Plant Catalog

It prefers moist, well-drained soils and full sun to partial shade, though it adapts to a range of conditions once established. Young trees grow vigorously and establish readily. Like other native elms, it supports wildlife through its seeds and foliage.

Slippery elm is susceptible to Dutch Elm Disease, which has reduced the number of large mature trees across its range. Younger and mid-sized trees often remain healthy for many years, and the species continues to regenerate in the wild. Good sanitation—removing dead elm wood promptly—helps lower local beetle pressure.

Learn more about Dutch Elm Disease in your area with your local extension office.

Ginkgo grows slowly at first, eventually reaching 50–80 feet. It does best in full sun and well-drained soil, and it tolerates heat, urban conditions, and a wide range of soils. Hardy in Zones 3–8. Trees are either male or female; females bear fleshy, foul-smelling seeds in fall, and a seedling's sex is not known until it begins to bear, often after 20 years or more.

Ginkgo has a long tradition of medicinal use. The seeds have been used in Chinese medicine for centuries, and in modern herbalism standardized leaf extracts are widely used to support circulation and memory. Raw seeds are toxic and the fruit pulp can irritate skin. Leaf preparations may increase bleeding risk, so anyone taking blood thinners should talk with their health care provider first.

It typically reaches 30–50 feet with a broad, irregular crown, and is suited to a range of soils, from wet to dry, in full sun to partial shade. Hardy in Zones 2–9. Its tolerance of shade makes it a useful understory tree for Zone 6b plantings, and it is valuable for quickly stabilizing stream banks. Trees are male or female; females carry hanging clusters of winged seeds that persist into winter. The wood is soft, so it is best planted away from buildings.

The seeds feed squirrels and winter birds such as evening grosbeaks, and the tree provides cover along waterways. Like other maples, box elder can be tapped in late winter for sap, which has been made into syrup by Native peoples and settlers alike. Female trees can attract harmless but sometimes bothersome box elder bugs.

Suitable for stream buffers, restoration plantings, and naturalized areas.

Persimmon typically grows 35–60 feet tall, often smaller in cultivation, in full sun to partial shade. It adapts to many soils, including dry, poor ones, and is wildlife-friendly and regionally adapted. Hardy in Zones 4–9. Small, fragrant, bell-shaped flowers appear in late spring. Trees are generally male or female, so plant more than one to ensure fruit. The fruit ripens in fall and is very astringent until fully soft; once ripe it is rich and sweet. Plants can sucker to form small groves.

The fruit is eaten by foxes, raccoons, opossums, deer, and birds, and the foliage is a host for the caterpillars of the luna moth and the regal moth (the "hickory horned devil"). Native peoples dried the fruit into cakes, and the astringent bark and unripe fruit were used in early American folk medicine.

Suitable for wildlife plantings, edible landscapes, and hedgerows.

Redbud is a graceful understory or specimen tree, typically 20–30 feet tall and as wide, often with multiple trunks. It grows in full sun to partial shade and prefers moist, well-drained soil, but it is adaptable. Hardy in Zones 4–9. It is fairly short-lived and does not like to be moved once established, so choose its spot with care.

Its early flowers are an important nectar and pollen source for native bees, including mason bees, when little else is in bloom. The leaves are a host for the caterpillars of Henry's elfin butterfly, and birds eat the seeds. The flowers are edible and have a pleasant, slightly tart flavor.

Suitable for woodland edges, small yards, and pollinator gardens.

It grows 3–6 feet tall and spreads by suckers to form colonies, making it good for filling a shady slope or woodland edge. It prefers partial shade and moist, well-drained soil but tolerates sun and drier conditions. Hardy in Zones 3–8. Fragrant flowers open over a long season, from early to late summer, followed by flat, red raspberry-like fruits that are edible though somewhat dry and seedy. Older canes can be cut back to keep the planting vigorous.

A pollinator favorite, its open flowers draw bumblebees and many other native bees. Birds and small mammals eat the fruit, and the thickets offer cover and nesting places.

Suitable for woodland gardens, shady banks, and naturalized plantings.

Plants grow 2–3 feet tall and bloom in late spring to early summer. Blue flag needs full sun to partial shade and moist to wet soil, and will grow in shallow standing water. Hardy in Zones 3–9. It spreads slowly by rhizomes into handsome clumps and is seldom bothered by deer. It is beautiful for moist edges and rain gardens.

