Uses: Naturalize

Adam's Needle

Yucca filamentosa

This unique plant looks more suited to a desert climate, but it is found wild up and down the east coast. Its strappy leaves are crowned by huge spikes of creamy white flowers every other year.

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American Plum

Prunus americana

This native plum has a sprawling habit, which showcases the beautiful white flowers in spring and the unique pink plums in midsummer. The plants become scaly with age and are somewhat disease prone.

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Basket of Gold

Aurinia saxatilis

These sweet-smelling golden flowers are ideal for the front of the border in spring when bulbs are blooming.

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Beautyberry

Callicarpa americana

All parts of this bold shrub are fragrant. It particularly deserves its name for the profusion of amethyst purple berries borne on its long branches.

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Bee Balm is a tall summer-blooming perennial with brilliant red flowers subtended by a whorl of showy, red-tinged, leafy bracts. The aromatic leaves can be used for tea, but are susceptible to mildew, so this plant needs good air circulation. A member of the mint family, bee balm spreads readily by rhizomes…

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Black-eyed Susan

Rudbeckia fulgida

A cottage garden favorite, black-eyed susan features masses of ferociously yellow flowers that attract butterflies. They are incredibly hardy and tolerate a wide variety of conditions, making them ideal for naturalizing.

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Blackhaw

Viburnum prunifolium

These large spring blooming shrubs with edible berries do best in natural areas where they can achieve their full size.

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Blue False Indigo

Baptisia australis

This unique plant features bright blue-purple flowers on tall green stalks followed by interesting black seedpods. It forms a deep taproot and does not transplant well, so be certain of its location before planting.

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Brown-eyed Susan

Rudbeckia triloba

Brown-eyed Susans form masses of bright gold flowers above dark green foliage. It will flop without a midseason trim to keep it from getting too tall. It is ideal for naturalizing because it reseeds readily.

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Butterfly Weed

Asclepias tuberosa

This plant features brilliant orange flowers that light up the garden and are attractive to pollinators, including monarchs and honeybees.

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Cardinal Flower

Lobelia cardinalis

The vibrant red blooms of the cardinal flower makes it an ideal plant for the shady summer garden. It reseeds readily and is ideal for naturalizing and sharing with friends.

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Carolina Allspice

Calycanthus floridus

Give this shrub ample room to sprawl, as it tends to sucker when it's happy. The unusual chocolatey maroon flowers give off a spicy sweet fragrance which is echoed in cut twigs and leaves.

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Cheese's Mallow

Malva sylvestris

High Mallow is an upright, bushy plant with magenta flowers and darker purple stripes. It reseeds readily and naturalizes quickly in the garden.

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Cranberrybush

Viburnum opulus

Cranberrybush has stunning white flowers reminiscent of a hydrangea, which makes up for its somewhat coarse texture and stiffly upright growth.

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Dame's Rocket

Hesperis matronalis

A fragrant spring bloomer, this perennial naturalizes readily. Its white flowers are refreshing among all the pink and blue spring blooms. This flower cuts nicely for pleasant smelling bouquets.

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Eastern Redbud

Cercis canadensis

This small, spreading native tree offers a profusion of purplish-pink flowers lining the dark branches in April, followed by large heart-shaped leaves. The redbud evolved in the understory and wood edges of forests, where it is sheltered from intense sunlight, and is prettiest planted among dogwoods…

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English Daisy

Bellis perennis

With its cute white flower, this petite daisy makes a charming addition to the garden. It is usually grown as a short-lived perennial, but it will reseed if permitted.

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Fothergilla

Fothergilla gardenii

The aromatic flowers on this dwarf shrub are redolent of honey. It is a plant of multi-season interest with its brilliant fall foliage and unique branching.

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Foxglove

Digitalis purpurea

Wands of bell-shaped flowers ascend from a broad, woolly basal rosette. This common cottage garden flower has an important role in the manufacture of heart medicine.

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Garden Phlox

Phlox paniculata

Garden phlox has long been a staple of the perennial border, providing height and bright blooms at the back of the bed. The pink flowers are fragrant and attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds.

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Great Blue Lobelia

Lobelia siphilitica

This tall, late blooming perennial adds a pleasant blue to shady glades in the summer. Native to Virginia, it is often found along stream banks and in wetland areas. It self seeds enthusiastically.

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Hardy cyclamen

Cyclamen hederifolium

Small pinkish-white flowers emerge from corms in September, followed by mottled green and silver ivy-shaped leaves, adding an unexpected touch of color to the fall woodland garden.

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Hollyhock

Alcea rosea

Hollyhocks are old-fashioned cottage garden favorites for their height and cheerful flowers in a wide range of colors. Most require staking to support their heavy stems.

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Honeysuckle

Lonicera sempervirens

A woody, twining vine, honeysuckle needs some structure to support itself. It blooms nearly all summer and is attractive to hummingbirds and other pollinators. It is well-suited for arbors, pergolas, and fences.

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Hydrangea

Hydrangea arborescens

This versatile hydrangea tolerates a wide variety of conditions and is ideal for borders or natural areas. It benefits from an annual pruning in late winter to prevent the heavy blooms from flopping.

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Jerusalem Artichoke

Helianthus tuberosus

Jerusalem artichoke is a perennial sunflower relative that produces a profusion of bright yellow flowers atop ten foot stalks. It is valued for its edible tubers, which resemble the flavor of water chestnuts.

