' |
| Little bluestem | Schizachyrium scoparium or Andropogon scoparius | 1.5' - 4' |
| Bushy bluestem | Andropogon glomeratus or A. virginicus var abbreviatus | 1.5' - 5' |
| Switchgrass | Panicum virgatum | 3' - 6' |
| Redtop or purpletop | Tridens flavus | 2' - 6.5' |
