A garden full of possibilities.

Photo: Carl Lewis · CC BY 2.0

A fragrant evergreen screen

Alaheʻe

Psydrax odorata

Fragrant white flowers and drought-tolerant native foliage make a durable screen.

Instead of japanese pittosporum

Tuft of scalloped, variegated leaves emerging between rocks.

A mound of textured foliage

American alumroot

Heuchera americana

Airy flower stalks add nectar for bees and other pollinators above a low mound of native leaves.

Instead of heartleaf bergenia

Photo: Behnke Nurseries, Inc. · CC BY 4.0

Callicarpa americana in summer in Moore County

A shrub with colorful berries

American beautyberry

Callicarpa americana

Clusters of purple berries offer a fall food source for robins, towhees, and other songbirds.

Instead of heavenly bamboo

Photo: Susan Strine · CC BY 2.0

A native hedge for dry ground

Antelope bitterbrush

Purshia tridentata

This native shrub provides branching structure without frequent irrigation.

Instead of heavenly bamboo

Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk) · CC BY-SA 3.0

Low mounds of autumn flowers

Aromatic aster

Symphyotrichum oblongifolium

Late native flowers feed pollinators, and hollow stems can shelter nesting bees.

Instead of garden mum

Photo: Fritz Flohr Reynolds · CC BY-SA 4.0

A flowering hedge with dark berries

Arrowwood viburnum

Viburnum dentatum

Native fruit feeds songbirds, and the shrub can host spring azure caterpillars.

Instead of heavenly bamboo

Photo: Fritz Flohr Reynolds · CC BY-SA 4.0

Subshrub with opposite, ovate leaves & spikes of pink flowers.

A long-flowering small shrub

Autumn sage

Salvia greggii

Tubular flowers feed hummingbirds and butterflies, while seeds provide food for birds.

Instead of woodland sage

Photo: K. Andre · CC BY 2.0

A bold grass for a coastal garden

Beach wildrye

Leymus mollis

Native rhizomes help stabilize sandy coastal ground.

Instead of maiden grass

Photo: Ryan Hodnett · CC BY-SA 4.0

A low evergreen groundcover

Bearberry

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

Its flowers support pollinators and its red berries provide food for birds and other wildlife.

Instead of bearberry cotoneaster

Photo: Walter Siegmund · CC BY-SA 3.0

A silver-leaved dryland screen

Big sagebrush

Artemisia tridentata

Native silver foliage brings year-round structure with little or no irrigation after establishment.

Instead of japanese pittosporum

A shrub with autumn color

Black chokeberry

Aronia melanocarpa

Native flowers attract pollinators, while dark fruit and red fall leaves extend seasonal interest.

Instead of burning bush

Photo: Linda N. · CC BY 2.0

Golden summer daisies

Black-eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta

Native flowers feed butterflies, and seedheads feed goldfinches in fall.

Instead of shasta daisy

Photo: Dotty Leatherwood · CC BY 4.0

yellow daisy flowers with dark red eyes.

Bright, sunny daisy flowers

Blanketflower

Gaillardia aristata

Long-lasting native flowerheads supply food for bees, butterflies, and visiting birds.

Instead of shasta daisy

Photo: Matt Lavin · CC-BY-SA 2.0

A substantial flowering perennial

Blue false indigo

Baptisia australis

Blue flower spires feed bees, and native butterfly caterpillars use the foliage as food.

Instead of woodland sage

Photo: Fritz Flohr Reynolds · CC-BY-SA 2.0

A small grass with dancing seedheads

Blue grama

Bouteloua gracilis

A low native prairie grass brings lasting ground-level cover to a dry garden.

Instead of maiden grass

Photo: Matt Lavin · CC-BY-SA 2.0

Late blue flowers for moist ground

Blue mistflower

Conoclinium coelestinum

Nectar-rich flowers feed butterflies, followed by seeds for birds.

Instead of garden mum

Photo: Bob Peterson · CC-BY-SA 2.0

Tall grass for a woodland edge

Blue wildrye

Elymus glaucus

Native bunches provide habitat for birds and mammals and help stabilize disturbed ground.

Instead of maiden grass

Photo: Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova · CC BY-SA 4.0

Fine grassy leaves and blue flowers

Blue-eyed grass

Sisyrinchium angustifolium

Small native flowers feed bumblebees, sweat bees, butterflies, and flies.

Instead of lilyturf

Photo: Susan Shrine · CC BY 2.0

A drought-tolerant native grass

Bluebunch wheatgrass

Pseudoroegneria spicata

Deep native roots help stabilize dry ground while the foliage feeds grazing wildlife.

Instead of maiden grass

Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0

Silver-topped pollinator flowers

Blunt mountain mint

Pycnanthemum muticum

Native flowers feed butterflies and other pollinators, while leaves host wavy-lined emerald caterpillars.

Instead of woodland sage

Photo: Cathy Dewitt · CC BY 4.0

A low blueberry for acidic ground

Bog blueberry

Vaccinium uliginosum

Native flowers and blue berries add seasonal interest to a cold-climate garden.

Instead of bearberry cotoneaster

Photo: Wkee4ager · CC BY-SA 4.0

Pink flowers in a cool bog garden

Bog laurel

Kalmia polifolia

Native spring flowers provide pollen for bees in cool, acidic wetlands.

Instead of japanese spirea

Photo: peupleloup · CC BY-SA 2.0

A small evergreen flowering shrub

Bog rosemary

Andromeda polifolia

Low native evergreen foliage and pink bells bring year-round structure to a cool bog garden.

Instead of bearberry cotoneaster

Photo: H. Zell · CC BY-SA 3.0

A flowering woodland groundcover

Bunchberry

Cornus canadensis

Small native flowers feed pollinators, and red berries provide food for birds.

