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 NameCommon NameWildlife Value
Trees
Acer rubrum, A. saccharumRed Maple, Sugar MapleL, F
Amelanchier canadensis, A. laevisServiceberry/Shadbush/Juneberry, Smooth ServiceberryL. F
Betula lenta, B.nigraSweet Birch, River BirchL, F
Carya cordiformis, C. glabra, C. ovata, C. tomentosaBitternut Hickory, Pignut Hickory, Shagbark Hickory, Mockernut HickoryL, F
Celtis occidentalisHackberryL, F
Cercis canadensisEastern RedbudL, N
Cornus alternifolia, C.floridaPagoda Dogwood, Flowering DogwoodL, F
Fagus grandifoliaAmerican BeechL, F
Fraxinus americana, F. pennsylvanicaWhite Ash, Green AshL, F
Ilex opacaAmerican HollyL, F
Juglans nigraBlack WalnutL,F
Juniperus virginianaEastern Red CedarL, F
Liquidambar styracifluaSweet GumL, F
Liriodendron tulipiferaTulip TreeL, F, N
Nyssa sylvaticaBlack Gum/TupeloL, F
Pinus strobusEastern White PineL, F
Platanus occidentalisAmerican SycamoreL, F
Populus deltoidesEastern CottonwoodL, F
Prunus serotinaBlack CherryL, F
Quercus alba, Q.coccinea, Q. montana, Q. palustris, Q. rubra, Q. velutinaWhite Oak, Scarlet Oak, Chestnut Oak, Pin Oak, Red Oak, Black OakL, F
Salix nigraBlack WillowL, F
Sassafras albidumSassafrasL, F
Tilia americanaBasswoodL
Ulmus americanaAmerican 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 serrulataSmooth AlderL, F
Aronia arbutifolia, A. melanocarpa.Red Chokeberry, Black ChokeberryL, F
Cornus amomum, C. racemosa, C. sericeaSilky Dogwood, Gray Dogwood, Redtwig DogwoodL, F
Ilex verticillataWinterberry HollyF
Lindera benzoinSpicebushL, F, N
Myrica pensylvanicaBayberryL, F
Rosa carolina, R. virginianaPasture Rose, Wild or Pasture RoseL, F
Rhododendron maximum, R. periclymedoides, R. viscosumRosebay Rhododendron, Pinxterbloom Azalea, Swamp AzaleaL, N
Rhus copallina, R. glabra, R. typhinaWinged Sumac, Smooth Sumac, Staghorn SumacL, F
Salix discolorPussy WillowL
Sambucus canadensisAmerican ElderberryL, F, N
Vaccinium corymbosumHighbush BlueberryL, F, N
Viburnum acerfolium, V. dentatum, V. lentago, V.nudum, V. prunifolium, V. trilobumMapleleaf Viburnum, Arrowwood Viburnum, Nannyberry, Smooth Witherod, Blackhaw Viburnum, American CranberrybushL, 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 canadensisWild ColumbineN
Asclepias incarnata, A. purpurascens, A. tuberosaSwamp Milkweed, Purple Milkweed, Butterfly WeedL, N
Coreopsis lanceolata, C. tripterisTickseed, Tall TickseedF, N
Eupatorium coelestinum, E. fistulosum, E. maculatumMistflower, Trumpet Flower, Joe Pye WeedL, N
Geranium maculatumWild GeraniumL
Helianthus decapetalus, H. divaricatusThin-leaved Sunflower, Woodland SunflowerL, F
Heliopsis helianthoidesFalse SunflowerF. N
Liatris spicataDense Blazing StarN
Lobelia cardinalis, L. siphliticaCardinal Flower, Great Blue LobeliaL, N
Monarda didyma, M. fistulosaBee Balm, Wild BergamotL, N
Oenothera fruticosaSundropsL
Oligoneuron rigidumStiff GoldenrodF, N
Penstemon digitalisBeardtongueL, N
Phlox divaricata, P. maculata, P. paniculata, P. stoloniferaWoodland Phlox, Wild Sweet-William. Summer Phlox, Creeping PhloxL, N
Physostegia virginianaObedient PlantN
Rudbeckia fulgida, R. laciniata, R. trilobaOrange Coneflower, Cutleaf Coneflower, Three-lobed ConeflowerL, F, N
Solidago caesia, S. flexicaulis, S. rugosa, S. speciosaBluestem Goldenrod, Zigzag Goldenrod, Wrinkle-leaf Goldenrod, Showy GoldenrodL, F, N
Symphyotrichum cordifolius, S. divaricatus, S. laeve, S. lateriflorum, S. novae-angliae, S. novi-belgiiBlue Wood Aster, White Wood Aster, Smooth Blue Aster, Calico Aster, New England Aster, New York Aster,L, F, N
Verbena hastataBlue VervainL, N
Vernonia glauca, V. noveboracensisUpland Ironweed, New York IronweedN
Viola palmata, V. rostrata, V. sororia, V. striataEarly Blue Violet, Longspur Violet, Common Blue Violet, Cream VioletL
Zizia aureaGolden AlexanderL, 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. platyphyllaCreek Sedge, Pennsylvania Sedge, Broadleaf SedgeL, F
Panicum virgatumSwitch GrassL, F
Schizachyrium scopariumLittle BluestemL, F
Sorghastrum nutansIndian GrassF
Sporobolus heterolepisPrairie DropseedF
Vines
Campsis radicansTrumpet VineN
Lonicera sempervirensTrumpet/Coral HoneysuckleL, N, F
Parthenocissus quinquifoliaVirginia CreeperL, F
Aquatic Plants
Iris versicolorBlue Flag IrisL, N
Juncus effususSoft RushF
Nymphaea odorataFragrant Water LilyN
Pontederia cordataPickerel WeedN
Sagittaria latifoliaArrowheadN
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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