Five Great Native Plants for the Home Landscape

Today's guest post is from Scott Hokunson. Scott is the principal of Blue Heron Landscape Design, organic land care proponent and a happily married father of two, living in northern Connecticut. He also coaches high school lacrosse.


For centuries, plant aficionados have scoured the earth for new and exciting flora to bring home to their gardens. Plant hunters have been so successful, that their popular exotic introductions have replaced native plant species at such a rate as to cause a reduction in our native insect species.

Luckily though, the tide is turning; growers are producing new cultivars of native plants and natives are finding their way back into our gardens. Here are five native plants that we use on a regular basis in our designs that will work well in your gardens.

Heritage River Birch (Betula nigra ‘Heritage’) is a beautiful small to mid-sized tree, hardy in zones 3–8. Its bark peels away gracefully to reveal a beautiful cinnamon color. Glossy dark green leaves contrast with the bark nicely until fall when they change to a nice yellow. Used en masse or as a specimen, this eastern U.S. native will stand out in your landscape.

Heritage River Birch (Betula nigra ‘Heritage’)

Golden Groundsel (Senecio aureus), a native of the northeast U.S., is a low-growing perennial that tolerates wet soil and blossoms well in the shade. Golden daisy-like flowers appear above shiny green foliage in spring. A good groundcover and a great naturalizer for the woodland garden, it also performs well as a cut flower. 

Golden Groundsel (Senecio aureus)

‘Blue Shadow’ Fothergilla (Fothergilla major ‘Blue Shadow’), a native of the mountains of the southeastern U.S., the plant is covered with white, fragrant, bottlebrush flowers atop bare stems in spring. The foliage opens light green but quickly changes to a wonderful soft blue - a color that matches well with many grasses and perennials. In autumn, 'Blue Shadow' stands out again as the foliage takes on the reds, yellows and oranges of a sugar maple. Good branching habit, with smooth grey bark provides very good winter interest. Growing 6–10 feet in height and spread, and hardy in zones 4–8, Fothergilla ‘Blue Shadow’ is a four-season stunner.

Fothergilla major 'Blue Shadow'

Another wonderful groundcover, Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis), is native to the northern half of North America. Growing just 5–9 inches tall and covered in dark green foliage that turns red in autumn, bunchberry is slow to establish but well worth the wait. Small flowers in late spring and early summer give way to deep red fruit in August. A favorite of many birds, they don’t last long. Hardy in zones 2–6 and a member of the dogwood family, bunchberry will work nicely in the shade of the woodland garden.

Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)

White Snakeroot (Eupatorium rugosum ‘Chocolate’), zones 4–8, has purple stems and chocolate green leaves. Its upright habit to 3–4 feet in height and dark presence are great in the perennial border, providing a nice accent amongst any brightly colored blossoms. Small white flowers appear in clusters, forming large heads from late summer through early fall, attracting many pollinators and guaranteeing a few oohs! and aahs! from the neighbors.

White Snakeroot (Eupatorium rugosum ‘Chocolate’)

The commonalities of these and other great natives for the home landscape are that they provide wonderful ornamental characteristics, nectar for our pollinators, and a food source for native insects and birds. Next time you are searching for a new plant for your garden, give one of these great natives a try, and sit back and enjoy all the visitors you will receive.

I hope your garden is full of life and a joy to interact with!

Scott


Find Scott on Twitter and on his blog, Blue Heron Landscapes.