Native Plants

A Guide to Native Plants in the Philadelphia Region

The Benefits of Planting Natives

Native plants are better prepared for our local environmental conditions, require less water than non-natives, support pollinators, and don’t depend on fertilizer to succeed. Benefiting the garden AND the gardener.

Shrubs

Latin Name, Common Name	Ht	Color	Bloom Time
Aronia arbutifolia, Red Chokeberry	8′	white	April-May
Aronia melanocarpa, Black Chokeberry	8′	white	April-May
Callicarpa american, American beautyberry	8′	purple	winter
Calycanthus americans, Carolina allspice	8′	red	April-July
Clethra alnifolia, Summersweet	6′	white	July-Aug
Comptonia peregrina; sweet fern	3′ – 6′	white/grn	May-Aug
Diervila lonicera; Bush Honeysuckle	3.5′	yellow	June-July
Fothergilla gardenii; Dwarf Fothergilla	3′	white	spring
Gaultheria procumbens; Teaberry	0.5′	white	April-May
Hamamelis vernalis; Vernal Witch-hazel	10′	yellow	Jan-March
Hydrangea quercifolia; Oakleaf Hydrangea	8′	white	mid-summer
Ilex glabra; Inkbery	4′ -6′	white	mid-summer
Ilex verticillata, winterberry	4′	greenish white	June-July
Itea virginica, Virginia sweetspire	2′ – 3′	white	May-June
Juniperus virginiana ‘ Grey Owl Red Juniper	2′ – 3′
Leucothoe fontanesiana, Drooping Leucothoe	2′ – 3′	white
Lindera benzoin, spicebush	6′ – 12′	brick red	March
Physocarpus opulifolius, common ninebark	3′ -4′	pink	May-June
Rhus aromatica, Gro-Low Sumac	1′ – 2′	yellow	April-May
Salix, sandbar willow, silky willow	6′ – 10′	white	May-June
Vaccinium angustifolium; lowbush blueberry	2′ – 3′	white	May
Vaccinium corymbosum, Highbush Blueberry	6′ 8′	white	May
Viburnums, Mapleleaf, Arrowwood, Nannyberry, Blackhaw		Varies w/ type

Herbaceous Flowering Plants

Latin Name, Common Name	Ht	Color	Bloom Time
Agastache foeniculum, anise hyssop	3′	blue	June-Sept
Amsonia hubrichtii ‘Blue Ice’, blue star	2′ – 3′	blue	April-May
Asclepias tuberosa, butterfly weed	1′ – 2.5′	orange	June-August
Aster divaricatus, white wood aster	1′ – 2.5′	white	Aug-Sept
Baptisia australis, blue false indigo	3′	blue	May-June
Coreopsis ‘Red Satin’; threadleaf coreopsis	1′ -1.5′	red	June-August
Echinacea purpurea , purple coneflower	2′ – 5′	purple	June-August
Eutrochium dubium – Dwarf Joe Pye	2’ – 3’	purple	July-Sept
Gaillardia aristata, indian blanket	0.5′ – 1′	yellow/red	May-Sept
Geranium ‘Karmina’; Cambridge geranium	0.5′ – 1′	pink	May-June
Helenium autumnale; Helen’s flower	3′ – 5′	yellow	Aug-Oct
Heuchera americana, coral bells	1′ – 2′	white	June-August
Liatris spicata ‘Alba’, gayfeather	2′ – 3′	purple	July-Aug
Monarda sp. – beebalm – lots of colors	2′ – 4’	red, blue	July-Sept
Packera aurea – Golden Groundsel	1’ – 2’	yellow	March-May
Penstemon digitalis – Tall Beardtongue	3’ -4’	white	April-June
Polystichum acrostichoides – Christmas Fern	1.5’ – 2.5’
Pycnanthemum – Slender Mountain Mint	1’ – 3’	white	June-Sept
Rudbeckia hirta, black eyed susan	2′ – 3′	yellow	June-Oct
Rudbeckia fulgida, orange coneflower	2′ – 3′	orange	June-Oct
Sedum’Autumn Joy”; stonecrop	1′ – 2′	pink	Sept-Oct
Solidago caesia, blue-stem goldenrod	1.5′ – 3′	yellow	Aug-Sept
Stokesia laevis ‘Blue Danube’, Stokes aster	1′ – 2′	blue	May-July