Instead of common periwinkle

Photo: Peganum · CC-BY-SA 2.0

A butterfly border

Butterfly weed

Asclepias tuberosa

Unlike butterfly bush, this native milkweed feeds monarch caterpillars as well as nectar-seeking butterflies.

Instead of butterfly bush

Photo: Cathy DeWitt · CC BY 4.0

Shoot with opposite leaves & spherical head of white flowers.

A pollinator-friendly shrub

Buttonbush

Cephalanthus occidentalis

Round flower clusters feed bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, followed by seeds for birds.

Instead of butterfly bush

Photo: Al Riordan · CC BY 4.0

A low flowering dryland shrub

California buckwheat

Eriogonum fasciculatum

Native flowers feed butterflies, and seeds feed birds.

Instead of japanese spirea

Photo: Jasper Shide · CC0

Low, sunny flowers

California poppy

Eschscholzia californica

Pollen-rich native blooms offer a food source for bees in dry, sunny gardens.

Instead of treasure flower

Photo: Koshy Koshy · CC BY 2.0

Red flowers for a moist border

Cardinal flower

Lobelia cardinalis

Late red flowers supply nectar for hummingbirds and butterflies.

Instead of woodland sage

Photo: Debbie Roos · CC BY 2.0

Red-and-yellow woodland flowers

Carolina pink

Spigelia marilandica

Native tubular flowers supply nectar for hummingbirds in a shaded garden.

Instead of asian bleeding heart

Photo: Cathy Dewitt · CC BY 4.0

A flowering small tree with fruit

Chokecherry

Prunus virginiana

Native foliage feeds swallowtail caterpillars, and the fruit feeds birds.

Instead of heavenly bamboo

Photo: Maxime Laterreur · CC BY-SA 4.0

Year-round fern texture

Christmas fern

Polystichum acrostichoides

Evergreen fronds provide winter cover close to the ground and nesting material for songbirds.

Instead of japanese painted fern

Photo: Photo by Cranbrook Science · CC BY 2.0

Tall fern texture for a wet woodland

Cinnamon fern

Osmundastrum cinnamomeum

Native fern clumps shelter birds, which also use the stem hairs to line nests.

Instead of japanese holly fern

Photo: David J. Stang · CC BY-SA 4.0

White flowers for a wet meadow

Common boneset

Eupatorium perfoliatum

Late native flowers feed many pollinators, and seedheads supply food for birds.

Instead of butterfly bush

Photo: H. Zell · CC BY-SA 3.0

A shrub with lasting berries

Common snowberry

Symphoricarpos albus

Native foliage feeds snowberry clearwing caterpillars, and white berries provide food for wildlife.

Instead of heavenly bamboo

Photo: Patrick Standish · CC BY 2.0

Fern-like clumps of low plants used as groundcover.

Low evergreen cycad foliage

Coontie

Zamia integrifolia

Native leaves feed atala butterfly and echo moth caterpillars.

Instead of sago palm

Photo: Andy king50 · CC BY-SA 3.0

green rosette plants with tall clusters of small dark pink flos.

A low mound with red flowers

Coral bells

Heuchera sanguinea

Tiny red bells provide nectar for bees and hummingbirds above native foliage.

Instead of heartleaf bergenia

Photo: Patrick Standish · CC BY 2.0

Masses of red, trumpet-shaped flowers with yellow stamens.

A flowering vine for a trellis

Coral honeysuckle

Lonicera sempervirens

Native trumpet flowers feed hummingbirds, and red berries feed songbirds.

Instead of english ivy

Photo: Kathy Sill · CC BY 4.0

An evergreen woodland groundcover

Creeping Oregon grape

Berberis repens

Native flowers feed pollinators, and berries and evergreen cover support birds and small mammals.

Instead of common periwinkle

Photo: Katja Schulz · CC BY 2.0

A carpet of woodland flowers

Creeping woodland phlox

Phlox stolonifera

A low carpet of native spring flowers offers nectar for butterflies and hummingbirds.

Instead of common periwinkle

Photo: Michael Wolf · CC BY-SA 3.0

Single, erect frond with pinnatifid pinnules

Fern texture for a wet woodland

Crested wood fern

Dryopteris cristata

Native fronds cover moist shaded ground, with some foliage remaining through mild winters.

Instead of japanese painted fern

Photo: Nature Serve · CC-BY-SA 2.0

A flowering evergreen climber

Crossvine

Bignonia capreolata

Early trumpet-shaped flowers supply nectar for hummingbirds and other pollinators.

Instead of english ivy

Photo: Susan Strine · CC BY 2.0

A low woodland fern

Deer fern

Blechnum spicant

Evergreen fronds bring a layer of native woodland cover to cool, shaded northwestern gardens.

Instead of japanese holly fern

Photo: Sdjurovic · CC BY-SA 4.0

A large native ornamental grass

Deergrass

Muhlenbergia rigens

Native clumps shelter wildlife, and the seeds feed songbirds.

Instead of maiden grass

Photo: Stan Shebs · CC BY-SA 3.0

Upright purple flower spikes

Dense blazing star

Liatris spicata

Purple flower spikes draw bees and butterflies, while their seeds feed goldfinches later in the season.

Instead of woodland sage

Photo: Hedwig Storch · CC BY-SA 3.0

A flowering shrub for wet ground

Douglas spirea

Spiraea douglasii

Dense native flower clusters bring summer color to a moist hedge or rain garden.

Instead of japanese spirea

Photo: Joe Mabel · CC BY 4.0

A compact shrub with fall color

Dwarf fothergilla

Fothergilla gardenii

Bottlebrush flowers offer spring nectar for bees, paired with colorful autumn foliage.

