Native plants with the best aesthetic attributes worthy of extensive landscape use. Straight species and named ‘cultivars’ are recommended.
Large Trees:
- Acer rubrum ‘Red Sunset’ ‘Armstrong’ (Red Maple)
- Acer saccharum ‘Legacy’ ‘Green Mountain’ (Sugar Maple)
- Carya ovata (Shagbark Hickory)
- Fagus grandifolia (American Beech)
- Fraxinus americana (White Ash)
- Fraxinus pennsylvanica (Green Ash)
- Liquidambar styraciflua ‘Slender Silhouette’ (American Sweetgum)
- Lirodendron tulipifera (Tulip Tree)
- Nyssa sylvatica ‘Wildfire’ (Black Gum)
- Pinus strobus (White Pine)
- Platanus occidentalis (American Sycamore)
- Quercus alba (White Oak)
- Quercus bicolor (Swamp White Oak)
- Quercus coccinea (Scarlet Oak)
- Quercus montana (Chestnut Oak)
- Quercus palustris ‘Pacific Brilliance’ (Pin Oak)
- Quercus phellos (Willow Oak)
- Quercus rubra (Red Oak)
- Ulmus americana ‘Princeton’ ‘Valley Forge’ (American Elm)
Small Trees:
- Acer pensylvanicum (Striped Maple)
- Amelanchier arborea ‘Autumn Brilliance’ (Serviceberry)
- Asiminia triloba (Pawpaw)
- Betula nigra ‘Dura Heat’ (River Birch)
- Carpinus caroliniana (American Hornbeam)
- Cercis Canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’ ‘Covey’ (Eastern Redbud)
- Cornus alternifolia (Pagoda Dogwood)
- Cornus florida ‘Cherokee Chief’ ‘Cherokee Princess’ (Flowering Dogwood)
- Franklinia alatamaha (Franklin Tree)
- Halesia diptera var. magniflora (Large Flowered 2 Winged Silverbell)
- Ilex opaca ‘Satyr Hill’ (American Holly)
- Juniperus virginiana ‘Blue Arrow’ ‘Brodie’ ‘Taylor’ (Eastern Red Cedar)
- Magnolia grandiflora ‘Brackens Beauty’ ‘Little Gem’ (Southern Magnolia)
- Magnolia virginiana ‘Moon Glow’ (Sweet Bay Magnolia)
- Osytrya virginiana (American Hop Hornbeam or Ironwood)
- Oxydendrum arboretum (Sourwood)
- Prunus virginiana ‘Canada Red’ (Canada Red Cherry)
- Salix discolor (Pussy Willow)
- Sassafras albidum (Sassafras)
- Tsuga Canadensis (Canadian Hemlock)
Shrubs:
- Aesculus pavia (Red Buckeye)
- Aesculus paviflora (Bottle Brush Buckeye)
- Aronia arbutifolia‘Brilliantissima’ (Chokeberry)
- Aronia melanocarpa (Black Chokeberry)
- Calycanthus floridus ‘Michael Lindsey’ ‘Athens’ (Eastern Sweetshrub or Carolina Allspice)
- Ceoanthus americanus (New Jersey Tea)
- Cephaloanthus occidentalis (Buttonbush)
- Clethra alnifolia ‘Hummingbird’ ‘Ruby Spice’ (Summersweet or Sweet Pepperbush)
- Cornus racemosa (Gray Dogwood)
- Cornus sericea ‘Budds Yellow’ ‘Artic Fire’ (Red Twig Dogwood)
- Fothergilla gardenii ‘Mt Airy Fothergilla’ (Dwarf Fothergilla)
- Fothergilla major (Large Fothergilla)
- Fothergilla x ‘Blue Shadow’ (Blue Shadow Fothergilla)
- Gaultheria procumbens (Wintergreen)
- Gaylussacia baccata (Black Huckleberry)
- Hamamelis virginiana (Common Witch Hazel)
- Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’ (Smooth Hyrdrangea)
- Hydrangea quercifola ‘Ruby Slippers’ ‘Alice’ ‘Pee Wee’ (Oakleaf Hydrangea)
- Hypericum frondusom ‘Sunburst’ (St. John’s Wort)
- Ilex glabra ‘Shamrock’ ‘Nordic (only male cultivar common in commerce)’ (Inkberry Holly)
- Ilex verticillata Winterberry ‘Red Sprite’ ‘Winterred’ ‘Berry Heavy Gold’ (Winterberry)
- Itea virginica ‘Henry’s Garnet’ ‘Little Henry’ ‘Merlot’ (Virginia Sweetspire)
- Juniperus virgininiana ‘Grey Owl’ ‘Blue Mountain’ Shrub/Sprawling forms of (Eastern Red Cedar)
- Juniperus horizontalis ‘Bar Harbor’ ‘Blue Chip’ ‘Plumosa’ ‘Wiltonii’ (Creeping Juniper)
- Kalmia latifolia ‘Olympic Fire’ (Mountain Laurel)
- Leucothoe axillaris (Coast Leucothoe)
- Leucothoe fontanesiana ‘Girards Rainbow’ ‘Nana’ ‘Rollisoni’ ‘White Water’ (Drooping Leucothoe)
- Lindera benzoin (Spice Bush)
- Myrica pennsylvanica ‘Bobzam’ (Northern Bayberry)
- Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Summerwine’ ‘Lemon Candy’ ‘Little Devil’ ‘Tiny Wine’ (Ninebark)
- Rhododendron arborescens (Sweet Azalea)
- Rhododendron atlanticum (Coast Azalea)
- Rhododendron austrinum (Florida Flame Azalea)
- Rhododendron calendaceum (Flame Azalea)
- Rhododendron cumberlandense (Cumberland Azalea)
- Rhododendron pericylmeniodes (Pinxterbloom Azalea)
- Rhododendron prunifolium (Plumleaf Azalea)
- Rhododendron viscosum (Swamp Azalea)
- Rhus aromatica ‘Gro Low’ (Fragrant Sumac)
- Vaccinium angustifolium ‘Burgundy’ (Lowbush Blueberry)
- Vaccinium corymbosum ‘Bountiful Blue’ ‘Peach Sorbet’ (Highbush Blueberry)
- Viburnum dentatum ‘Blue Muffin’ ‘Chicago Lustre’ (Arrowwood Viburnum)
- Viburnum nudum ‘Winterthur’ ‘Brandywine’ (Possumhaw Viburnum)
Vines:
- Aristolochia macrophylla (Pipevine)
- Bigonia capreolata ‘Tangerine Beauty’ ‘Dragon Lady’ (Crossvine)
- Campsis radicans ‘Judy’ ‘Tifton’ ‘Gabor’ ‘Minnesota Red’ ‘Flava’ (Trumpetcreeper)
- Clematis virginiana (Virgin’s Bower)
- Gelsemium sempervirens ‘Margarita’ Carolina (Yellow Jasmine)
- Ipomea hederifolia (Scarlet Morning Glory)
- Lonicera sempervirens ‘John Clayton’ ‘Magnifica’ ‘Major Wheeler’ (Trumpet Honeysuckle)
- Parthenocissus quinquefolia ‘truki’ (Virginia Creeper)
- Wisteria frutescens ‘Amethyst Falls’ (American Wisteria)
- Wisteria macrostachya ‘Blue Moon’ (Kentucky Wisteria)
Perennial Ground Cover: Foliage and if applicable flowers less than 12” tall
- Asarum arifolium (Arrow-leaf Wild Ginger)
- Asarum canadense (Wild Ginger)
- Caltha palustris (Marsh Marigold)
- Chrysogonum virginaanum ‘Allen Bush’ ‘Superstar’ (Green & Gold)
- Geum fragarioides (Appalachian Barren Strawberry)
- Iris cristata ‘Eco Bluebird’ ‘Powder Blue Giant’ ‘Tennessee White’ (Dwarf Crested Iris)
- Meehania cordata (Creeping Mint)
- Mitchella repens (Partridge Berry)
