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Zizia aurea - Golden-Alexanders, Common Golden-Alexanders
Height: 1 – 2 feet Flowers: flat-topped clusters of tiny yellow flowers Blooms: April - May Larval host to Black Swallowtail. Special value to native bees.
Coreopsis auriculata – Larkspur or Mouse-ear Coreopsis
Height: 1 – 1.5 ft Flower: yellow Blooms: May-June
Symphyotrichum Here: Heart-leaved Aster, Blue Wood Aster
There are many native asters. Ask your nursery for the perfect (possibly native aster for your yard, example: New England Aster) For the Blue Wood Aster Height: 1 - 3 feet Flowers: mostly blue, mauve, purple Blooms: July - October. Important source for bees and butterflies in fall.
Hypericum prolificum - Shrubby St. John’s-wort
Height: 1 – 5 feet Flowers: yellow Blooms: June – August Flowers produces almost no nectar, but abundant pollen for bees and other insects.
Ilex verticillata - Winterberry
Height: 3-12 ft. deciduous Flowers: Greenish-white Blooms: May to June. Red berries (female) late summer to winter. Important: purchase a male plant to assure that the female plant gets berries)
Iris prismatica - Slender Blueflag
Height: 1 – 3 feet Flowers: purple with some yellow Blooms in early spring Looks pretty by a pond/water.
Morella caroliniensis Evergreeen Bayberry
Height: 7 - 10 feet Flowers: whitish-green Blooms: April - June Fruits: pale blue August - October great hedge plant.
Polygonatum biflorum - Solomon’s Seal
Height: 2 – 3 feet Flower: cream, very discreet Blooms: April - June bloom is followed by blue berries
Heuchera americana - American Alumroot
Height: leaves up to 6 inches, flowering stems 1 – 2 feet Flowers: creamy, delicate Blooms: April – June Grows well in pots, look lovely in rock gardens
Baptisia tinctoria - Yellow Wild Indigo
Height: 2 - 3 feet Flower: yellow blooms: May - July likes acidic soil Attracts butterflies, caterpillars LARVAL HOST TO FROSTED ELFIN
Eurybia divaricata - White Wood Aster
Height: 6 inches – 3.5 feet Flower: delicate, white, yellow center Blooms: August - October Supports a wide variety of butterflies.
Tradescantia virginiana - Virginia Spiderwort
Height: 1.5 – 3 feet Flowers: blue - purple with some yellow Blooms: May - July Black walnut tolerant
Quercus - Oaks
Oaks are one of the most beneficial trees for all kinds of wildlife. Please check specific requirements for your particular oak. MOST SONGBIRDS PREFER THE WHITE OAK. CATERPILLARS DEPEND ON THIS TREE. Height: 40 - 115 feet Flower: Catkins appear in March - May Fruit: Acorn
Cornus florida - Flowering dogwood
Height: 15 - 20 feet Flowers: white or pink aromatic flowers BEFORE leaves come out. Blooms: March - May prefers rich, well-drained acid soil
Solidago - Goldenrods Goldenrod
Goldenrods is a genus that has 90 - 110 species. Many are native. Please ask your nursery for advice. Flowers: yellow Blooms: Fall This plant does not cause hay fever but they attract bees, native bees, and butterflies. They also support the greatest number of caterpillars of any wildflower.
Callicarpa americana American Beauty-berry
Height: 3 - 6 feet Flowers: small clusters of pink/purple Blooms: June - August Seeds and berries are important foods for many species of birds. Edge landscape plants.
Achillea millefolium – Common Yarrow
Height: 1 - 3 feet Flower: white (and other colors) Blooms: June through August
Iris verna - Coastal Plain Dwarf Violet Iris
Height: 1 + foot Flowers: deep purple with some orange Blooms: early spring Needs well drained soil. Attracts hummingbirds. Great plant for water features. For best results: grow from seed.
Asclepias syriaca - Common Milkweed
Height: 3 - 5+ feet Flowers: mauve/white Blooms: June - August Highly valuable nectar source for pollinators. Host plant to the (larvae of the) monarch butterfly.