Instead of burning bush

Photo: Randy Harter · CC BY 4.0

'Savannah Silver' - Form - April; 22 - Wake Co., NC

Bold evergreen fan leaves

Dwarf palmetto

Sabal minor

Native palm fruit feeds birds and mammals while broad leaves add year-round structure.

Instead of sago palm

Photo: Cathy DeWitt · CC BY 4.0

A field of grass with large, broad leaves and long, thin flowers

Broad leaves and tall native grass texture

Eastern gamagrass

Tripsacum dactyloides

Native grass clumps shelter quail, feed seed-eating birds, and host skipper caterpillars.

Instead of maiden grass

Photo: Matt Lavin · CC BY-SA 2.0 DE

Nodding spring flowers

Eastern red columbine

Aquilegia canadensis

Red-and-yellow flowers give hummingbirds and bumblebees a nectar stop in spring.

Instead of asian bleeding heart

Photo: Patty Felder · CC BY 4.0

Arching foliage for woodland shade

False Solomon's seal

Maianthemum racemosum

Native spring flowers feed insects, followed by berries for birds and small mammals.

Instead of fragrant hosta

Photo: Kathy Sill · CC BY 4.0

A tropical flowering shrub

Firebush

Hamelia patens

Red native flowers feed hummingbirds and butterflies, followed by berries for birds.

Instead of butterfly bush

Red flowers for a dry border

Firecracker penstemon

Penstemon eatonii

Native red flower tubes supply nectar for hummingbirds.

Instead of woodland sage

Photo: Matt Lavin · CC BY-SA 2.0

Tall pink flower spires

Fireweed

Epilobium angustifolium

Native flowers feed bees, and the foliage supports moth and butterfly caterpillars.

Instead of woodland sage

Photo: Dcrjsr · CC BY 3.0

Erect racemes of small, white flowers above green foliage.

Soft woodland foliage

Foamflower

Tiarella cordifolia

Foamy spring flowers bring bees and other pollinators to the shady parts of your garden.

Instead of fragrant hosta

Photo: Tiarella cordifolia · CC BY-SA 4.0

A native hedge for dry, salty ground

Fourwing saltbush

Atriplex canescens

Native roots help hold soil while the shrub provides wildlife food and cover.

Instead of japanese pittosporum

Photo: Stan Shebs · CC BY-SA 3.0

Upright flower spires

Foxglove beardtongue

Penstemon digitalis

White tubular flowers provide nectar for bees, hummingbirds, and other visiting pollinators.

Instead of woodland sage

Photo: Andrey-Zharkikh · CC BY 4.0

Tall, feathery flowers for shade

Goat's beard

Aruncus dioicus

Native flower plumes attract pollinators, and the foliage feeds dusky azure caterpillars.

Instead of japanese spirea

Photo: Meneekre bloem · CC BY-SA 4.0

A flowering shrub with berries

Golden currant

Ribes aureum

Native spring flowers are followed by fruit for birds and colorful autumn leaves.

Instead of border forsythia

Blue flower spikes for moist shade

Great blue lobelia

Lobelia siphilitica

Native flower tubes feed bumblebees and other long-tongued pollinators.

Instead of woodland sage

Photo: H. Zell · CC BY-SA 3.0

A flowering groundcover

Green and gold

Chrysogonum virginianum

Yellow native flowers feed bees and butterflies, while the seeds provide food for songbirds.

Instead of bugleweed

Photo: Patty Felder · CC BY 4.0

An evergreen shrub for a dry border

Greenleaf manzanita

Arctostaphylos patula

Native evergreen foliage, pink-white flowers, and red bark add interest without frequent watering.

Instead of japanese pittosporum

Photo: Walter Siegmund · CC BY 2.5

Rosette on a rock face, with an inflorescence of white flowers.

Lush foliage with airy flowers

Hairy alumroot

Heuchera villosa

Late flower stalks supply nectar for bees and other pollinators above a mound of native foliage.

Instead of heartleaf bergenia

Photo: Dominic · CC BY 4.0

A native tree fern for shade

Hāpuʻu ʻiʻi

Cibotium menziesii

Large native fronds add understory structure and help protect shaded soil.

Instead of australian tree fern

A native tree fern

Hāpuʻu pulu

Cibotium glaucum

A native tree fern adds an understory canopy and helps control erosion.

Instead of australian tree fern

Photo: Hermann Luyken · CC0

A fruiting shrub with fall color

Highbush blueberry

Vaccinium corymbosum

Native flowers feed bees, and berries feed a wide range of birds and mammals.

Instead of burning bush

Photo: Rob Hille · CC BY-SA 3.0

Soft silver native foliage

Hinahina kuahiwi

Artemisia australis

Silver Hawaiian foliage adds contrast to a dry border with little irrigation.

Instead of dusty miller

A textured evergreen screen

Hōʻawa

Pittosporum confertiflorum

Textured native foliage provides an evergreen focal point or screen.

Instead of japanese pittosporum

Small purple flowers for shade

Hookedspur violet

Viola adunca

Native leaves feed fritillary caterpillars, and flowers feed bumblebees and butterflies.

Instead of bugleweed

Photo: DouglasGoldman · CC BY-SA 4.0

A sedge for a water garden

ʻAhuʻawa

Cyperus javanicus

Native waterfowl use this flood-tolerant sedge for food, shelter, and nesting material.

Instead of umbrella sedge

A wind-tolerant native hedge

ʻAʻaliʻi

Dodonaea viscosa

A locally sourced Hawaiian shrub restores native evergreen structure to a sunny garden.

Instead of heavenly bamboo

A compact native shrub

ʻĀkia

Wikstroemia uva-ursi

Colorful fruit and native foliage bring interest to a dry garden with little irrigation.

Instead of heavenly bamboo

A spreading coastal grass

ʻAkiʻaki

Sporobolus virginicus

Spreading native grass helps protect exposed coastal soil.

