Backyards For Nature

Native Plants
Why Native Plants?
- Native plants are historic members of our local ecosystem and food web.
- Native plants host native insects, the primary food of birds and many other species.
- The seeds, nuts, berries, and nectar of natives are digestible, nutritious, and well-timed for local wildlife unlike those of non-natives.
- Natives don’t need fertilizers or extra water since they are adapted to local conditions.
- Pesticides aren’t required since natives have defenses against indigenous insects

Sources of Native Plants
Wildlife-Friendly Plants for Southeastern Pennsylvania and Environs
Latin Name | Common Name | Wildlife Value |
Trees | ||
Acer rubrum, A. saccharum | Red Maple, Sugar Maple | L, F |
Amelanchier canadensis, A. laevis | Serviceberry/Shadbush/Juneberry, Smooth Serviceberry | L. F |
Betula lenta, B.nigra | Sweet Birch, River Birch | L, F |
Carya cordiformis, C. glabra, C. ovata, C. tomentosa | Bitternut Hickory, Pignut Hickory, Shagbark Hickory, Mockernut Hickory | L, F |
Celtis occidentalis | Hackberry | L, F |
Cercis canadensis | Eastern Redbud | L, N |
Cornus alternifolia, C.florida | Pagoda Dogwood, Flowering Dogwood | L, F |
Fagus grandifolia | American Beech | L, F |
Fraxinus americana, F. pennsylvanica | White Ash, Green Ash | L, F |
Ilex opaca | American Holly | L, F |
Juglans nigra | Black Walnut | L,F |
Juniperus virginiana | Eastern Red Cedar | L, F |
Liquidambar styraciflua | Sweet Gum | L, F |
Liriodendron tulipifera | Tulip Tree | L, F, N |
Nyssa sylvatica | Black Gum/Tupelo | L, F |
Pinus strobus | Eastern White Pine | L, F |
Platanus occidentalis | American Sycamore | L, F |
Populus deltoides | Eastern Cottonwood | L, F |
Prunus serotina | Black Cherry | L, F |
Quercus alba, Q.coccinea, Q. montana, Q. palustris, Q. rubra, Q. velutina | White Oak, Scarlet Oak, Chestnut Oak, Pin Oak, Red Oak, Black Oak | L, F |
Salix nigra | Black Willow | L, F |
Sassafras albidum | Sassafras | L, F |
Tilia americana | Basswood | L |
Ulmus americana | American Elm (Blight-resistant varieties) | L, F |
L = Leaves support moth and butterfly caterpillars and other leaf-eating insects that are eaten by birds | ||
N = Nectar for hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators | ||
F = Food products such as berries, seeds, nuts, buds, and pollen for birds, mammals, and pollinators | ||
Shrubs | ||
Alnus serrulata | Smooth Alder | L, F |
Aronia arbutifolia, A. melanocarpa. | Red Chokeberry, Black Chokeberry | L, F |
Cornus amomum, C. racemosa, C. sericea | Silky Dogwood, Gray Dogwood, Redtwig Dogwood | L, F |
Ilex verticillata | Winterberry Holly | F |
Lindera benzoin | Spicebush | L, F, N |
Myrica pensylvanica | Bayberry | L, F |
Rosa carolina, R. virginiana | Pasture Rose, Wild or Pasture Rose | L, F |
Rhododendron maximum, R. periclymedoides, R. viscosum | Rosebay Rhododendron, Pinxterbloom Azalea, Swamp Azalea | L, N |
Rhus copallina, R. glabra, R. typhina | Winged Sumac, Smooth Sumac, Staghorn Sumac | L, F |
Salix discolor | Pussy Willow | L |
Sambucus canadensis | American Elderberry | L, F, N |
Vaccinium corymbosum | Highbush Blueberry | L, F, N |
Viburnum acerfolium, V. dentatum, V. lentago, V.nudum, V. prunifolium, V. trilobum | Mapleleaf Viburnum, Arrowwood Viburnum, Nannyberry, Smooth Witherod, Blackhaw Viburnum, American Cranberrybush | L, F |
