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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