Gardening for Biodiversity
This list contains the 20 best native woody and perennial plant genera for supporting biodiversity in East Coast suburban landscapes. There are many alien ornamentals in these genera as well, so be sure to choose native member of each genus for your gardens.
Woody plants
- Oaks (Quercus)
- Cherries and Plums (Prunus)
- Willows (Salix)
- Birches (Betula)
- Poplars (Populus)
- Crabapples (Malus)
- Blueberries (Vacinnium)
- Maples (Acer)
- Elms (Ulmus)
- Pines (Pinus)
- Hickories (Carya)
- Hawthorns (Crateagus)
- Alders (Alnus)
- Ashes (Fraxinus)
- Basswood (Tilia)
- Black Walnut (Juglans)
- American Chestnut (Castanea)
- Native Roses (Rosa)
- Hazelnuts (Corylus)
- American Beech (Fagus)
Perennials
- Blackberries and Raspberries (Rubus spp.)
- Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)
- Asters (Aster spp.)
- Sunflowers (Helianthus spp.)
- Joe Pye weed, Boneset (Eupatorium spp.)
- Morning Glory (Ipomoea)
- Sedges (Carex spp.)
- Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens)
- Violets (Viola spp.)
- Native Geraniums (Geranium spp.)
- Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia spp.)
- Iris (Iris spp.)
- Evening primrose (Oenothera)
- Milkweeds (Asclepias spp.)
- Verbena (Verbena spp.)
- Beardtongue (Penstemon spp.)
- Native Phlox (Phlox spp.)
- Bee Balm (Monarda spp.)
- Veronica (Veronica spp.)
- Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