Instead of maiden grass

A hibiscus for wet ground

ʻAkiohala

Hibiscus furcellatus

Large pink native flowers bring color to moist ground and the edges of water features.

Instead of tropical hibiscus

A succulent coastal groundcover

ʻĀkulikuli

Sesuvium portulacastrum

Salt-tolerant native groundcover protects soil in coastal gardens.

Instead of treasure flower

Photo: by Eric Guinther ( Marshman at en.wikipedia ) · CC BY-SA 3.0

Small foliage for a sheltered pot

ʻAlaʻala wai nui

Peperomia sandwicensis

Compact Hawaiian foliage brings a native species into small, sheltered containers.

Instead of fragrant hosta

Photo: David Eickhoff from Pearl City, Hawaii, USA · CC BY 2.0

A low-water native hedge

ʻĀweoweo

Chenopodium oahuense

Native foliage provides a hedge or groundcover adapted to dry coastal conditions.

Instead of japanese pittosporum

Bold native fern leaves

ʻĒkaha

Asplenium nidus

Broad native fronds provide bold foliage beneath trees or in a sheltered container.

Instead of japanese holly fern

A succulent for sunny pots

ʻIhi

Portulaca lutea

This native succulent tolerates dry, windy sites and needs little water once established.

Instead of treasure flower

A sprawling flowering groundcover

ʻIlieʻe

Plumbago zeylanica

Spreading native stems help hold soil while white flowers brighten a sunny edge.

Instead of blue plumbago

A sunny flowering border

ʻIlima

Sida fallax

Yellow flowers offer food for native yellow-faced bees.

Instead of treasure flower

A flowering native focal point

ʻŌhiʻa lehua

Metrosideros polymorpha

Native ʻōhiʻa flowers supply nectar to Hawaiian birds where those birds occur.

Instead of tropical hibiscus

Strappy foliage for a border

ʻUkiʻuki

Dianella sandwicensis

Native strappy leaves and blue-purple fruit replace a conventional lilyturf border.

Instead of lilyturf

A spreading native shrub

ʻŪlei

Osteomeles anthyllidifolia

Once established, this native shrub flowers with little supplemental water.

Instead of bearberry cotoneaster

An airy ornamental grass

Kāwelu

Eragrostis variabilis

This Hawaiian grass adds native texture and helps cover exposed soil.

Instead of maiden grass

A moist-garden evergreen screen

Koʻolau hōʻawa

Pittosporum glabrum

Clusters of pale flowers and native foliage add structure to a moist garden.

Instead of japanese pittosporum

A red-flowered shrub or small tree

Kokiʻo ʻula

Hibiscus kokio

Native red hibiscus keeps the bold tropical flowers while restoring a Hawaiian species.

Instead of tropical hibiscus

A white-flowered hedge

Kokiʻo keʻokeʻo

Hibiscus arnottianus

Fragrant white flowers bring a distinctly Hawaiian hibiscus to a flowering hedge.

Instead of tropical hibiscus

A native evergreen screen

Kona hōʻawa

Pittosporum hosmeri

Fragrant flowers and textured foliage make this Hawaiʻi Island tree a native screening option.

Instead of japanese pittosporum

Soft native fern texture

Kupukupu

Nephrolepis cordifolia

Native fern foliage adds groundcover and helps protect shaded soil.

Instead of japanese holly fern

An evergreen shrub for acidic wet ground

Labrador tea

Rhododendron groenlandicum

Native evergreen foliage adds lasting structure to a cool, acidic bog garden.

Instead of japanese pittosporum

Photo: Robert Flogaus-Faust · CC BY 4.0

A sunny yellow-flowered border

Lanceleaf coreopsis

Coreopsis lanceolata

Golden native flowers feed bees and butterflies, with seeds for birds.

Instead of shasta daisy

Photo: Andrey Zharkikh · CC BY 2.0

Airy blue prairie flowers

Lewis's blue flax

Linum lewisii

Native blue flowers feed small bees and flies, followed by seeds for wildlife.

Instead of woodland sage

Photo: Skoch3 · CC BY-SA 3.0

Low fern texture for shade

Licorice fern

Polypodium glycyrrhiza

Native fronds green up a shaded garden during the cooler, wetter part of the year.

Instead of japanese painted fern

Photo: brewbooks from near Seattle, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0

An evergreen berry-bearing groundcover

Lingonberry

Vaccinium vitis-idaea

Native evergreen leaves and red berries add interest to a cool-climate groundcover.

Instead of bearberry cotoneaster

Photo: Hans Hillewaert · CC BY-SA 3.0

A textured ornamental grass

Little bluestem

Schizachyrium scoparium

Native grass blades feed skipper caterpillars, and standing clumps shelter wildlife through winter.

Instead of chinese silvergrass

Photo: Montrealais · CC BY-SA 3.0

A low berry-bearing groundcover

Lowbush blueberry

Vaccinium angustifolium

Native bees pollinate spring flowers, followed by berries for birds and other wildlife.

Instead of bearberry cotoneaster

Photo: Leonora Enking · CC-BY-SA 2.0

A silver-leaved flowering shrub

Maʻo

Gossypium tomentosum

Silver foliage and yellow flowers thrive with little water once this Hawaiian cotton is established.

Instead of tropical hibiscus

A fragrant woodland climber

Maile

Alyxia stellata

Its fruit feeds native forest birds such as ʻōmaʻo where those birds occur.

Instead of english ivy

Photo: David Eickhoff from Pearl City, Hawaii, USA · CC BY 2.0

A compact wetland sedge

Makaloa

Cyperus laevigatus

Dense native stems shelter waterbirds and help hold wetland soil.

Instead of umbrella sedge

An evergreen woodland fern

Marginal wood fern

Dryopteris marginalis

Evergreen fronds give ground-level wildlife cover and supply material for songbird nests.

