Go Native!

Fall is an excellent time of year for planting perennials, shrubs and trees.  If you’re considering a new landscape, or are just planning on adding a few more perennials, shrubs or trees to your existing landscape, I hope you will consider using native plants.

Native plants not only thrive in your climate because they are used to the climate changes (temperature changes, drought, rainy seasons, etc.), but they are also desperately needed for native  wildlife to survive.  Native plants provide shelter and food for a variety of wildlife.

Here are some suggestions to get you started:

Native grasses and sedges: Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii), little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica), purple lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis), Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis), Pink muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris).

Native trees: eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana),     silver maple (Acer saccharinum), sugar maple (Acer saccharum), eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis), flowering dogwood (Cornus florida), Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica), Sweet Gum (Liquidambar styraciflua), American Beech (Fagus grandifolia), Chestnut Oak (Quercus prinus), Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis).

Native Shrubs: Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), spice bush (Lindera benzoin), red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia),  silky dogwood (Cornus amomum), gray dogwood (Cornus racemosa), red-osier dogwood (Cornus sericea), northern bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica), shadbush serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis).

Native perennials for sun: Joe-Pye weed (Eupatorium spp. )(there is also a dwarf Joy-Pye weed), New England aster (Aster novi-angliae), Goldenrod (Solidago rugosa  ), Purple coneflower (Echinecea purpurea), False indigo (Baptisia australis), Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa), Swamp sunflower (Helianthus angustifolius), Brown-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida), Monarda (Monarda spp.).

Native perennials for shade: Wild Columbine (Aquilegia Canadensis), Wild Ginger (Asarum Canadensis), Dutchman's Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria), Fringed Bleeding Heart (Dicentra eximia),
Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum), Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis), Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis), Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia), Trillium (Trillium spp.).

If you would like more information on native plants for your area, please check out the websites below:
http://www.wildflower.org/

http://www.plantnative.org/rpl-nypanj.htm

http://www.nwf.org/How-to-Help/Garden-for-Wildlife/Gardening-Tips.aspx?campaignid=WH10DGWP&s_src=CWH_Wildlife_FeatureSpot

http://rocklandcce.org/


The following books are helpful in planning and selecting plants for your area:

Your Backyard Wildlife Garden, by Marcus Schneck

National Wildlife Federation: Attracting Birds, Butterflies and Other Backyard Wildlife

Birdscaping Your Garden, by George Adams

Gardening with Prairie Plants, by Sally Wasowski


Happy Wildlife Gardening!

Laurie Lago Rispoli, Master Gardener