Our Favorite Natives!

Black-eyed Susan

Scientific Name: Rudbeckia hirta

• Perennial 

• Blooms in mid-late summer 

• Likes full sun to part shade & dry to average soil conditions 

• Grows to be 1-3’ 

• Yellow flowers 

• Important pollen source for specialist bees

•  Long-lasting forage for bees & flies 

• Leaves feed for 15 species of butterfly & moth caterpillars

• Seed cones persist from fall to winter to fuel migrating and overwintering songbirds

• Keystone species and host for caterpillars & specialist bees 

• Deer resistant plant 

• Good spreader 

Smooth Blue Aster

Scientific Name: Symphyotrichum laeve

• Perennial 

• Blooms in the fall

• Likes full sun and average to dry soil conditions 

• Grows to be 1-2’ 

• Lavender flowers 

• Important pollen source for specialist bees & bumblebees

• Late-season forage for pollinators

• Keystone species and host for caterpillars & specialist bees

• Good spreader

Goldenrod

Scientific Name: Solidago flexicaulis

• 1.5-5ft tall, 1-3 wide

• Often mixed up with the allergy-inducing Ragweed

• Attracts pollinators and is important for the winter survival of honeybees

• Produces seeds that Goldfinches, Grosbeaks and Nuthatches love

• Often used as a medicinal herb to relieve colds, fevers, and the flu

• Thrive in many different soil, moisture and pH environments

Joe Pye Weed 

Scientific Name: Eupatorium asterales

• Can reach up to 8 feet tall and wide

• Attracts many species of butterflies, birds and bees to it's large flowers. It's also a host plant for the catipillars of many moth species. 

• Nice fragrence and low maintenance 

• Grows quickly 

• Deer and rabbit resistant!

• Known for it's medicinal value 

Flowering Dogwood

Scientific Name: Benthamidia (Cornus) florida

• Bloom in spring 

• They like part sun & dry to moist soil conditions 

• They grow to be 20-50’ 

• White flowers and blackberries 

• Important pollen source for specialist bees

• Good source of protein for Bluebirds

Sweetbay Magnolia

Scientific Name: Magnolia virginiana 

• Blooms in spring 

• Likes full sun to shaded sun & moist to wet soil conditions

• Grows to be 12-30’ 

• White flowers 

• Benefits butterflies, hummingbirds & other pollinators, birds & small mammals

• Great specimen tree for lawn or shrub borders

Sugar Maple

Scientific Name: Acer saccharum

• Blooms in spring 

• Likes partly shaded sun & dry to average soil conditions 

• Grows to be 40-70’ 

• Green flowers 

• Supports 285 species of butterflies and moths for birds, mammals

• Host plant for caterpillars 

• Can be tapped for maple syrup