Instead of japanese holly fern

Photo: desultrix · CC-BY-SA 2.0

Small grasslike clumps

Mauʻu ʻakiʻaki

Fimbristylis cymosa

A native sedge supplies grasslike texture in sunny, dry places where a lawn edge needs little water.

Instead of mondo grass

Fine-textured native groundcover

Meyen's sedge

Carex meyenii

Dense native sedge foliage creates a soft groundcover beneath taller plants.

Instead of lilyturf

Photo: David Eickhoff from Pearl City, Hawaii, USA · CC BY 2.0

A drought-tolerant native hedge

Mountain mahogany

Cercocarpus montanus

Native foliage hosts western sheepmoth and mountain mahogany hairstreak caterpillars.

Instead of heavenly bamboo

Photo: James St.John · CC BY 2.0

A flowering woodland shrub

Mountain naupaka

Scaevola gaudichaudiana

Native foliage, flowers, and fruit fill the sheltered space beneath taller trees.

Instead of heavenly bamboo

Photo: David Eickhoff from Pearl City, Hawaii, USA · CC BY 2.0

A dry-garden hedge

Naio

Myoporum sandwicense

Established naio provides native evergreen structure with little supplemental water.

Instead of oleander

Fine foliage and summer flowers

Narrowleaf mountain mint

Pycnanthemum tenuifolium

Native flowers feed sweat bees and butterflies, and leaves host wavy-lined emerald caterpillars.

Instead of woodland sage

Photo: Cyndy Sims Parr · CC-BY-SA 2.0

A coastal hedge

Naupaka kahakai

Scaevola taccada

This native coastal shrub makes a salt-tolerant hedge with little watering after establishment.

Instead of japanese pittosporum

A flowering upland shrub

Naupaka kuahiwi

Scaevola chamissoniana

A native upland shrub adds white flowers and purple fruit to a moist garden.

Instead of japanese spirea

Tall lavender-pink flower spikes

Nettleleaf giant hyssop

Agastache urticifolia

Native flowers feed bumblebees and other bees through summer.

Instead of woodland sage

Photo: Matt Lavin · CC BY-SA 2.0

Many purple flowers of 'Purple Dome' cultivar

Purple flowers for the end of summer

New England aster

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae

Native flowers feed late-season bees and migrating monarchs, while seeds feed birds.

Instead of garden mum

Photo: Drew Avery · CC BY 2.0

Tall purple flowers for late summer

New York ironweed

Vernonia noveboracensis

Native flowers feed bees and butterflies, and seedheads feed songbirds.

Instead of butterfly bush

A flowering shrub for a natural hedge

Ninebark

Physocarpus opulifolius

Native flowers attract bees, and the shrub provides habitat for birds.

Instead of japanese spirea

Photo: F. D. Richards · CC-BY-SA 2.0

A small flowering border

Nodding onion

Allium cernuum

Nodding flower clusters feed bees and butterflies, with seeds for songbirds.

Instead of lilyturf

Photo: Fritzflohrreynolds · CC BY-SA 3.0

A flowering native hedge

Nootka rose

Rosa nutkana

Native pink flowers and red hips extend a hedge's seasonal interest.

Instead of rugosa rose

Photo: John Rusk from Berkeley, CA, United States of America · CC BY 2.0

Blue flowers at the water's edge

Northern blue flag

Iris versicolor

Native wetland flowers bring color and upright foliage to a rain garden or pond margin.

Instead of orange daylily

Photo: Danielle Langlois · CC BY-SA 3.0

A flowering native perennial

Northern geranium

Geranium erianthum

Native blue-purple flowers add color to a moist border.

Instead of bloody cranesbill

Photo: Epibase · CC BY 3.0

A low native goldenrod

Northern goldenrod

Solidago multiradiata

Native yellow flowers add color to a sunny, dry planting.

Instead of garden mum

Photo: Jim Morefield from Nevada, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0

Delicate, arching fern texture

Northern maidenhair fern

Adiantum pedatum

Lacy fronds shelter small woodland animals and provide material for bird nests.

Instead of japanese painted fern

Photo: KM · CC BY 2.0

Physostegia virginiana in the summer in Moore County

Upright pink flower spikes

Obedient plant

Physostegia virginiana

Native summer flowers attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

Instead of woodland sage

Photo: Susan Strine · CC BY 2.0

A native shrub with colorful fruit

Oʻahu ʻākia

Wikstroemia oahuensis

Native flowers, foliage, and fruit give a low-water shrub seasonal interest.

Instead of heavenly bamboo

An arching native sedge

Oʻahu sedge

Carex wahuensis subsp. wahuensis

This tough native sedge adds groundcover and erosion control without relying on introduced umbrella sedges.

Instead of umbrella sedge

Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii 'Goldsturm'

Long-lasting daisy flowers

Orange coneflower

Rudbeckia fulgida

Golden flowers feed pollinators, and seedheads left standing become a fall food source for goldfinches.

Instead of shasta daisy

Photo: F. D. Richards · CC-BY-SA 2.0

Evergreen woodland structure

Oregon grape

Berberis aquifolium

Dark berries feed birds, and evergreen leaves provide shelter through the seasons.

Instead of heavenly bamboo

Photo: Kathleen Moore · CC BY 4.0

A low flowering groundcover

Pāʻūohiʻiaka

Jacquemontia sandwicensis

This native vine covers hot, salty ground with little irrigation.

Instead of common periwinkle

Photo: David Eickhoff from Pearl City, Hawaii, USA · CC BY 2.0

Pale pink flowers for dry ground

Palmer's penstemon

Penstemon palmeri

Native flowering stems add variety to a low-water border.