- Pachysandra procumbens (Allegheny spurge)
- Phlox stolonifera ‘Blue Ridge’ ‘Home Fires’ ‘Sherwood Purple’ (Creeping Phlox)
- Sedum ternatum ‘Larineum Park’ (Stonecrop)
- Tiarella cordifolia ‘Brandywine’ ‘Running Tapestry’ ‘var. collina Oakleaf’ (Foam Flower)
- Viola labradorica (Labrador Violet)
- Viola walteri ‘Silver Gem’ (Prostrate Blue Violet)
Sedges:
- Carex appalachica (Appalachian Sedge)
- Carex flacca ‘Blue Zinger’ (Glaucous Sedge)
- Carex flaccosperma ‘Blue Zinger’ (Blue Wood Sedge)
- Carex pensylvanica (Oak Sedge)
- Carex platyphylla (Silver Sedge)
Perennials:
- Actaea pachypoda ‘Misty Blue’ (White Baneberry)
- Agastache foeniculum ‘Black Adder’ ‘Blue Boa’ ‘Golden Jubilee’ Purple Haze’ (Anise Hyssop)
- Allium cernuum (Nodding Onion)
- Aquilegia candensis ‘Little Lantern’ ‘Corbett’ (Canadian Columbine)
- Amsonia hubrichtii (Threadleaf Bluestar)
- Amsonia tavernaemontana var. salicfola (Eastern Bluestar)
- Aruncus dioicus (Goat’s Beard)
- Asclepsias incarnata (Swamp Milkweed)
- Asclepias syriaca (Common Milkweed)
- Asclepias tuberosa Butterfly Weed ‘Hello Yellow’
- Asclepias verticillata (Whorled Milkweed)
- Aster cordifolius ‘Woods Blue’ ‘Avondale’ (Blue Wood Aster
- Aster divaricatus ‘Eastern Star’ (White Wood Aster)
- Aster laevis ‘Bluebird’ (Smooth Aster)
- Aster lateriflorus ‘Lady in Black’ (Calico Aster)
- Aster novae-angliae ‘Purple Dome’ ‘Vibrant Dome’ (New England Aster)
- Baptisia australis ‘Midnight’ ‘Purple Smoke’ ‘Solar Flare’ ‘Starlite’ ‘Twilite’ (Indigo)
- Baptisia sphaerocarpa ‘Screaming Yellow’ ‘Carolina Moonlight’ (Indigo)
- Chelone glabra (Turtlehead)
- Chelone lyonii ‘Hot Lips’ (Turtlehead)
- Chelone obliqua ‘Tiny Tortuga’ (Turtlehead)
- Coreopsis ‘Sienna Sunset’ ‘Route 66’ ‘Red Satin’ (Threadleaf)
- Coreopsis verticillata ‘Zagreb’ (Whorled Tickseed)
- Dicentra eximia (Wild Bleeding Heart)
- Echinacea paradoxa (Yellow Coneflower)
- Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower)
- Eupatorium dubium ‘Little Joe’ (Joe Pye Weed)
- Eupatorium maculatum ‘Gateway’ (Joe Pye Weed)
- Eupatorium fisulosum ‘Bartered Bride’ (Joe Pye Weed)
- Eupatorium rugosum ‘Chocolate’ (Snakeroot)
- Gentiana adrewsii (Bottle Gentian)
- Geranium maculatum ‘Expresso’ ‘Elizabeth Ann’ (Wild Geranium)
- Helenium autumnale (Sneezeweed)
- Helenium flexuosum ‘Tiny Dancer’ (Sneezeweed)
- Helianthus divaricatus (Woodland Sunflower)
- Helianthus maximilani (Maximilian Sunflower)
- Heliopsis helanthodes ‘Summer Nights’ (Smooth Oxeye)
- Heuchera americana Dale’s Strain’ (American Alumroot)
- Heuchera macrorhiza ‘Autumn Bride’ (Alumroot)
- Heuchera villosa ‘Caramel’ (Hairy Alumrood)
- Heuchera villosa f. purpurea ‘Bronze Wave’ (Hariy Alumroot)
- Hibiscus moscuetos ‘Midnight Marvel’ Rose Mallow
- Hibiscus moscuetos var. incanus (Hairy Large Flowered Mallow)
