Native Plant Lists
Supporting native pollinators, butterflies, birds and other wildlife
Use our Spring, Summer, and Fall plant lists to find the right kind of native perennials, shrubs, and trees best suited for your landscape. Choosing the "right plant, for the right place" is key to building thriving pollinator habitat that will support not just pollinators, but also a diversity of birds and other wildlife that will contribute both beauty and ecological benefits to your property.
Our native plant lists are organized by season of bloom, plant type, and light and soil requirements to help you choose the plants best suited for the unique growing conditions within your landscape. Additionally, we also indicate which plants offer nectar and/or pollen so that you can select plants that provide pollinators both kinds of floral resources throughout the growing season, which is generally from late March to early November in New England.
Spring Bloom: March-June
High Value
Pollen = P
Nectar = N
Host Plant = H
Tolerant of tough, sandy, infertile soils = T
Supports at-risk Massachusetts bumble bees, butterflies, and other threatened bees = !
Trees & Shrubs
Exposure: Sun to Part Sun
Soil: Medium to Dry
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (Red bearberry) T
Amelanchier canadensis; laevis (Serviceberry) H
Aronia arbutifolia (Red Chokeberry) T
Cersis canadensis (Eastern Redbud) T
Comptonia peregrina (Sweet Fern) T
Corylus americana (American Hazelnut)
Diervilla lonicera (Northern bush honeysuckle)
Fothergilla gardenii (Dwarf witch-alder)H
Itea virginica (Virginia sweetspire)
Leucothoe racemosa; fontanesiana (Doghobble)
Morella caroliniensis (Bayberry) H
Physocarpus opulifolius (Ninebark) H
Prunus maritima (Beach plum) T, H
Prunus virginiana (Chokecherry) T, H
Rhododendron minus (Piedmont Rhododendron)
Rubrus flagellaris (Northern blackberry) PN, !
Rubrus pensylvanicus (Pennsylvania blackberry) PN,!
Rubrus idaeus (Red Raspberry) H
Salix humilis, (Prairie Willow) P (male) N (female), !
Vaccinium angustifolium (Lowbush blueberry) H
Vaccinium corymbosum (Highbush blueberry) H
Viburnum acerifolium (Maple leaf viburnum) H
Viburnum lentago (Nanyberry)
Virburnum prunifoilium (Smooth blackhaw) H
Perennials
Exposure: Sun to Part Sun
Soil: Medium to Dry
Aquilegia condenses (Red Columbine) PN, T, H
Antennaria plantaginifolia (Plantain pussytoes H, T
Dodoecatheon meadia (Eastern shooting star) PN
Iris cristata (Crested Iris) PN, H
Lupinus perennis (Sundial lupine), PN, H !
Penstemon digitalis (Foxglove beardtongue) H,!
Viola pedata (Bird's foot violet) H, !
Viola pedatifida (Prairie violet) H, !
Zizia aptera (Heart-leaved Alexander) NP,H
Zizia aurea (Golden Alexander) NP, !
Groundcovers & Grasses
Exposure: Sun to Part Sun
Soil: Medium to Dry
Fragaria virginiana (Wild strawberry) H
Houstonia caerulea (Bluets), PN, T
Pedicularis canadensis (Wood Betony) N, !
Phlox subulata (Moss Phlox) T
Black-capped Chickadee perching on Eastern Redbud
Red Columbine
Exposure: Part Sun to Shade
Soil: Medium to Moist
Cersis canadensis (Eastern Redbud) T, !
Chionanthus virginicus (Fringe tree) PN, H
Cornus alternifolia (Pagoda dogwood)
Cornus florida (Flowering big-bracted dogwood)
Dicentra eximia (Wild bleeding-heart)
Ilex opaca (American Holly) N, !
Kalmia latifolia (Mountain Laurel) H
Rhus aromatica (Fragrant Sumac) N
Viburnum dentatum (Smooth arrowood) H
Viburnum lanatanoides (Hobblebush)
Viburnum opulus (Highbush cranberry) H
Exposure: Part Sun to Shade
Soil: Medium to Moist
Exposure: Part Sun to Shade
Soil: Medium to Moist
Aquilegia canadenisis (Red Columbine) PN, T, H
Aruncus dioicus (Goat's beard), PN
Cardamine spp. (Bittercress) PN, !
Caltha palustris (Marsh marigold) H,
Chrysogonum virginianum (Green and gold) PN, T,
Dicentra canadensis (Squirrel corn) PN
Erythronium americanum (American trout-lily) H
Polelonium reptans (Spreading Jacob's ladder) PN
Polygonatum biflorum var. communtatum (King's Solomon's seal) PN, H, T
Symphyotrichum cordifolium (Blue wood-aster) PN
Thalictrum thalictroides (Anemone
meadow-rue) PN, H
Campanula rotundifolia (Bluebell) H
Geranium maculatum (Wild geranium) PN, !
Phlox subulata (Moss Phlox) T
Tiarella cordifolia (Running foam flower) H
Thalictrum thalictroides (Rue anemone)
Viola pubescens (Smooth Yellow violet) N,!
Exposure: Sun
Soil: Medium to Moist
Clethra alnifoilia (Coastal Sweet-Pepperbush)
Salix discolor (Pussy willow) male P female N !
​
Exposure: Sun
Soil: Medium to Moist
Caltha palustris (Marsh marigold) H,
Exposure: Sun
Soil: Medium to Moist
Maianthemim stellatum (Starry false
Solomon's seal)
Packera obovata (Running groundsel)
Rubus hispidus (Creeping dewberry) H
Exposure: Shade
Soil: Moist to Wet
Actea rubra (Red baneberry)
Clethra alnifoilia (Coastal Sweet-Pepperbush)
Hamamelis virginiana (American witch-hazel) H
Rhododendron prinophyllum (Early azalea)
Vaccinium corybosum (Highbush blueberry)
Exposure: Shade
Soil: Moist to Wet
Caulophyllum giganteum (Early blue cohosh)
Dicentra cucullaria (Dutchmen's breeches)
Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal flower) !
Lobelia siphilitica (Blue lobelia)
Exposure: Shade
Soil: Moist to Wet
Dicentra cucullaria (Dutchmen's breeches)
Packera aurea (Golden groundsel)
Matteuccia struthiopteris (Fiddlehead Fern)
Osmundastrum cinnamomeum(Cinnamon fern)
Packera aurea (Golden groundsel)
Sanguinaria canadensis (Bloodroot) PN,H
Viola sororia (Common violet) H,!