Instead of woodland sage

Photo: P Holroyd https://www.inaturalist.org/people/pholroyd · CC BY 4.0

A native tree with white bark

Paper birch

Betula papyrifera

Native birch leaves feed moth and butterfly caterpillars while the canopy adds light shade.

Instead of european white birch

Photo: Joshua Mayer · CC-BY-SA 2.0

Long-lasting silver-white flowers

Pearly everlasting

Anaphalis margaritacea

This native perennial feeds painted lady caterpillars as well as visiting pollinators.

Instead of garden mum

Photo: Kryzystof Golik · CC BY-SA 4.0

A soft, grassy groundcover

Pennsylvania sedge

Carex pensylvanica

Fine native blades provide cover and support butterfly larvae, with seeds for birds and small mammals.

Instead of lilyturf

Photo: Kenraiz · CC BY-SA 4.0

A grass for dry borders

Pili grass

Heteropogon contortus

Native bunches add texture and ground cover to dry, sunny Hawaiian gardens.

Instead of maiden grass

Photo: Harry Rose from South West Rocks, Australia · CC BY 2.0

A soft cloud of ornamental grass

Pink muhly grass

Muhlenbergia capillaris

Native grass clumps shelter wildlife, while seedheads feed songbirds and small mammals.

Instead of maiden grass

Photo: leppyone · CC BY 2.0

Easy annual meadow color

Plains coreopsis

Coreopsis tinctoria

Native annual flowers offer nectar to a broad mix of bees, butterflies, and other insects.

Instead of garden mum

Photo: Jason Hollinger · CC BY 2.0

A low silver-green groundcover

Plantain-leaved pussytoes

Antennaria plantaginifolia

Its native leaves feed American lady butterfly caterpillars.

Instead of bugleweed

Photo: Susan Strine · CC BY 2.0

Clump of broad, puckered, lanceolate leaves

Broad, textured woodland leaves

Plantain-leaved sedge

Carex plantaginea

Native sedge clumps shelter small wildlife and provide seeds for birds and small mammals.

Instead of lilyturf

Photo: Cathy DeWitt · CC BY 4.0

A spreading coastal shrub

Pōhinahina

Vitex rotundifolia

Native coastal foliage covers exposed ground with little watering once established.

Instead of bearberry cotoneaster

A flowering coastal vine

Pōhuehue

Ipomoea pes-caprae subsp. brasiliensis

Native trailing stems help stabilize sandy ground in salt spray and wind.

Instead of common periwinkle

daisy-like flower with reddish "petals" and an elongate "eye"

Easygoing meadow flowers

Prairie coneflower

Ratibida columnifera

Native prairie flowers offer pollen and nectar for bees and butterflies in a sunny border.

Instead of shasta daisy

Photo: Jeff Coffman · CC BY 2.0

A fine-textured clumping grass

Prairie dropseed

Sporobolus heterolepis

Native seeds feed sparrows and juncos, while foliage feeds prairie insects.

Instead of maiden grass

Photo: Joshua Mayer · CC-BY-SA 2.0

A compact grass for a dry border

Prairie junegrass

Koeleria macrantha

This native grass greens up early and tolerates drought once established.

Instead of maiden grass

Photo: Stefan.lefnaer · CC BY-SA 4.0

Nodding flowers and feathery seedheads

Prairie smoke

Geum triflorum

Native flowers feed bees and butterflies before turning into airy seedheads.

Instead of bloody cranesbill

Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0

A flowering hedge for cold climates

Prickly rose

Rosa acicularis

Native pink flowers and red hips bring seasonal interest to a cold-climate hedge.

Instead of rugosa rose

Photo: Jonathan Billinger · CC BY-SA 2.0

White flowers for dry ground

Pua kala

Argemone glauca

This Hawaiian poppy flowers in exposed, dry sites with little supplemental water.

Instead of treasure flower

A sunny perennial border

Purple coneflower

Echinacea purpurea

Open flowers feed bees and butterflies, and the seed-filled cones keep feeding songbirds after bloom.

Instead of shasta daisy

Photo: Cathy Dewitt · CC BY 4.0

A low grass with pink seedheads

Purple lovegrass

Eragrostis spectabilis

Airy native seedheads add fall color and attract songbirds and small mammals.

Instead of maiden grass

Photo: Katja Schulz · CC BY 2.0

Close-up of single bluish-purple flower with spiky corona.

A flowering vine for a sunny fence

Purple passionflower

Passiflora incarnata

Native leaves feed several fritillary butterflies, and flowers provide nectar for pollinators.

Instead of english ivy

Photo: Linda Querec · CC BY 2.0

Purple prairie flower spikes

Purple prairie clover

Dalea purpurea

Purple flower spikes feed pollinators, and the leaves host native butterfly caterpillars.

Instead of woodland sage

Photo: cultivar413 · CC BY 2.0

A white-barked tree with golden fall color

Quaking aspen

Populus tremuloides

This native tree adds wildlife cover and leaves that shimmer in the breeze.

Instead of european white birch

Photo: James St. John · CC BY 2.0

Open shrub with umbels of white flowers.

A shrub with fall color and berries

Red chokeberry

Aronia arbutifolia

Spring flowers feed pollinators, and persistent red berries supply winter food for wildlife.

Instead of burning bush

Photo: Andrey Zharkikh · CC BY 2.0

Tuft of stiff, narrow, grassy leaves. Spikes of red flowers.

Arching leaves with tall flower stalks

Red yucca

Hesperaloe parviflora

Long-lasting red tubular flowers give hummingbirds a nectar source in a dry garden.

Instead of orange daylily

Photo: Fritz Hochstatter · CC BY-SA 3.0

A spring-flowering shrub

Red-flowering currant

Ribes sanguineum

Spring flowers feed hummingbirds and bees, followed by fruit for birds and small mammals.