Sundial Lupine
Height: 1 - 2 feet Flower: purple or blue blooms: April - July Attracts caterpillars, butterflies, birds Enhances soil fertility, LARVAL HOST TO THE EASTERN TIGER SWALLOWTAIL AND MONARCH BUTTERFLY. Moderately deer resistant
Asclepias variegata - White Milkweed
Height : 1 – 4 feet Flowers: white Blooms: May - July Highly valuable nectar source for pollinators. Critical host plant for the monarch butterfly. Attracts pollinators, birds and caterpillars Attracts the Monarch butterfly to visit, lay eggs (host plant)
Pontederia cordata - Pickerelweed
Height: 3 – 3.5 feet Flower: deep blue Blooms: June - November Attracts Dragonflies (they eat up to 200 mosquitos per day)
Penstemon laevigatus - Smooth Beard-tongue
Height: 2 – 3 feet when blooming Flowers: whitish Blooms: May - July Attracts hummingbirds, native bees
Amelanchier canadensis Canada Serviceberry, Juneberry
Height: 25 - 30 feet Flowers: white Blooms: June trough August Fruits: red-purple great for smaller gardens. Attracts 40 bird species and native bees.
Chelone glabra - White-turtlehead
Height: 3 - 6 feet Flowers: white, pink, often lavendar-tinged) Blooms: July - September naturally found near water, likes rich soil
Aquilegia canadensis - Wild or Eastern Red Columine
Heigth: 1 - 3 ft. Flowers: redish Blooms: April - May Looks good in rock gardens; self sowing Soil needs to be well drained.
Rudbeckia hirta - Black-eyed Susan
Height: 1 - 3.5 feet Flowers: yellow black center Blooms: June - October Bonus: is drought tolerant. Might be an aggressive spreader. Should you worry about that, this plant grows well in pots as well.
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Pycnanthemum tenuifolium - Narrow-leaf Mountain-mint
Height: 2 - 3 feet when blooming Flower: whitish Blooms: July - September A pollinator magnet Can spread aggressively. Prefers moist, well drained soil.
Monarda fistulosa - Wild Bergamot - Beebalm
Height: 2 – 4 feet Flower: purple Blooms: July – September Can spread aggressively
Virginia Blue Flag
Height: 2 - 3 feet Flower: purple with some yellow blooms: February – March+ Attracts butterflies, birds Highly deer resistant
Asclepias syriaca - Common Milkweed
Height: 3 – 5 feet Flower: light purple Blooms: June - August Attention: can be aggressive, it spreads underground, you might want to plant it in a pot. HOST PLANT TO MONARCH BUTTERFLIES
Asclepias incarnata - Swamp Milkweed
Height: 1 – 4 feet Flower: pink with white blooms: June - August A favorite of the monarch butterfly. A pollinator magnet
Nyssa sylvatica Black Gum, Black Tupelo
Height: 40 - 60 feet Flowers: Greenish-white Blooms: April Fruits: purplish-blue in September - October Nectar used by bees for tupelo honey. Host plant to 25 native caterpillar Likes acidic well drained soil.
Eutrochium dubium - Three-nerved Joe-pye-weed
Height: 3 - 5 feet Flower: pink Blooms: July – September A POLLINATOR MAGNET
Eutrochium purpureum Sweet or Purple Joe-pye-weed
Height: 5 - 7 ft. Flowers: cream - purplish Blooms: July - September A pollinator magnet magnet
Asclepias tuberosa - Butterfly Weed
Height: 1 - 2.5 feet Flowers: bright orange with some yellow Blooms: May - July Highly valuable nectar source for pollinators. Host plant for the monarch butterfly.
Phlox divaricata - Wild Blue Phlox, Woodland Phlox
5 - 18 inches tall Flowers: lavendar or pink Blooms: April - May Sprawling habit Needs well drained soil, filtered light
Salvia lyrate - Lyre-leaf Sage
Height: 1 – 2.5 ft Flowers: light blue, violet Booms: April – June blooms attract native bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Host to 5 species of native caterpillars.
Rudbeckia fulgida - Orange Coneflower
Height: 2 – 3 feet Flower: yellow black center Blooms: July - October might spread aggressively,grow well in pots. Birds (goldfinches) enjoy the ripe seeds. Likes well drained, acidic soil.
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