The flowers are pollinated mainly by bumblebees and other native bees. Blue flag was widely used by Native nations of the Northeast and Great Lakes. The rhizome was used in very low doses by the Eclectic physicians for skin and digestive dysfunction. All parts, especially the rhizome, are toxic and irritating if taken in more than small amounts, and so it is used as a small part of a larger formula by experienced clinical herbalists only.

Suitable for rain gardens, pond edges, and wet meadows.

Plants grow 2–4 feet tall and bloom from early summer into fall. Purple coneflower likes full sun to light shade and average, well-drained soil, and it is drought tolerant once established. Hardy in Zones 3–8. It often self-seeds gently, and deer usually leave it alone.

Echinacea species were among the most widely used medicines of the Plains nations, including the Lakota and Cheyenne, mostly the narrow-leaved species, E. angustifolia for rattlesnake and insect bites. Today, E. purpurea is the species most often cultivated by herbalists, who use the root, harvested in the early spring, and the flowers and seed tinctures combined to support the immune system, especially at the first sign of a cold.
United Plant Savers lists Echinacea as “at risk” because of wild harvest, so growing your own is a good choice. People allergic to plants in the daisy family should use it with care. Bees and butterflies visit the flowers, and goldfinches eat the seeds in fall and winter.

Suitable for pollinator gardens, meadows, and medicinal gardens.

It grows 2–3 feet tall and blooms from late summer into fall, when many other plants are finished. Turtlehead prefers full sun to partial shade and moist to wet soil, and it thrives along stream banks, in wet meadows, and in rain gardens. Hardy in Zones 3–8. It forms slowly spreading clumps, and its bitter leaves are seldom eaten by deer.

Turtlehead is the primary larval host of the Baltimore checkerspot butterfly, so planting it directly supports this striking and increasingly local species. Bumblebees are strong enough to push into the closed flowers and are its main pollinators. The herb is used as a bitter digestive tonic, a use carried from Native American practice into the work of the Eclectic physicians who used it also to stimulate bile secretion and for skin problems.

Suitable for rain gardens, butterfly gardens, and moist medicinal gardens.

Astragalus grows 2–4 feet tall and flowers from late spring into summer, followed by small papery seed pods. It prefers full sun and deep, sandy or loamy, well-drained soil; it does not tolerate wet feet. Hardy to about Zone 5. Plants are slow to establish, and roots are traditionally harvested after three or four years of growth. As a legume, it is useful for meadow and pollinator planting, and its flowers are visited by bees.

In Chinese medicine, Huang Qi is used as a lung qi tonic and it is useful as a cardiovascular tonic. It is also an immune amphoteric, helping to balance immune function, as needed. It is traditionally used for long-term support rather than during an acute infection or fever. Anyone taking immune-suppressing medication should talk with their health care provider before use. Please note that many other Astragalus species, including the western locoweeds, are toxic; this is not a plant to substitute or forage.

Suitable for medicinal gardens, meadows, and pollinator plantings.

Baikal skullcap grows 1–2 feet tall and blooms in mid to late summer. It prefers partial sun and rich soil that drains well, and it is fairly drought tolerant once established. Hardy in Zones 5–8. It is long-lived and well behaved, staying in tidy clumps, and roots are usually harvested after three or four years. Bees love the flowers.

In Chinese medicine the root is used to clear heat and dampness, such as febrile conditions with secretions, such as bronchitis with mucus or infectious diarrhea. It is one of the most studied herbs in modern research. Several cases of liver injury have been reported with a product containing Chinese skullcap, although the evidence was poor that this herb was causative. This herb is best used under the guidance of a knowledgeable practitioner.

Suitable for medicinal gardens, rock gardens, and sunny borders.

It grows 3–5 feet tall and blooms from late spring into early summer. Foxglove beardtongue prefers full sun to partial shade and average, well-drained soil, and once established it tolerates both drought and clay. Hardy in Zones 3–8. It is easy care, long-lived, and seldom browsed by deer, and it self-seeds modestly.

Excellent for bees, hummingbirds, and resilient plantings. Bumblebees are its main pollinators, and many smaller native bees visit as well. The seed heads can be left standing for winter interest.

