Native Plants and Calculators

Use Regionally Native Plants

Native plants are species that are indigenous to a specific region, for example, the Chesapeake Bay watershed. They are adapted to the local soil and climate. As people moved from the Old World to the Americas, they brought exotic plants, and frequently changed the landscapes to resemble those that they knew in Europe and elsewhere. The result of the tendency to try to reproduce plants and plant arrangements from other countries is that thousands of acres of turf grass and many alien invasive species have been introduced.

Native plant benefits include:
• Best adapted to local conditions, for example, no need to use chemical fertilizers.
• Water conservation, that is, once plants are established in the right place, no need for supplemental watering.
• Reduced maintenance over the long run. While native plants are not maintenance-free, if they are placed in the landscape based on their preferred conditions, they require less care than non-native species.
• Won't harm natural areas, e.g., won't become invasive.
• High habitat value provides food, shelter, and nesting areas for wildlife.
• Great variety of species for all conditions and create a "sense of place."

Click here for the on-line version of Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping: Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

Select Plant Type: View All Types Fern Grass, sedge, carex Perennial Rain Garden Plants Shrub Shrub: deciduous Shrub: evergreen Tree Tree: deciduous Tree: evergreen Vine Xeriscape Plants

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Eupatorium coelestinum Common Name: Mist Flower / Hardy Ageratum The fuzzy blue flowers of hardy ageratum top attractive red stems in late summer and early fall. Easy to grow, it naturalizes readily and works well as a filler or groundcover planting. It's brilliant blue flowers make a unique and long-lasting c... [ More Info ]

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Eupatorium dubium Common Name: Joe Pye Weed Big clusters of mauve-pink flowers are almost always covered with butterflies. Keep your camera handy because it's common to see two or three different types of butterflies dining at one time. Whorled leaves on sturdy stems make this plant attractive... [ More Info ]

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Eurybia divaricata (Aster divaricatus) Common Name: White Wood Aster Asters are the backbone of many late summer and fall landscapes. The white woodland aster is a terrific ground cover and is especially valuable because it grows so well in dry shade. Thin, nearly black stems are topped with clouds of white flower... [ More Info ]