- Acidic soil (pH of 4 - 5)
- Soil rich in organic matter
- Well-draining but moist soil
- Full sun ( tolerate part shade)
- Deep watering for their shallow roots so the water can rise to the surface.
- 3-4 inches of mulch such as aged wood chips to keep the roots cool and moist.
Marijke’s Favorite Perennial Native Plants that grow well in Vermont:
Sun:
Monkshood ( Aconitum napellus )
Anise Hyssop ( Agastache foeniculum )
Bluestar ( Amsonia )
Butterfly Weed ( Asclepsis tuberose )
Milkweed ( Asclepsis syriaca )
New England Aster ( Aster Dumosis now Symphyotrichum dumosum )
False Indigo ( Baptesia )
Tick seed ( Coreopsis )
Fernleaf Bleeding Heart ( Dicentra eximia )
Coneflower ( Echinacea )
Joe Pye Weed ( Eupatorium )
Queen of the Prairie ( Filipendula )
Blanket Flower ( Gaillardia )
Sneezeweed ( Helenium )
False Sunflower ( Heliopsis )
Blue flag Iris ( Iris prismatica )
Gay Feather ( Liatris )
Cardinal Flower ( Lobelia cardinalis )
Big blue Lobelia ( Lobelia siphilicata )
Blue Lupine ( Lupinus perennis )
Beebalm ( Monarda )
Evening primrose ( Oenothera )
Beard Tongue ( Penstemon )
Woodland Phlox ( Phlox divaricata )
Garden Phlox ( Phlox paniculata )
Obedient plant ( Physostegia )
Black-eyed Susans, Goldsturm, Herbst sonne, Henri Eilers ( Rudbeckia )
Goldenrod ( Solidago )
American Burnet ( Sanguisorba canadensis )
Cup flower ( Silphium perfoliatum )
New York ironweed ( Vernonia )
Part Shade:
Black Snakeroot, Fairy Candles( Actaea racemosa , formerly Cimicifuga )
Blue Star ( Amsonia )
Wild Columbine ( Aquilegia Canadensis )
Goats Beard ( Aruncus )
Wild Ginger ( Asarum canadense )
Joe Pye Weed ( Eupatorium )
Queen of the Prairie, Meadow sweet ( Filipendula )
Coral bells ( Heuchera )
Woodland Phlox ( Phlox divaricata )
Garden Phlox ( Phlox paniculata )
Obedient plant ( Physostegia )
Jacob’s ladder ( Polemonium )
False salomon’s seal ( Smilacina racemosa )
Meadow rue ( Thalictrum )
Foam Flower ( Tiarella )
Spiderwort ( Tradescantia )
Labrador violet ( Viola labradorica )
Shade:
Wild Ginger ( Asarum canadense )
Turtle head ( Chelone )
Coral bells (Heuchera)
Jacob’s ladder ( Polemonium )
Foam Flower ( Tiarella )
Wakerobin ( Trillium )
Labrador violet ( Viola labradorica )
Hardy Native Shrubs:
Service berry ( Amalanchier Canadensis )
Black chokeberry ( Aronia melonacarpa )
Beautyberry ( Callicarpa Americana )
Buttonbush ( Cephalanthus )
White Fringe Tree ( Chionanthus virginicus )
White Summersweet ( Clethra alnifolia )
Red Osier Dog wood ( Cornus sericea )
American Hazelnut ( Corylus americana )
Smooth Hydrangea ‘Annabelle’ and ‘Incrediball’ (H ydrangea arborescens )
Winterberry ( Ilex verticilata )
Beauty Bush ( Kolkwitzia amabilis )
Spice Bush ( Lindera benzoin )
Ninebark ( Physocarpus )
Clove currant ( Ribes odoratum )
Fragrant Sumac ( Rhus aromatica )
Elderberry ( Sambucus canadensis )
Blueberry Higbush ( Vaccinum )
Cranberry Highbush ( Viburnum trilobum )
Witherod ( Viburnum cassinoides )
Nannyberry ( Viburnum lentago )
Why Native Plants?
- Once established, most native plants do not need watering beyond rain
- NO watering. No fertilizer. Little pruning
- Native plants have developed their own defenses against many pests and diseases. Many pesticides kill indiscriminately. Yes, organic pesticides kill bees and many other pollinators and beneficial insects. Natural pest control takes over. Native plants save our water, amphibians, and us.
- Native plants, birds, butterflies, beneficial insects, and interesting critters are “made for each other.” Watch the pollinators come to your gardens!
- No wasted gas for transportation. And if field-grown, no greenhouse heating
What are Native Plants?
Native plants are LOCAL. They are plants that have been growing in a particular habitat and regions for thousands of years or longer. They are well-adapted to the climate, light and soil conditions that characterize their ecosystem. They have build relationships with animals, birds, bugs, plants, fungi etc.
In general, they are plants that were growing in this country before the European colonies arrived.
What do non-native plants do wrong?
- Non-Native plant species have less nutrition for birds and bugs.
- They displace the native plants:
Let’s
look at the Sugar Maple, the beauty of
Vermont. It provides food in the form of nuts,
leaves, and wood for a variety of animals,
plants, and insects. (and Maple syrup
for an important animal species). The interaction
of all keep nature in balance.
When exotic species like the Norway maple (one
of the most sold trees) are
introduced, they upset this balance and become invasive.
They drive away the good trees and all of the benefits the tree has built up
over all those years. The same for the pretty burning bush and barberries and
so many others.
Multiply this with many plant species and we create a monster with foreign bugs (did I say Japanese beetle, lily beetle, ash borer, or spotted wing drosophila among many?)
We can all contribute by planting native plants to replace the invasive plants.
You will be rewarded! They attract native bird, butterflies and insects. As a bonus we will have great flowers, wonderful pollinators, and easy maintenance.