Instead of border forsythia

Photo: Jackie Pascoe · CC BY 2.0

A colorful wildlife hedge

Red-osier dogwood

Cornus sericea

White berries feed birds, and this native shrub also hosts spring azure butterfly caterpillars.

Instead of burning bush

Photo: Tom Brandt · CC BY 2.0

Arching grass for moist shade

River oats

Chasmanthium latifolium

Leaves feed native skipper and pearly-eye caterpillars, and the nodding seeds feed birds.

Instead of lilyturf

Photo: Katja Schultz · CC BY 2.0

Late-season flower color

Rough goldenrod

Solidago rugosa

Late yellow flowers feed bees and butterflies when many other garden blooms have finished.

Instead of garden mum

Photo: F. D Richards · CC BY-SA 4.0

A silver-leaved flowering shrub

Rubber rabbitbrush

Ericameria nauseosa

This native dryland shrub supplies flowers and structure with little supplemental water.

Instead of japanese spirea

Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0

Evergreen woodland structure

Salal

Gaultheria shallon

Native evergreen thickets shelter birds, and the dark berries feed birds and mammals.

Instead of heavenly bamboo

Photo: Walter Siegmund · CC BY-SA 3.0

A flowering woodland thicket

Salmonberry

Rubus spectabilis

Native flowers feed pollinators, and berries and dense canes feed and shelter wildlife.

Instead of rugosa rose

Photo: Ensign Patricia Raymond, NOAA Corps · CC0 1.0

A flowering shrub with berries

Saskatoon serviceberry

Amelanchier alnifolia

Spring flowers feed pollinators, followed by berries for birds and mammals.

Instead of heavenly bamboo

Photo: Andrey Zhakikh · CC BY 2.0

A low native palm screen

Saw palmetto

Serenoa repens

Native fruits feed wildlife, and foliage supports moth caterpillars adapted to this palm.

Instead of sago palm

Photo: Bob Peterson · CC BY 2.0

Broad fern fronds for damp ground

Sensitive fern

Onoclea sensibilis

Native fern colonies provide low cover for woodland wildlife.

Instead of japanese painted fern

Photo: Hornet Photography · CC-BY-SA 2.0

Golden flower plumes for late summer

Showy goldenrod

Solidago speciosa

Native flowers feed late-season pollinators, and seedheads feed songbirds.

Instead of garden mum

Photo: Randy Harter · CC BY 4.0

A compact flowering shrub

Shrubby cinquefoil

Dasiphora fruticosa

A long season of native flowers supports bumblebees, specialist bees, and butterflies.

Instead of japanese spirea

Photo: jacinta lluch valero · CC-BY-SA 2.0

Blue flowers for a sunny border

Small-flowered penstemon

Penstemon procerus

Native blue flowers feed bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

Instead of woodland sage

Photo: brewbooks from near Seattle, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0

A summer-flowering woodland shrub

Smooth hydrangea

Hydrangea arborescens

Fertile native flowers feed pollinators, and the foliage hosts hydrangea sphinx moth caterpillars.

Instead of japanese spirea

Photo: Michelle Campbell · CC0

Flowers for a wet border

Southern blue flag

Iris virginica

Native violet flowers and upright leaves thrive where an ordinary border stays too wet.

Instead of orange daylily

Photo: Justin Meissen · CC BY-SA 4.0

pink bracts subtending pale yellow, violet-speckled flowers.

Layered flowers for pollinators

Spotted beebalm

Monarda punctata

Native flowers feed bees, wasps, and hummingbirds, while leaves host moth caterpillars.

Instead of woodland sage

Photo: johnx12 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Tall late-season pollinator flowers

Spotted Joe-Pye weed

Eutrochium maculatum

Native flower clusters supply late-season nectar for bees and butterflies.

Instead of butterfly bush

Photo: Kathleen Moore · CC BY 4.0

Lacy fronds for a cool woodland

Spreading wood fern

Dryopteris expansa

Native fern clumps add dense, finely divided foliage in cool, moist shade.

Instead of japanese holly fern

Photo: Petr Filippov · CC BY 3.0

A berry-bearing woodland shrub

Squashberry

Viburnum edule

Native flowers and red fruit bring seasonal interest to a cool woodland garden.

Instead of heavenly bamboo

Photo: Arthur Chapman · CC BY 2.0

Flowers and arching woodland foliage

Starry Solomon's plume

Maianthemum stellatum

Native berries attract birds and small mammals after the spring flower display.

Instead of fragrant hosta

Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk) · CC BY 2.5

A low yellow-flowered mound

Sulphur buckwheat

Eriogonum umbellatum

Native flowers feed bees, butterflies, and moths, followed by seeds for wildlife.

Instead of treasure flower

Photo: Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova · CC BY-SA 4.0

Pinnately veined, serrate leaves & spikes of green fruits

A fragrant flowering shrub

Summersweet

Clethra alnifolia

Fragrant summer flowers feed native bees and butterflies, and the fruit provides food for birds.

Instead of japanese spirea

Photo: Susan Strine · CC BY 2.0

Summer flowers

Swamp milkweed

Asclepias incarnata

A locally native milkweed gives monarch caterpillars food and visiting butterflies a summer nectar stop.

Instead of tropical milkweed

Photo: Joshua Mayer · CC-BY-SA 2.0

Big, bold summer flowers

Swamp rose mallow

Hibiscus moscheutos

Large native flowers feed specialist bees, and standing hollow stems offer nesting places.

Instead of tropical hibiscus

Photo: Andrew Cannizzaro · CC BY 2.0

A broad-leaved woodland shrub

Thimbleberry

Rubus parviflorus

Native flowers and raspberry-like fruit add interest without thorny canes.