L = Leaves support moth and butterfly caterpillars and other leaf-eating insects that are eaten by birds | ||
N = Nectar for hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators | ||
F = Food products such as berries, seeds, nuts, buds, and pollen for birds, mammals, and pollinators | ||
Perennials | ||
Aquilegia canadensis | Wild Columbine | N |
Asclepias incarnata, A. purpurascens, A. tuberosa | Swamp Milkweed, Purple Milkweed, Butterfly Weed | L, N |
Coreopsis lanceolata, C. tripteris | Tickseed, Tall Tickseed | F, N |
Eupatorium coelestinum, E. fistulosum, E. maculatum | Mistflower, Trumpet Flower, Joe Pye Weed | L, N |
Geranium maculatum | Wild Geranium | L |
Helianthus decapetalus, H. divaricatus | Thin-leaved Sunflower, Woodland Sunflower | L, F |
Heliopsis helianthoides | False Sunflower | F. N |
Liatris spicata | Dense Blazing Star | N |
Lobelia cardinalis, L. siphlitica | Cardinal Flower, Great Blue Lobelia | L, N |
Monarda didyma, M. fistulosa | Bee Balm, Wild Bergamot | L, N |
Oenothera fruticosa | Sundrops | L |
Oligoneuron rigidum | Stiff Goldenrod | F, N |
Penstemon digitalis | Beardtongue | L, N |
Phlox divaricata, P. maculata, P. paniculata, P. stolonifera | Woodland Phlox, Wild Sweet-William. Summer Phlox, Creeping Phlox | L, N |
Physostegia virginiana | Obedient Plant | N |
Rudbeckia fulgida, R. laciniata, R. triloba | Orange Coneflower, Cutleaf Coneflower, Three-lobed Coneflower | L, F, N |
Solidago caesia, S. flexicaulis, S. rugosa, S. speciosa | Bluestem Goldenrod, Zigzag Goldenrod, Wrinkle-leaf Goldenrod, Showy Goldenrod | L, F, N |
Symphyotrichum cordifolius, S. divaricatus, S. laeve, S. lateriflorum, S. novae-angliae, S. novi-belgii | Blue Wood Aster, White Wood Aster, Smooth Blue Aster, Calico Aster, New England Aster, New York Aster, | L, F, N |
Verbena hastata | Blue Vervain | L, N |
Vernonia glauca, V. noveboracensis | Upland Ironweed, New York Ironweed | N |
Viola palmata, V. rostrata, V. sororia, V. striata | Early Blue Violet, Longspur Violet, Common Blue Violet, Cream Violet | L |
Zizia aurea | Golden Alexander | L, N |
L = Leaves support moth and butterfly caterpillars and other leaf-eating insects that are eaten by birds | ||
N = Nectar for hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators | ||
F = Food products such as berries, seeds, nuts, buds, and pollen for birds, mammals, and pollinators | ||
Grasses and Sedges | ||
Carex amphibola, C. pensylvanica, C. platyphylla | Creek Sedge, Pennsylvania Sedge, Broadleaf Sedge | L, F |
Panicum virgatum | Switch Grass | L, F |
Schizachyrium scoparium | Little Bluestem | L, F |
Sorghastrum nutans | Indian Grass | F |
Sporobolus heterolepis | Prairie Dropseed | F |
Vines | ||
Campsis radicans | Trumpet Vine | N |
Lonicera sempervirens | Trumpet/Coral Honeysuckle | L, N, F |
Parthenocissus quinquifolia | Virginia Creeper | L, F |
Aquatic Plants | ||
Iris versicolor | Blue Flag Iris | L, N |
Juncus effusus | Soft Rush | F |
Nymphaea odorata | Fragrant Water Lily | N |
Pontederia cordata | Pickerel Weed | N |
Sagittaria latifolia | Arrowhead | N |
L = Leaves support moth and butterfly caterpillars and other leaf-eating insects that are eaten by birds | ||
N = Nectar for hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators | ||
F = Food products such as berries, seeds, nuts, buds, and pollen for birds, mammals, and pollinators |

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