North American Plants for New England Gardens Roberta A. Clark, Extension Educator UMass Extension Landscape, Nursery & Urban Forestry Cape Cod Extension PO Box 367 Barnstable, MA 02639 There is a continuing trend in horticulture towards the increased use of plants of North American origin in the garden. This continent has a great diversity of plant life, much of which lends itself to residential and commercial landscapes. North America is divided into many ecologically distinct regions. Here in New England, we live in the eastern deciduous forest but within this region there are many different plant habitats such as meadows, marshes, mountains, uplands, and sand plains, among others. Many plants that are native to other areas of the country are adaptable to a much larger area than where they are growing wild. White fir (Abies concolor), while native to Colorado, is one of the best firs for eastern gardens, and Fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus), found from New Jersey south, is an exceptional ornamental plant for much of New England. The term "native" is often defined as those plants that have been documented to occur in an area before the arrival of the colonists. Sometimes "native" is used to mean "native to the United States". This is the definition used for this fact sheet. In most cases, the listed plants will be selected for ornamental purposes and this broader definition is applicable. However, when re-vegetating wetlands, restoring natural areas or landscaping coastal properties, use plant species that are naturally found within those habitats. While most indigenous plants are adaptable to various growing conditions, some have distinct requirements for light, soil type, or moisture levels. Though many of the plants listed here will produce more flowers and/or fruit if grown in full sun; they will also grow well under shaded conditions, but typically develop a more open growth habit. Examine a site where a particular plant is growing naturally in order to understand what its growing requirements are. This is particularly important for wetland species. New England also encompasses a range of cold-hardiness zones, from zone 7 on Cape Cod to zone 3 in northern Maine. Some native plants occur throughout this range while others are restricted to the warmer zones. Refer to reference books for the specific hardiness of the species of native plants listed. Many native trees and shrubs blend well with the introduced plants that are already in our landscapes. They may produce impressive displays of flowers, colorful clusters of fruit or have spectacular foliage color or interesting bark. They can be part of a fragrance garden or attract hummingbirds to an area. Whatever the niche, there is plant from the North American palette to fill it. Many of these plants are available from nurseries and garden centers in Massachusetts and other New England states. Several reference books are available that provide more detailed information on native plants. Among them are Michael Dirr's "Manual of Woody Landscape Plants", 5th Ed., and Gary Hightshoe's "Native Trees, Shrubs, and Vines for Urban and Rural America". Sun, droughty soil Arctostaphylos uva-ursi - Bearberry Physocarpus opulifolius - Eastern ninebark Comptonia peregrina - Sweet fern Pinus banksiana - Jack pine Hypericum prolificum - Shrubby St. Pinus rigida - Pitch pine Johnswort Prunus maritima - Beach plum Juniperus communis - Pasture juniper Rhus aromatica - Fragrant sumac Juniperus horizontalis - Creeping juniper Rhus copallina - Shining sumac Juniperus virginiana - Eastern red cedar Rhus typhina - Staghorn sumac Myrica pensylvanica - Bayberry Viburnum dentatum – Arrow wood Ostrya virginiana - Ironwood Sun, well drained soil Abies concolor - Concolor fir Liquidambar styraciflua - Sweetgum Acer rubrum - Red maple Liriodendron tulipifera - Tuliptree/tulip Acer saccharum - Sugar maple poplar Aesculus parviflora -Bottlebrush buckeye Magnolia acuminata - Cucumber magnolia Aesculus pavia - Red buckeye Magnolia virginiana - Sweetbay magnolia Amelanchier spp. - Shadbush Myrica pensylvanica - Bayberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi -Bearberry Ostrya virginiana - Ironwood Betula nigra - River birch Oxydendrum arboreum - Sourwood Carpinus caroliniana - American hornbeam Physocarpus opulifolius - Eastern ninebark Ceanothus americanus - New Jersey tea Picea glauca - White spruce Cercis canadensis - Eastern redbud Pieris floribunda - Mt. pieris Chionanthus virginicus - Fringetree Pinus banksiana - Jack pine Cladrastis kentuckea - Yellowwood Pinus strobus - White pine Clethra alnifolia - Sweet pepperbush Pinus resinosa - Red pine Comptonia peregrina - Sweet fern Prunus maritima - Beach plum Cornus racemosa - Grey dogwood Ptelea trifoliata - Hoptree Crataegus viridis - Green hawthorn Quercus spp.