Suitable for pollinator gardens, meadows, and sunny borders.

Twining vines for trellis or fence plantings, the stems reach 3–6 feet in a season and die back to the ground each winter. It enjoys full to partial sun and loose, rich, well-drained soil; the roots do not tolerate standing water. Hardy in Zones 5–9. Flowers appear from midsummer into early fall. Roots can be harvested in fall after two or three years of growth.

Used in Asia as a traditional qi tonic for fatigue and weakness, often as a substitute for Panax ginseng. Dang Shen is considered gentler and less stimulating than ginseng, and it is often used to support energy, digestion, and recovery from fatigue. In China the root is also cooked into soups as a nourishing food. Growing codonopsis also takes pressure off wild ginseng, which is at risk from overharvesting.

Suitable for medicinal gardens and small trellises or fences.

This clump-forming grass grows 2–4 feet tall and about 2 feet wide. It needs full sun and does best in dry to medium, well-drained soil, including poor, rocky, or sandy ground; rich soil and too much water can make it flop. Hardy in Zones 3–9. Drought tolerant once established and deer resistant. Leave the stems standing over winter and cut them back in early spring.

Little bluestem is a larval host for several native grass skippers, including the dusted skipper and cobweb skipper. Its seeds feed songbirds, and its clumps give shelter to ground-nesting bees, insects, and small birds through the winter.

Suitable for meadows, dry slopes, pollinator gardens, and low-maintenance plantings.

Plants grow 2–4 feet tall from a rounded corm and bloom in mid to late summer. It thrives in sunny gardens, needs full sun, and grows well in average to moist soil, including clay, but it rots in soil that stays soggy over winter. Hardy in Zones 3–8. It is long-lived and easy to grow; taller plants may need support in rich soil. Voles and rabbits sometimes eat the corms.

A magnet for butterflies and bees. Monarchs, swallowtails, skippers, and bumblebees all visit the flowers, and goldfinches and other birds eat the seeds in fall. Dense blazing star is rare in much of its northern range, including Ontario, where it is listed as threatened, though it is not currently considered at risk in Pennsylvania.

Suitable for pollinator gardens, meadows, and rain garden edges.

Plants grow 1½–4 feet tall, forming clumps from rhizomes, and bloom from midsummer into early fall. In the wild it grows in dry, open, rocky woods, barrens, and woodland edges. It does best in light shade or sun with well-drained soil; plants in very hot, dry sun may be smaller. Likely hardy in Zones 5–8. Although it is a mint, hungry deer will browse this one, and deer browse is one of the threats to its wild populations. Young plants need protection, but this plant is worth it.

Torrey's mountain mint is an outstanding nectar plant for pollinators, visited by many native bees, wasps, flies, and butterflies. Mountain mints as a group have been used as aromatic teas, but with this species we put conservation first. Growing it in gardens helps keep a rare plant alive.

Suitable for pollinator gardens, dry woodland edges, and conservation plantings.

Plants grow 1–3 feet tall and bloom from midsummer into early fall. It prefers partial shade to full sun and consistently moist to wet, rich soil; it will not tolerate drying out. Hardy in Zones 4–8. It may self-seed in moist ground, and it is suited to wet edges and rain gardens.

The flowers are pollinated mainly by bumblebees, which push their way past the closed lips of the flower. The leaves are a larval host for the common buckeye butterfly.

Suitable for rain gardens, pond and stream edges, and wet meadows.

Plants grow 2–4 feet tall and bloom from midsummer into late summer. It does best in full sun to light shade and in rich soil that stays evenly moist. It spreads by underground runners to form a nice patch, and every few years you can divide it to keep it vigorous. Give it room for air to move between plants, which helps prevent powdery mildew on the leaves. Hardy in Zones 4–9. The scented leaves mean deer and rabbits usually leave it alone.

Few plants draw hummingbirds the way bee balm does. Bumblebees and butterflies visit it too. The leaves have a long history as a tea: it was made by the Oswego people and other Native nations, and colonists adopted it after the Boston Tea Party. Bee balm is useful for digestive issues as a carminative, is anti-inflammatory and supportive in upper respiratory infections.

Suitable for pollinator and hummingbird gardens, moist borders, meadow edges, and rain garden margins.