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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Panicum virgatum Common Name: Switchgrass A clump-forming grass that grows 4-5' tall with flower heads rising another 1' above the foliage. Flower heads turn beige in fall with the seed plumes persisting well into winter. This bunch grass provides excellent cover and food for ducks, upland g... [ More Info ]

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Parthenocissus quinquefolia Common Name: Virginia Creeper Virginia creeper is a deciduous, woody vine that climbs vigorously. Attaching to walls and other surfaces with adhesive disks, handsome, five-fingered leaves emerge purplish in spring, mature to green in summer and change to purple or crimson-red in ... [ More Info ]

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Penstemon digitalis Common Name: Tall White Beardtongue Beautiful, lettuce-like, leaves give rise to thick spikes of white flowers. Butterflies visit the flowers for nectar and songbirds such as cardinals and goldfinch eat ripe seed from the flower stems in fall and winter. Benefits: Easy-to-gr... [ More Info ]

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Phlox divaricata Common Name: Woodland Phlox Loose clusters violet-blue, sweetly fragrant flowers appear on compact plants in spring, providing nectar for butterflies early in the season. Plants will spread and can form large colonies over time. Mingles well with other shade plants such as foa... [ More Info ]

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Phlox maculata Common Name: Meadow Phlox Dark pink flower heads top of sturdy stems with thick, glossy leaves. Meadow phlox blooms earlier than tall phlox (Phlox paniculata), has darker green leaves and better mildew resistance. Fragrant flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Bene... [ More Info ]

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Phlox paniculata Common Name: Summer Phlox Summer Phlox has heads of pink flowers accented by darker pink centers. The individual flowers are packed into 6-12" long pyramidal clusters atop stiff, upright stems that seldom need staking. Long mid- to late summer bloom sometimes extends into ear... [ More Info ]

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Physostegia virginiana Common Name: Obedient Plant Stiff, square stems end in dense spikes of pure white, snapdragon-like flowers, which bloom throughout the summer. Benefits: Good nectar source for butterflies and other pollinators Stem clumps make good ground cover for wildlife<... [ More Info ]

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Pinus strobus Common Name: Eastern White Pine Eastern white pine is a rapid-growing, long-lived, needled evergreen that is pyramidal in its early years but matures to a broad oval habit with an irregular crown. Blue-green needles are soft to the touch and make a soothing sound when wind passes t... [ More Info ]

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Polemonium reptans Common Name: Jacob's Ladder Pale lavender blue, bell-shaped flowers bloom for many weeks in late spring. Foliage provides good contrast to other shade plants and combines well with purple Heucheras and deep green ferns.... [ More Info ]

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Polygonatum biflorum Common Name: Solomon's Seal Bell-shaped green-white flowers dangle down from knee-high arching stems in May. The flowers give way to blue-black berries later in summer and the foliage turns gold in fall. Plants spread slowly by creeping rhizomes, forming handsome stands. Ben... [ More Info ]