- Oak, various species Fothergilla gardenii, F. major - Fothergilla Rhododendron calendulaceum - Flame azalea Fraxinus americana - White ash Rhododendron periclymenoides- Fraxinus pennsylvanica - Green ash Pinxterbloom azalea Halesia tetraptera - Carolina silverbell Rhus aromatica - Fragrant sumac Hamamelis virginiana -Common witch hazel Rhus copallina - Shining sumac Hydrangea quercifolia - Oakleaf hydrangea Rhus typhina - Staghorn sumac Hypericum prolificum - Shrubby St. Rosa carolina - Carolina rose Johnswort Rosa virginiana - Virginia rose Ilex glabra - Inkberry Thuja occidentalis - eastern arborvitae Ilex opaca - American holly Tilia americana - Basswood Itea virginica - Sweetspire Vaccinium spp. - Blueberry Juniperus communis - Pasture juniper Viburnum cassinoides - Northern wild raisin Juniperus horizontalis - Creeping juniper Viburnum dentatum - Arrow-wood Juniperus virginiana - Eastern red cedar Viburnum lentago - Nannyberry Kalmia latifolia - Mt. laurel Viburnum prunifolium -Blackhaw viburnum Viburnum trilobum – American cranberrybush viburnum Moist soils Acer rubrum - Red maple Itea virginica -Virginia sweetspire Aesculus parviflora - Bottlebrush buckeye Kalmia angustifolia - Sheep laurel Aesculus pavia - Red buckeye Kalmia latifolia - Mt. laurel Aronia spp. - Chokeberry Lindera benzoin - Spicebush Betula alleghaniensis - Yellow birch Liquidambar styraciflua - Sweet gum Betula nigra - River birch Liriodendron tulipifera - Tulip tree Calycanthus floridus - Carolina allspice Magnolia acuminata - Cucumber magnolia Carpinus caroliniana -American hornbeam Magnolia virginiana - Sweetbay magnolia Cercis canadensis - E astern redbud Nyssa sylvatica - Tupelo Chamaecyparis thyoides - Atlantic white Pieris floribunda - Mt. pieris cedar Rhododendron calendulaceum - Flame azalea Chionanthus virginicus - Fringetree Rhododendron maximum - Rosebay Cladrastis kentuckea - Yellowwood rhododendron Clethra alnifolia - Sweet pepperbush Rhododendron vaseyi - Pinkshell azalea Cornus alternifolia - Alternate leaf dogwood Rhododendron viscosum - Swamp azalea Cornus amomum - Silky dogwood Rosa carolina -Carolina rose Cornus racemosa - Grey dogwood Salix discolor - Pussy willow Fagus grandifolia - American beech Sambucus canadensis - Elderberry Fothergilla major, F. gardenii - Fothergilla Spirea latifolia - Broadleaf meadowsweet Franklinia alatamaha - Franklinia Spirea tomentosa - Steeplebush Hamamelis virginiana - Common witch hazel Stewartia ovata - Mountain stewartia Halesia tetraptera - Carolina silverbells Styrax americanus - American snowbell Hydrangea arborescens - Smooth hydrangea Thuja occidentalis -Eastern arborvitae Hydrangea quercifolia -Oakleaf hydrangea Tilia americana - Basswood Ilex glabra - Inkberry Vaccinium corymbosum - Highbush blueberry Ilex verticillata – Winterberry Wetlands Acer rubrum - Red maple Lindera benzoin - Spicebush Cephalanthus occidentalis - Buttonbush Nyssa sylvatica - Tupelo Chamaedaphne calyculata - Leatherleaf Quercus bicolor - Swamp white oak Clethra alnifolia - Sweet Pepperbush Rhododendron viscosum - Swamp azalea Cornus racemosa - Grey dogwood Salix discolor - Pussy willow Ilex glabra - Inkberry Nyssa sylvatica - Tupelo Ilex verticillata - Winterberry Vaccinium corymbosum - Highbush blueberry Kalmia angustifolia - Sheep laurel Viburnum dentatum - Arrowwood Part Shade/Shade Aesculus parviflora - Bottlebrush buckeye Kalmia angustifolia - Sheep Laurel Aesculus pavia - Red buckeye Kalmia latifolia - Mt. laurel Amelanchier spp. - Shadbush Leucothoe axillaris - Coast leucothoe Aronia spp. - Chokeberry Leucothoe fontanesiana - Drooping leucothoe Carpinus caroliniana - American hornbeam Magnolia virginiana - Sweetbay magnolia Cercis canadensis - Redbud Pieris floribunda - Mt. pieris Chionanthus virginicus - Fringetree Ptelea trifoliata - Hoptree Clethra alnifolia - Sweet pepperbush Rhododendron arborescens - Sweet azalea Cornus alternifolia - Alternate leaf dogwood Rhododendron maximum - Rosebay Cornus amomum - Silky dogwood rhododendron Cornus racemosa - Grey dogwood Stewartia ovata - Mountain stewartia Franklinia alatamaha - Franklinia Vaccinium corymbosum - Highbush blueberry Halesia tetraptera - Carolina silverbell Viburnum acerifolium - Mapleleaf viburnum Hamamelis vernalis - Vernal witch hazel Viburnum alnifolium - Hobblebush Hamamelis virginiana - Common witch hazel Viburnum cassinoides - Northern wild raisin Hydrangea quercifolia - Oakleaf hydrangea Viburnum dentatum - Arrowwood Ilex glabra - Inkberry Viburnum lentago - Nannyberry Ilex opaca - American holly Viburnum prunifolium - Blackhaw viburnu Trees & shrubs to attract birds Amelanchier spp. - Shadbush Ilex glabra - Inkberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi - Bearberry Ilex opaca - American holly Aronia spp. - Chokeberry Juniperus