Gardening Gardening By Region Gardening in the Northeast 15 Top Native Plants of the Northeast By Viveka Neveln Viveka Neveln Instagram Viveka Neveln is the Garden Editor at BHG and a degreed horticulturist with broad gardening expertise earned over 3+ decades of practice and study. She has more than 20 years of experience writing and editing for both print and digital media. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on July 10, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Janet Mesic Mackie Add these easy-growing native plants to your garden for lots of low-maintenance color through the seasons. 01 of 16 Wild Anemone Rob Cardillo This easily grown, easy-to-love plant thrives in moist soils rich in organic matter. Its large white flowers are a highlight of the spring border. A vigorous groundcover, it can happily fill in a large space within a growing season. Name: Anemone canadensis Growing Conditions: Shade to part sun and well-drained soil Size: To 2 feet tall Zones: 3-9 Learn more about anemones. 02 of 16 Yellow Lady's Slipper Orchid David Orndorf This orchid is the queen of the spring garden. The stunning, slipper-shaped, yellow flowers are sure to attract attention. Note: While long-lived, yellow lady's slipper can be very slow to get established. Never dig one up in the wild, as it won't survive transplanting, and it's illegal to do. Name: Cypripedium parviflorum Growing Conditions: Part shade and moist, acidic soil Size: To 16 inches tall Zones: 3-7 03 of 16 Carolina Lupine Eric Roth Native all along the Eastern seaboard, Carolina lupine is a tough plant that offers showy pea-like flowers in spring and fuzzy foliage. It's a good-sized plant that has a nice presence in the middle of the border. Name: Thermopsis villosa Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: To 4 feet tall Zones: 3-10 Learn more about growing Carolina lupine. 04 of 16 Merrybells Ginny Weiler Merrybells are charming, easy-to-grow plants that offer cute, dangling yellow flowers in spring. Like many native plants, merrybells look best in mass plantings. Name: Uvularia grandiflora Growing Conditions: Shade and well-drained soil Size: To 2 feet tall Zones: 3-9 05 of 16 Virgin's Bower Lynn Karlin This tough plant offers multiple seasons of interest: Deliciously scented, starry white flowers cover the vine in midsummer. Then in fall, enjoy the fuzzy, tufted seed heads that look magical when they catch the evening light. Name: Clematis virginiana Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist, well-drained soil Size: To 8 feet tall Zones: 4-8 Learn more about clematis. 06 of 16 Easy Ways to Add Natives Learn how to incorporate natives into your landscape for a beautiful, lasting look. 07 of 16 Foamflower W. Garrett Scholes Foamflower is a perfect groundcover to meander between clumps of established hostas or ferns. Related to coral bells, foamflower sports showy white flowers in late spring and early summer. Many fine selections are available, including 'Jeepers Creepers,' 'Spring Symphony,' and 'Sea Foam.' Name: Tiarella cordifolia Growing Conditions: Part sun to shade and moist, well-drained soil Size: To 1 foot tall Zones: 3-8 Learn more about foamflower. 08 of 16 Maidenhair Fern Matthew Benson A gorgeous, noninvasive fern, maidenhair fern offers a graceful texture for shady areas. It can be slow to grow so be patient; once it gets established and forms a clump, it's worth the wait. Name: Adiantum pedatum Growing Conditions: Shade and moist, humus-rich soil Size: To 2 feet tall Zones: 3-8 Learn more about maidenhair fern. 09 of 16 Jacob's Ladder Matthew Benson Native Jacob's ladder is a first-rate groundcover. A standout selection is the variegated 'Stairway to Heaven,' which features pink, white, and green leaves and little blue flowers. Pair it with Canadian wild ginger, anemone, and coral bells for woodland magic. Name: Polemonium reptans 'Stairway to Heaven' Growing Conditions: Part sun, well-drained soil Size: To 1 foot tall Zones: 3-8 Find out more about Jacob's ladder. 10 of 16 Trillium Alice O'Brien This early spring-blooming woodland wildflower sports brilliant white flowers atop glossy green leaves. The plant will slowly form beautiful clumps over time. Name: Trillium grandiflorum Growing Conditions: Shade and moist, well-drained soil Size: To 10 inches tall Zones: 4-8 Discover more on trilliums. 11 of 16 Woodland Iris Julie Sprott This underused iris happily grows and blooms in partial shade. Its blue-violet flowers cover the grassy clumps of foliage in late spring and make an attractive accent to rock cress (Arabis) and creeping phlox (Phlox subulata). Several varieties are available and form fast-spreading (but nonaggressive) clumps within a few seasons. Name: Iris setosa Growing Conditions: Full sun, moist, well-drained soil Size: To 14 inches tall Zones: 3-6 12 of 16 American Coralbells Rob Cardillo Native coralbells aren't as common as their hybrid cousins, but these tough plants are perfect for the garden. Newer selections add to the beauty with attractively variegated foliage. Name: Heuchera americana Growing Conditions: Part sun and well-drained soil Size: To 1 foot tall Zones: 4-9 Learn more about coral bells. 13 of 16 Eastern Bluestar Rob Cardillo We love this stalwart perennial and hope to see it used more in gardens. The tall plants open in blue, star-shaped flowers in spring. They're loved by migrating butterflies. Added bonus: These pest-free plants also have attractive yellow fall color. Name: Amsonia tabernaemontana Growing Conditions: Full sun, moist, well-drained soil Size: To 4 feet tall Zones: 4-9 Learn more about bluestar. 14 of 16 Wild Ginger Justin Hancock An almost perfect groundcover for shady spots, wild ginger features fuzzy, heart-shaped leaves. In late May, peek under the leaves for a glimpse of the hidden burgundy flowers. Name: Asarum canadense Growing Conditions: Shade and well-drained soil Size: To 10 inches tall Zones: 4-6 Learn more about wild ginger. 15 of 16 Swamp Milkweed Lynn Karlin Milkweeds are butterfly favorites and this one is no exception. Despite its common name, swamp milkweed doesn't mind average garden conditions. Showy pink flowers appear in mid-summer and attract monarch butterflies. Name: Asclepias incarnata Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist soil Size: To 4 feet tall Zones: 3-6 Learn more about milkweeds. 16 of 16 Culver's Root Janet Mesic Mackie This is a perfect perennial for the back of the border. White, pink, or blue blooms adorn tall stems in summer. It pairs beautifully with cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) and great blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica). Name: Veronicastrum virginicum Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and moist soil Size: To 5 feet tall Zones: 4-7 Get more on Culver's root. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit