NATIVE PLANT LIST for New York, Pennsylvania, and Northern
New Jersey
This
is a "starter" list of native plants
for New York, Pennsylvania, and northern New Jersey.
It is intended for residential or commercial landscapers
who want to create attractive and varied native
landscapes.
Box Elder
Red Maple
Silver Maple
Sugar Maple
Black or Sweet Birch
River Birch
Gray Birch
Hornbeam
Hackberry
Eastern Redbud
Fringetree
Flowering Dogwood
American Beech
White Ash
Green Ash
Eastern Red Cedar
Sweet Gum
Tulip Poplar
Sweetbay Magnolia
Black Gum
American Sycamore
Eastern Cottonwood
Wild Plum
Black Cherry
White Oak
Swamp White Oak
Scarlet Oak
Pin Oak
Chestnut Oak
Red Oak
Black Oak
Black Willow
Sassafras
Basswood
Acer negundo
Acer rubrum
Acer saccharinum
Acer saccharum
Betula lenta
Betula nigra
Betula populifolia
Carpinus caroliniana
Celtis occidentalis
Cercis canadensis
Chionanthus virginicus
Cornus Florida
Fagus grandifolia
Fraxinus americana
Fraxinus pennsylvanica
Juniperus virginiana
Liquidambar styraciflua
Liriodendron tulipifera
Magnolia virginiana
Nyssa sylvatica
Plantanus occidentalis
Populus deltoides
Prunus americana
Prunus serotina
Quercus alba
Quercus bicolor
Quercus coccinea
Quercus palustris
Quercus prinus
Quercus rubra
Quercus velutina
Salix nigra
Sassafras albidum
Tilia americana
S
F-P
F-P
S
F-P
F
F-P
F-S
F-P
F
F-P
S
S
F-P
F-P
F-P
F-S
F
P-S
F-P
F-P
F-P
F-P
F-P
F-P
P-S
F-P
P-S
P
F-P
P-S
F-P
F-P
P-S
W-D
W-D
A-W
A
A
A-W
A
A-W
W-D
D
A
A
A
A
A
D-A
A-W
A
A-W
A
A-W
A-W
W-D
A-W
D
W
D
A-W
A
D-A
D
A-W
D-A
A-W
Migrating birds
eat seeds; male and female plants
Brilliant orange to crimson and scarlet in the fall
Lacy-like leaves with a white bloom on the underside
Fantastic orange fall color; classic maple syrup
Deciduous tree; wintergreen aroma from leaves, twigs
Modest yellow color; seeds attract birds
White bark; yellow fall color
Crisp, green summer foliage turns red-orange in fall
Yellow fall color; interesting warts on trunk in winter
Pea-like blooms in spring along twigs and branches
Show-stopping creamy white flowers in April-May
Large white flowers in spring; loved by wildlife
Dark green summer foliage turns to golden
Yellow, maroon, purple fall color; butterfly larval plant
Grows fast; tolerates salt; yellow fall color
Good for screening; attracts birds
Yellow, orange, scarlet, purple in fall; fruit litter
prob.
Attracts hummingbirds, squirrels; butterfly host plant
3" creamy white lemon-scented flowers all summer
Yellow, orange, red, purple in fall; fruit attracts birds
Leaves drop all summer; white mottled bark
Short-lived; messy tree; modest fall color
Nice flowers in spring; 1" red-yellow fruit; low
upkeep
Prized wood; edible fruit; leaves, twigs, bark poison
Brown, red, wine fall color; birds, squirrels eat acorns
Yellow to red-purple fall color
Brilliant scarlet fall color; rapid growth
Russett, bronze, red fall color
Useful lumber; acorns feed much wildlife
Russet red to bright red fall color; grows rapidly
Reddish brown fall color
Host plant for butterflies
Yellow flwrs (Apr); yellow, orange, pink, scarlet in fall
Wood used for carving; nectar makes honey; seeds attract
wildlife
Provides wildlife
habitat
Yellow and orange fall colors; fruit eaten by birds
White flowers bloom in early spring; edible fruit
Showy white flowers (Mar-June); edible fruit (Jun-Jul)
Bright red fruit and scarlet to pinkish-orange fall color
Dependable showy orange, burgendy, purple fall color
White flower heads; attractive fall foliage
Blooms attract butterflies; emergent in shallow water
Ivory white fragrant blooms in summer
Flat white flower head mid-spring -- not fragrant
2" dia. hemispherical inflorescences for 1 wk, May-Jun
White flowers in spring; twigs, berries turn red in fall
Golden yellow flowers in fall
Greenish white flowers bloom in spring
White blooms in early summer; red, orange in fall
Evergreen; inconspicuous flowers
Yellow blooms in early spring
Olive-green leaves, fragrant when crushed
Semi-evergreen; transplants well
Thicket-forming; responds to pruning; purple foliage
White spring blossoms; fruit used to make preserves
Showy orange to reddish-purple fall color
Red fall color; winter food for birds and wildlife
Velvety red fruit on female plants lasts into winter
Vibrant red and gold autumn foliage
Frag. flowers (summer); red hips (winter); fall color
Provides good wildlife habitat
Pinnate leaves; blooms in early summer
Creamy-white blooms in spring
White flat-topped inflorescenses 5" diameter in May
Creamy-white flowers in spring
White flowers; bright red edible bird-attracting fruit
Blue Star
Canada Anemone
Wild Columbine
Butterfly Weed
New England Aster
False Indigo
Boltonia
Marsh Marigold
River Oats
White Turtlehead
Pink Turtlehead
Tickseed
Pale Coneflower
Purple Coneflower
Joe-Pye-Weed
Wild Geranium
Swamp Sunflower
Alumroot
Swamp Rose Mallow
Blue Flag Iris
Blazing Star
Great Blue Lobelia
Monarda
Switch Grass
Beardtongue
Summer Phlox
Brown-eyed Susan
Goldenrod
Light blue
flowers in May
Strong growing plant produces single white blooms
Unique red and yellow flowers attract hummingbirds
Brilliant orange flowers; butterfly host plant
Bright lavender flwrs with yellow ctrs late summer-fall
Blue spikes of pea-shaped flowers (May-Jun)
Tall plant with white or pink flowers, resemble asters
1-1.5" bright yellow flowers in spring and summer
Grass turns copper in fall; bamboo-like appearance
White to pink 1-1.5" flowers summer into fall
Showy pink flowers July through September
Showy deep yellow flowers on tall stems in May, June
Large daisy-like flowers with drooping purp-pink petals
Daisy-like flowers with rose-purple rays
Pink, purple or white flowers
1" lavender-purple flowers in spring and summer
Yellow flwrs in late summer, fall; more blooms in June
Grn-purp bell-shaped flwrs on leafless stalk (spr-sum)
4-6" wht-pink flwrs with purp-crimson base (sum-fall)
3-4" blue flowers with yellow and white markings
Spike-like flowers late summer and early fall
Elongated cluster of pale-dark blue flwrs late sum-fall
Bloom July-August and beyond; attracts hummingbirds
Warm season grass; sod forming; red-tinged foliage
Attracts hummingbirds
Attractive fall flowers attract butterflies
Good, lasting cut flowers
Common yellow wildflower
Airy fan-shaped
bl-grn fronds on delicate black stems
Unique red and yellow flowers attract hummingbirds
Bushy plant; sm. wht flwrs produce red berries in fall
Spathe appears Mar-May; red berries late summer-fall
6-10" plumes of small cream-colored flowers
Evergreen ground cover; heart-shaped glossy leaves
Blue flowers in September-October
Yellow blooms early spring through summer
Grass turns copper in fall; bamboo-like appearance
Long slender candle-like clusters of wht flwrs; sum-fall
Pink-white flowers Feb-May; plant dormant after
White-yellow flowers resemble pantaloons in spring
Attractive foliage and pink and white flowers
Varied genera of ferns, some with interesting fall color
Large, six-petalled yellow flowers
1" lavender-purple flowers in spring and summer
Green-purple flwrs bloom on leafless stalks spr-sum
Terminal clusters of bright red flowers 1.5" long
in fall
Elongated cluster of pale-dark blue flwrs late sum-fall
Nodding, trumpet-like 1" blue flwrs spring, early
sum.
Circ. cluster of arching fronds, reddish fertle fronds
Bipannate blade; pinnae resemble locust tree leaves
Spikes of pink, white flwrs (spr); dark foliage in shade
White, pink, purple-violet trumpet-shaped flwrs (spr)
Terminal clusters of light blue bell-shaped flwrs (Apr)
2" white flwrs with yellow centers; roots have red
sap
2" wide lemon-yellow flowers bloom spring, early
sum
Evergreen ground cover; feathery flowers Apr-June
White or pink flowers have three broad petals
1. While
the plants listed above are native to and appropriate
for their indicated regions, please recognize that,
in some instances, human development alters the
characteristics of a site such that it may be advisable
to use plants from a neighboring region. For example,
plantings in urban and suburban areas may receive
reflected heat from streets, sidewalks and/or walls
or be in media that receives less moisture than
normal (e.g., next to a paved area – the pavement
blocks rain from entering soil). Accordingly, using
plants from a neighboring region that support higher
temperatures and/or drier conditions may be more
appropriate.
2. While a plant is native to a region, that does
not mean that it will grow everywhere in that region.
The characteristics of any site will typically vary
from place to place and some plants may do better
than others at various places within a site. In
other words, a little experimentation might be required.
3. The above list is a starter list. Though adequate
for most residential and commercial landscapes,
there are many more native plants and should you
want to consider them, please inquire at a listed
nursery, community
service organization, reference
book or other resources.