- Iris versicolor (Blueflag)
- Liatris spicata ‘Kobold’ (Spike Gayfeather)
- Lilium superbum (Turks Cap Lily)
- Lobelia cardinalis ‘Black Truffle’ (Cardinal Flower)
- Lobelia siphilitica (Great Blue Lobelia)
- Monarda bradburiana (Eastern Beebalm)
- Monarda didyma “Jacob Cline” “Raspberry Wine” “Blue Stocking” (Beebalm)
- Monarda fistulosa (Beebalm)
- Oenothera fruticosa ‘Fireworks’ (Sundrops)
- Packera aurea (Golden Ragwort)
- Parthenium integritfolium (Wild Quince)
- Penstemon digitalis ‘Husker Red’ (Beardtongue)
- Penstemon smalli (Smalls Penestemon)
- Phlox divaricata ‘Blue Moon’ ‘May Breeze’ (Woodland Phlox)
- Phlox maculata ‘Flower Power’ ‘Blue Paradise’ ’David’ ‘David’s Lavender’ (Garden Phlox)
- Physostegia virginiana ‘Miss Manners’ ‘Pink Manners’ ‘Vivid’ (Obedient Plant)
- Polemonium reptans ‘Stairway to Heaven’ (Jacob’s Ladder)
- Pycnanthemum muticum (Short-toothed Mountain Mint)
- Pycnanthemum tenuifolium Narrowleaf Mountain Mint)
- Ratibida columnifera ‘Red Midget’ (Prairie Coneflower)
- Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’ ‘var. fulgida’ ‘var. sullivantii’ (Black-eyed Susan)
- Rudbeckia triloga (Three-lobed coneflower or brown-eyed Susan)
- Ruella humilis (Wild Petunia)
- Salvia lyrata ‘Purple Knockout’ (Lyre-leaf Sage)
- Silene regia ‘Prairie Fire’ (Royal Catchfly)
- Silene virginiana (Fire Pink)
- Solidago caesia (Bluestem Goldenrod)
- Solidago flexicaulis (Zigzag Goldenrod)
- Solidago rugosa ‘Fireworks’ (Wrinkleleaf Goldenrod)
- Solidago sphacelata ‘Golden Fleece’ (Autumn Goldenrod)
- Solidago ‘Solar Cascade’ (Goldenrod)
- Spigela marilandica (Indian Pink)
- Vernonia noveboracensis (New York Ironweed)
- Veronicastrum virginicum ‘Lavender Towers’ (Culver’s Root)
- Zizia aurea (Golden Alexanders)
Grasses:
- Andropogon gerardii ‘Red October’ (Big Bluestem)
- Andropogon virginicus (Broom Sedge)
- Bouteloua gracilis ‘Blonde Ambition’ (Blue Grama)
- Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’ ‘Shenandoah’ (Switchgrass)
- Schizachyrium scparium ‘Standing Ovation’ (Little Bluestem)
Annuals:
- Malvaviscus arboreus var drummondii (Turk’ Cap)
- Salvia coccinea ‘Lady in Red’ ‘Forest Fire’ ‘Red Jewel’ Pink Jewel’ (Blood Sage)
- Verbena ‘Homestead Purple’ (Verbena)
Spring Ephermerals (Spring flowering plants whose foliage disappear by early summer)
- Mertensia virginica (Virginia Bluebells)
- Podophyllum peltatum (Mayapple)
- Sanguinaria Canadensis (Bloodroot)
- Trillium cuneatum (Little Sweet Betsy Trillium)
- Trillium grandiflorum (Great White Trillium)
- Trillium luteum (Yellow Trillium)
Ferns:
- Adianthum pedatum (Northern Maidenhair)
- Althyrium angustum forma rubellum ‘Lady in Red’ (Lady Fern)
- Matteuccia struthiopteris (Ostrich Fern)
- Osmunda cinnamomea (Cinnamon Fern)