Pennsylvania Native Plants For USDA Zone 5 and Their Attributes

My gardens are in Pennsylvania, USDA Hardiness Zone 5 and 6, so here's the list of native plants for gardeners in this region.
You can look up your area's native plants by checking with your Dept. of Natural Resources and State Extension Service
You can also check the Native Plant Database

Information from the Pa. Dept. of Natural Resources and Conservation


Pennsylvania Native Plants
 A more condensed list...

- Information from  the Penn State Extension
 
Botanical Name Common Name Height Color Bloom time Comments
Aquilegia canadensis Columbine 1-2' Red & yellow April- June Moist to dry. Partial shadeto sun. Self Seeds
Asarum canadense Wild ginger 4-8" Maroon April-May Moist shade. Ground cover. Inconspicuous flowers
Asclepias tuberosa Butterfly weed 1-2' Orange June-July Dry. Sun. Attracts butterflies.
Aster divaricatus White wood aster 2' White August-October Moist to dry. Shade to partial shade.
Aster novae-angliae New England aster Up to 6' Lavender-pink August to frost Wet to dry. Sun to partial sun.
Aster oblongifolius Aromatic aster 12-20" Pink-lavender September-October Dry. Sun. Attracts butterflies.
Baptisia australis Blue wild indigo 2-4' Blue/purple April -June Moist to dry. Sun. Shrubby.
Chelone glabra Turtlehead 1-4' White July-August Moist to wet. Partial shade.
Chrysogonum virginianum Green-and-gold 6-12" Yellow April-October Moist to dry. Sun to partial
shade. Ground cover
Cimicifuga racemosa Bugbane, Black cohosh 3-8' White July-August Moist to dry. Partial sun
Coreopsis tripteris Tall coreopsis 3-9' Yellow July-Sept. Moist to dry. Sun to partial sun. Use for back of the border
Dicentra eximia Wild bleeding heart 1-2' Pink April-September Moist to dry. Partial shade
Eupatorium fistulosum Joe-pye weed 2-7' Pinkish-lavender July-Sept. Wet to moist. Sun to partial shade. Attracts butterflies
Geranium maculatum Wild geranium, Cranesbill 1-3' Pink April to July Moist to dry. Shade to partial shade.
Helenium autumnale Common sneezeweed 2-5' Yellow August-September Wet to moist. Sun.to partial sun
Helianthus angustifolius Narrow-leaved sunflower, Swamp sunflower 3-8' Yellow August-September Wet to moist. Sun to partial shade
Heliopsis helianthoides Ox-eye sunflower, False sunflower 3-4' Yellow June-August Wet to dry. Sun
Heuchera americana Alumroot 1.5-3' Cream May-June Moist to dry. Shade to sun.
Ground cover
Iris cristata Dwarf crested iris 4-12" Blue/violet April-May Moist to dry. Partial shade to part sun. Ground cover
Liatris spicata Marsh blazing star, Gayfeather 3-4' Purple July-September Moist to wet. Sun. Attracts
Gayfeather butterflies.
Lilium michiganense Turk's cap lily,Michigan lily 2-5' Orange July-August Wet to moist. Sun to shade
Lobelia siphilitica Great blue lobelia 2-3' Blue/lavender July-October Wet to moist. Partial sun
Mertensia virginica Virginia bluebells 1-2' Blue April-June Wet to moist. Shade to partial
sun
Monarda didyma Beebalm, Oswego tea 2-3' Red July-August Wet to moist. Sun to partial
shade.
Monarda fistulosa Wild bergamot, Horsemint, Beebalm 2-5' Lavender July-August Moist to dry. Sun to partial shade
Penstemon digitalis Beardtongue 2-5' White June-July Moist to dry. Sun to partial sun
Phlox paniculata Summer phlox,Perennial phlox 3-4' Pink to lavender June-August Moist, Sun to partial sun.
Polemonium reptans Jacob's ladder,Greek valerian 10-15" Pink April-May Moist. Shade
Polygonatum biflorum Solomon's seal 1-5' White May-June Moist to dry. Shade
Pycanthemum tenuifolium Slender mountain mint 2-3' White August-September Moist to dry. Sun to partial sun. Attracts beneficials
Rudbeckia fulgida Black-eye Susan, Orange coneflower 1-3' Yellow July-October Moist to dry. Sun
Senecio aureus Golden ragwort 1' Yellow June-August Wet to moist. Sun to partial shade. Ground cover
Sisyrinchium angustifolium Narrow-leaved blue-eyed grass 1-1.5' Blue May-July Wet to moist. Sun to partial sun. Ground cover
Smilacina racemosa False solomon's seal, False spikenard 1-3' White May Moist to dry. Shade to sun
Solidago speciosa Showy goldenrod 1-5' Yellow August-September Moist to dry. Sun to partial sun
Tiarella cordifolia Foam flower 8-12" White April-July Moist. Shade
Vernonia noveboracensis New York ironweed 5-8' Reddish purple August-September Wet to moist. Sun
Veronicastrum virginicum Culver's root 2-6' White July-September Moist. Sun to partial shade

 

Grasses

Botanical Name Common Name Height
Panicum virgatum Switchgrass 3-6' Wet to dry. Sun
Schizachyrium scoparium Little Bluestem 3-6' Moist to dry. Sun.
Sorghastrum nutans Indiangrass 3-8' Wet to dry. Sun
Sporobolus heterolepis Prairie Dropseed 1-2' "Weeping" form Moist to dry. Sun. Attractive form year round

Detailed Site Directory--->

Bog Gardens Rain Gardens Water Features
The Library and Garden Shop My Gardens Pollinator Garadens
Bird Habitats Container Gardens Biblical Garden
Going Lawnless Xeriscaping The Meanings of Flowers
Suggested Reading Garden and Nature Art Gallery Save Bees and Pollinators

Photography, Content, graphics and design ©2020 Mary's Bloomers 
All rights reserved

This site uses Watermarkly Software