Instead of rugosa rose

Photo: CAJC: in the PNW · CC BY-SA 2.0

Airy, sunny flowers

Threadleaf coreopsis

Coreopsis verticillata

Fine-textured foliage carries nectar-rich yellow flowers for butterflies, followed by seeds for songbirds.

Instead of garden mum

Photo: F.D. Richards · CC-BY-SA 2.0

Fine-textured grass and airy plumes

Tufted hairgrass

Deschampsia cespitosa

This native grass adds songbird habitat and flower plumes that persist into winter.

Instead of maiden grass

A flowering woodland climber

Virgin's bower

Clematis virginiana

Fragrant native flowers offer nectar for bees and hummingbirds, even in a shaded garden.

Instead of english ivy

Photo: Cathy DeWitt · CC BY 4.0

A leafy climber with fall color

Virginia creeper

Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Native berries feed birds and mammals, while small flowers feed pollinators.

Instead of english ivy

Photo: Hope Duckworth · CC BY 4.0

A fragrant native flowering border

Virginia mountain mint

Pycnanthemum virginianum

Many small native flowers offer summer food for visiting pollinators.

Instead of woodland sage

Photo: Frank Mayfield · CC-BY-SA 2.0

A flowering shrub

Virginia sweetspire

Itea virginica

Fragrant flowers feed local pollinators, and the seeds give songbirds another food source.

Instead of japanese spirea

Photo: Cathy DeWitt · CC BY 4.0

A compact shrub for dry ground

Wax currant

Ribes cereum

Native foliage and bright berries add variety to a dry, rocky border.

Instead of heavenly bamboo

Photo: Thayne Tuason · CC BY-SA 4.0

An evergreen screen with berries

Wax myrtle

Myrica cerifera

Native berries feed birds, while dense evergreen branches provide winter cover.

Instead of heavenly bamboo

Photo: Forest and Kim Starr · CC BY 2.0

Nodding flowers for a woodland border

Western columbine

Aquilegia formosa

Native red-and-yellow flowers feed hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies.

Instead of asian bleeding heart

Photo: MyCatIsAChonk · CC BY-SA 4.0

Delicate foliage for moist shade

Western maidenhair fern

Adiantum aleuticum

Native fan-shaped fronds add fine texture to a shaded woodland garden.

Instead of japanese painted fern

Photo: Awinch1001 · CC0

Evergreen fern texture

Western sword fern

Polystichum munitum

Arching evergreen fronds give native wildlife shelter and nesting cover beneath trees.

Instead of japanese holly fern

Photo: Kurt Stüber · CC BY-SA 3.0

Summer flowers for a moist hedge

White meadowsweet

Spiraea alba

Native flowers feed pollinators, and foliage hosts spring azure caterpillars.

Instead of japanese spirea

White prairie flower spikes

White prairie clover

Dalea candida

Native flower spikes feed pollinators, and foliage hosts dogface butterfly caterpillars.

Instead of woodland sage

Photo: Matt Lavin · CC-BY-SA 2.0

Leafy shoot bearing small pale pink flowers.

Late flowers for a moist border

White turtlehead

Chelone glabra

Native leaves feed Baltimore checkerspot caterpillars, and late blooms feed pollinators.

Instead of woodland sage

Photo: R.A Nonenmacher · CC BY-SA 4.0

Late flowers under the trees

White wood aster

Eurybia divaricata

Late flowers feed bees and butterflies, and seeds support birds into the colder months.

Instead of garden mum

Photo: Fritzflohrreynolds · CC BY-SA 3.0

A flowering border

Wild bergamot

Monarda fistulosa

Its lavender blooms feed bees and hummingbirds, and hollow stems can shelter nesting bees.

Instead of garden mum

Photo: Joshua Mayer · CC-BY-SA 2.0

A soft flowering border

Wild geranium

Geranium maculatum

Spring flowers feed bees and butterflies, and songbirds can eat the seeds that follow.

Instead of bloody cranesbill

Photo: Cathy Dewitt · CC BY 4.0

Heart-shaped leaves & reddish flowers at ground level.

A leafy groundcover

Wild ginger

Asarum canadense

Broad native leaves protect woodland soil, while its hidden flowers are pollinated by flies and beetles.

Instead of english ivy

Photo: Kathy Sill · CC BY 4.0

Blue flowers for moist ground

Wild iris

Iris setosa

Showy native flowers and rhizomes add color and help hold soil.

Instead of orange daylily

Photo: Emma Forsberg from Anchorage, USA · CC BY 2.0

Low pink flowers for a rocky border

Wild pink

Silene caroliniana

Native spring flowers attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators.

Instead of bloody cranesbill

Photo: Fritzflohrreynolds · CC BY-SA 3.0

shrub with pinnate leaves and clusters of yellow flowers.

Tall yellow summer flowers

Wild senna

Senna hebecarpa

Native leaves feed sulphur butterfly caterpillars, while flowers supply pollen for bumblebees.

Instead of butterfly bush

Photo: Steve Law · CC-BY-SA 2.0

A flowering groundcover

Wild strawberry

Fragaria virginiana

Native spring flowers feed pollinators, including specialist bees.

Instead of bugleweed

Photo: Matt Lavin · CC-BY-SA 2.0

Bright berries on bare winter branches

Winterberry holly

Ilex verticillata

Native berries supply winter food for birds, while leaves host Henry's elfin caterpillars.

Instead of heavenly bamboo

Photo: SB Johnny · CC BY-SA 3.0

A flowering groundcover

Woodland phlox

Phlox divaricata

Its soft spring flowers offer nectar for butterflies and bees at the woodland edge.

Instead of common periwinkle

Photo: Hope Duckworth · CC BY 4.0

A compact flowering dryland shrub

Yellow rabbitbrush

Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus

Native yellow flowers add late color with little water once established.

Instead of japanese spirea