Grasses and Groundcovers

Latin Name, Common Name	Ht	Color	Bloom Time
Grasses
Carex pensylvanica, Pennsylvania sedge	0.5′ – 1′	greenish	May
Carex plantaginea, plantainleaf sedge	0.5′ – 1′	greenish	May
Deschampsia cespitosa ‘Goldtau’, tufted hair grass	2′ – 3′	silver, purple	July-Sept
Muhlenbergia capillaris, pink muhly grass	2′ – 4′	pink	Sept-Oct
Schizachyrium scoparium, little bluestem	3′	silver, purple	Fall

Low Plants
Chrysogonum virginianum, golden knee	0.5′ – 1′	yellow	April into fall
Caltha palustris, marsh marigold	1′ – 1.5′	yellow	April-June
Anemone canadensis, windflower	1′ – 2′	white	April-June

Large Canopy Trees

Latin Name	Common Names	Ht	Color	Bloom Time	Sun	Pt Shd	Shade	Dry	Moist
Acer, Maple	Red maple, Silver maple	60′	red, yellow	Spring	x	x		x	x
Alnus, Alder	Gray alder, Smooth alder	12′ -36′		Spring	x	x	x		x
Betula, Birch	Sweet birch, River birch, Gray birch	50′	red,green,brn	April, May	x	x			x
Carya, Hickory	Shagbark, Shellbark	80′	green,brn	Mar-June	x	x		x	x
Chamaecyparis thyoides	Atlantic white cedar	50′			x	x			x
Diospyros virginiana	Persimmon	30′ -80′	whitish	Spring	x	x		x	x
Ilex opaca	American holly	50′	white	Mar-June	x	x			x
Juniperus virginiana	Eastern red cedar	45′			x			x	x
Nyssa sylvatica	Black gum	50′			x	x	x	x	x
Pinus, Pine	Shortleaf Pine, Eastern white pine	100′			x	x			x
Pseudotsuga menziesii	Douglas-fir	40′ – 70′			x	x			x
Quercus, Oak	White, Swamp White, Willow Oak, Scarlet oak		Varies by type
Tilia americana, Linden	Basswood	80′	yellow	late spring	x	x			x
Ulmus, Elm	American elm, Slippery elm	40′ – 70′	red,green,brn	Jan-Dec	x	x			x

Small Understory Trees

Latin Name	Common Names	Ht	Color	Bloom Time	Sun	Pt Shd	Shade	Dry	Moist
Amelanchier arborea	Downy serviceberry	15′ – 20′	white	April	x	x			x
Amelanchier canadensis	Shadbush	15′ – 20′	white	April	x	x			x
Amelanchier laevis	Smooth serviceberry	15′ – 20′	white	April	x	x			x
Carpinus caroliniana	Ironwood	30′	red,green,brn	Mar-May	x	x	x		x
Celtis occidentalis	Hackberry	30′	green, brn	April	x	x		x	x
Cercis canadensis	Redbud	25′	red, purple	early spring	x	x	x		x
Chionanthus virginicus	Fringe tree	25′	white	June	x	x			x
Cornus alternifolia	Alternate-leaf dogwood	20′	yellowish white	late spring	x	x			x
Cornus florida	Flowering dogwood	25′	greenish yellow	early spring	x	x			x
Cotinus obovatus	American smoketree	15′ -20′	pink to purple	April-May	x	x		x
Crataegus, Hawthorn	Cockspur, Downy, Washinton	25′ -30′	white-greenish	Spring	x	x		x	x
Halesia carolina	Silverbell	35′	white	Spring	x	x			x
Magnolia virginiana	Sweetbay magnolia	25′	white	early summer	x	x	x	x	x
Ostrya virginiana	American hop hornbeam	30′	white	April	x	x			x
Oxydendrum arboreum	Sourwood	30′	white	July	x	x		x
Prunus	American Plum, Pin Cherry	20′ -30′	white-greenish	Spring	x			x	x