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Joe Pye Weed

Eutrochium maculatum

This tall plant is crowned with purple-pink flowers in the late summer. It is an American native and tolerates a wide variety of environmental conditions. Its height and bloom time can be controlled by by pruning it back by half when it reaches about two to three feet.

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New England Aster

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae

The pink and purple flowers of asters add color and height to the late summer garden. Due to their spreading habit they will naturalize when planted in the garden. A mid-spring trim will delay bloom time and help keep them restrained.

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New York Ironweed

Vernonia noveboracensis

This towering perennial is crowned with clusters of brilliant purple flowers. The size can be kept in check by a mid-spring pruning.

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Obedient Plant

Physostegia virginiana

This tall Virginia native has spires of bright pink flowers and can be seen growing along waterways and woodland trails. It makes an excellent addition the back of the border, but be prepared for some spreading. It does not earn its name by staying in one place, but due to the ability to manipulate…

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Oregano

Origanum vulgare

Oregano is a compact slow-spreading herb that is popularly used in cooking. It is very fragrant and attractive to bees and butterflies.

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Pawpaw

Asimina triloba

This small, colonizing tree produces the largest edible fruit indigenous to the United States. It has dark maroon flowers in the early spring which are pollinated by flies.

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Persimmon

Diospyros virginiana

Persimmons are an unusual American fruit that can colonize in abandoned fields and open woods. Female trees bear astringent orange fruits that become fully ripe after a frost.

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Purple Coneflower

Echinacea purpurea

This native perennial has vibrant magenta flowers which add contrast to the overwhelming yellows and reds of the summer garden. The showy daisy-like flowers borne on stiff stems attract goldfinches if left to go to seed.

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Rhododendron

Rhododenron catawbiense 'Roseum Elegans'

The rhododendron is an evergreen plant with large, lush pinkish purple blossoms in the spring.

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Snowdrop

Galanthus nivalis

Sweet white flowers naturalize easily in lawns or garden beds. This early bloomer is known for poking through the snow as early as February.

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Spiderwort

Tradescantia virginiana

Spiderwort has grassy foliage and interesting purple blossoms, but tends to flop after flowering. It does best in shady locations and benefits from a good haircut after blooming.

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Stinking hellebore

Hellebore foetidus

Don’t let the name fool you, as stinking hellebore’s evergreen foliage and clusters of drooping, bell-shaped, greenish-white flowers emerging from pale green bracts are a much-needed spot of color in the winter woodland garden. Established plants will readily self-seed to form colonies if flowers…

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Strawberry Bush

Euonymus americanus

This airy woodland shrub looks unassuming until it sets its brilliant red fruit in the fall, when it earns its many common names.

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Summersweet

Clethra alnifolia

This dense suckering shrub tolerates wet soils and shade. In late summer it bursts into bloom, with long panicles of fragrant white flowers, followed by attractive yellow fall color.

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Threadleaf Coreopsis

Coreopsis verticillata

Featuring airy foliage and golden flowers, this native plant is an attractive addition to the front of the border. It spreads by runners and is easily divided to share with your friends and neighbors. It is native to Fairfax County, Virginia.

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Tiger Daylily

Hemerocallis fulva

This summer blooming perennial has strap-like leaves and large orange flowers. Because it naturalizes easily, this daylily can be commonly seen in roadside ditches and marking the sites of old outhouses.

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Virginia bluebell

Mertensia virginica

A harbinger of spring, emerging foliage is deep purple but quickly turns green, and is followed by terminal clusters of pendulous, trumpet-shaped blue flowers. Virginia bluebells will rapidly colonize in moist shady areas. They are herbaceous perennials, which means that foliage dies to the ground as…

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Adam's Needle

Yucca filamentosa

American Plum

Prunus americana

Basket of Gold

Aurinia saxatilis

Beautyberry

Callicarpa americana

Bee Balm

Monarda didyma

Black-eyed Susan

Rudbeckia fulgida

Blackhaw

Viburnum prunifolium

Blue False Indigo

Baptisia australis

Brown-eyed Susan

Rudbeckia triloba

Butterfly Weed

Asclepias tuberosa

Cardinal Flower

Lobelia cardinalis

Carolina Allspice

Calycanthus floridus

Cheese's Mallow

Malva sylvestris

Cranberrybush

Viburnum opulus

Dame's Rocket

Hesperis matronalis

Eastern Redbud

Cercis canadensis

English Daisy

Bellis perennis

Fothergilla

Fothergilla gardenii

Foxglove

Digitalis purpurea

Garden Phlox

Phlox paniculata

Great Blue Lobelia

Lobelia siphilitica

Hardy cyclamen

Cyclamen hederifolium

Hollyhock

Alcea rosea

Honeysuckle

Lonicera sempervirens

Hydrangea

Hydrangea arborescens

Jerusalem Artichoke

Helianthus tuberosus

Joe Pye Weed

Eutrochium maculatum

New England Aster

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae

New York Ironweed

Vernonia noveboracensis

Obedient Plant

Physostegia virginiana

Oregano

Origanum vulgare

Pawpaw

Asimina triloba

Persimmon

Diospyros virginiana

Purple Coneflower

Echinacea purpurea

Rhododendron

Rhododenron catawbiense 'Roseum Elegans'

Snowdrop

Galanthus nivalis

Spiderwort

Tradescantia virginiana

Stinking hellebore

Hellebore foetidus

Strawberry Bush

Euonymus americanus

Summersweet