Plant ID and information

PLANT ID:
iNaturalist app Great for identifying plants and animals, and also a citizen science tool.  Your observations could be used by scientists to help track plant locations, bloom time, and other information.

NATIVE PLANT FINDER:
National Wildlife Federation Plant Finder and Butterfly Finder. Gives a list of native plants when you enter your zip code. You can also enter a plant name and find out which caterpillars use it as a host plant. 

NATIVE PLANT FINDER:
Northern Virginia Wildlife Gardening Database. Filter by size, sun, soil moisture, benefits caterpillars, bloom time and color and more! All plants listed are Virginia native plants. But some might be mountain zone only: 

NATIVE PLANT FINDER:
Northern Virginia Wildlife Gardening Database. Filter by size, sun, soil moisture, benefits caterpillars, bloom time and color and more! All plants listed are Virginia native plants. But some might be mountain zone only

IS THIS PLANT NATIVE?:
Virginia Plant Atlas, aka The Flora. Search by common name, scientific name, genus, and other fields. Also shows non-native plants that are growing wild in Virginia. Make sure you scroll down to the bottom to see if the plant is native or introduced (non-native). The easiest way to look up and see if a plant is native.

IS THIS PLANT NATIVE?:
BONAP (The Biota of North America Program). The maps can be very confusing! But will show where a plant is native in the US.  I usually google the plant name and BONAP, rather than navigating the site.

GROWING INFORMATION:
Missouri Botanical Garden is my favorite site for finding information about mature plant size and preferred growing conditions.  

IS THIS PLANT ON AN INVASIVE SPECIES LIST?
Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation keeps the official state list.  

IS THIS PLANT ON AN INVASIVE SPECIES LIST?
Invasive.org – This website will show if a plant is on an invasive species list anywhere in the US.  I find it easiest to google "invasive.org" and the name of the plant. If a plant is on an invasive list in nearby states, it’s a good idea to avoid planting it in Virginia!

INVASIVE PLANTS AND NATIVE ALTERNATIVES
Invasive Plants and Better Alternatives – by the Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia, with various invasive species and native alternatives.  They other great resources, too!

FUNDING FOR PLANTING NATIVES
Virginia Conservation Assistance Program (VCAP)
Financial assistance with impervious surface removal, permeable pavement installation, rain barrels, rain garden, conservation landscaping (native plants and mulch), and more!