Many gardeners are learning about the value to wildlife of adding keystone native plants to their yards, but they may not be aware of which species are best suited to residential landscapes. Join Extension Master Gardener Elaine Mills to move beyond simple lists of plants and see specific examples of how a variety of woody and herbaceous keystone plants can be incorporated into gardens of various sizes.
Zoom session, recorded January 23, 2026
Video of Presentation
Keystone Plants for the Home Landscape Handout – pdf
Addendum with answers to additonal questions – pdf
Top Woody Keystone Plants for Lepidoptera (butterflies, moths, skippers, fritillaries)
Top Herbaceous Keystone Plants for Lepidoptera
Large Trees
Oaks (Quercus): genus supports 534 species
- White Oak (Quercus alba)
- Northen Red Oak (Quercus rubra)
- Chestnut Oak (Quercus montana)
- Scarlet Oak (Quercus coccinea)
- Black Oak (Quercus velutina)
- Post Oak (Quercus stellata)
- Pin Oak (Quercus palustris)
- Willow Oak (Quercus phellos)
Birches (Betula): genus supports 413 species
Hickories (Carya): genus supports 200 species
Smaller Trees
Oaks (Quercus): genus supports 534 species
Cherries & Plums (Prunus): genus supports 456 species
- Chickasaw Plum (Prunus angustifolia)
- [Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) – not recommended: reseeding, defoliation, allelopathic]
Willows (Salix): genus supports 455 species & 14 pollen specialist bees
- Silky Willow (Salix sericea) (Pussy Willow (Salix discolor) rare in MD & VA)
- [Black Willow (Salix nigra) – not recommended; messy, breakage, shallow roots]
Hawthorns (Crataegus): genus supports 159 species
Woody Keystone Species from Tallamy List Not Recommended for Residential Settings
- Alder (Alnus) – Fast-growing and water-loving, not ideal for controlled landscapes
- Ash (Fraxinus) – Emerald Ash Borer
- Basswood (Tilia) – At southern end of range
- Beech (Fagus) – Beech Bark Disease, Beech Leaf Disease
- Chestnut (Castanea) – Chestnut Blight
- Crabapple (Malus) – Diseases
- Elm (Ulmus) – Dutch Elm Disease (cultivars resistant, but not totally immune)
- Maple (Acer) – Red Maple overplanted, at southern end of range for Sugar Maple
- Pine (Pinus) – Eastern White Pine can be blown over in wind; pines drop lower branches, leaving stubs behind
- Poplar (Populus) – Very large size & extensive root systems; weak branch attachments, disease
- Spruce (Picea) – Limited range in higher elevations
- Walnut (Juglans) – Black Walnut allelopathic (exudes chemical toxic to growth of other plants)
Additional Woody Keystone Trees from Wild Ones List
- Serviceberry (Amelanchier) – 124;
- Dogwood (Cornus) – 118;
- Hornbeam (Carpinus) – 68;
- Sumacs (Rhus) – 58;
- Arborvitae (Thuja) – 50;
Plants for “Soft Landings” Landscaping Beneath Trees
(See Chart of Soft Landings, Izel Native Plants)
- Wild Ginger (Asarum canadense)
- Green-and-Gold (Chrysogonum virginianum)
- White Wood Aster (Eurybia divaricata)
- Alumroot (Heuchera americana)
- Golden Ragwort (Packera aurea)
- Violets (Viola spp.)
- Pennsylvania Sedge (Carex pensylvanica)
- Bottlebrush Grass (Elymus hystrix)
- Marginal Wood Fern (Dryopteris marginalis)
- Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides)
Shrubs
Blueberries (Vaccinium): genus supports 288 species & 7 pollen specialist bees
- Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum)
- Northern Lowbush Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium)
- Early Lowbush Blueberry (Vaccinium pallidum)
Roses (Rosa): genus supports 139 species
Hazelnuts (Corylus): genus supports 131 species
Honeysuckles (Lonicera): genus supports 36 species
Additional Woody Keystone Shrubs from Wild Ones List
- Viburnums (Viburnum) – 104;
- Witch Hazels (Hamamelis) – 63;
- Rhododendrons (Rhododendron) – 21;
(See Wild Ones resource on “Native Woodies” for complete list)
Goldenrod (Solidago): genus supports 115 species & 42 pollen specialist bees
- Blue-stemmed Goldenrod (Solidago caesia)
- Rough-stemmed Goldenrod (Solidago rugosa) (‘Fireworks’ cultivar)
- Gray Goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis)
- Other species:
Asters (Symphyotrichum & Eurybia): genera support 112 species & 33 pollen specialist bees
- New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
- Aromatic Aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium)
- White Wood Aster (Eurybia divaricata)
- Other species:
Landscape Combinations with Goldenrods & Asters:
- Taller ‘Fireworks” or shorter Autumn Goldenrod (Solidago sphacelata) with Aromatic Aster
- Tall Autumn Sneezeweed (Helenium autumnale) with New York and New England Asters
Other fall-blooming plants:
- Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana)
- Blue Mist Flower (Conoclinium coelestinum)
- Sunflowers and Rudbeckia species (see below)
Sunflowers (Helianthus): genus supports 73 species & 50 pollen specialist bees
- Woodland Sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus)
- Other species:
Bonesets (Eupatorium/Eutrochium): genera support 42 species
- Common Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)
- Hyssop-leaf Thoroughwort (Eupatorium hyssopifolium)
- Purple Joe-pye-weed (Eutrochium purpureum)
Sedges (Carex): genus supports 36 species
(See Mt. Cuba report: “Carex for the Mid-Atlantic Region” on growing conditions & mowing trials)
Violets (Viola): genus supports 29 species; support specialist bees
- Common Blue/Confederate Violet (Viola sororia)
- Yellow Violet (Viola pubescens)
- Striped Violet (Viola striata)
Geraniums (Geranium): genus supports 23 species; supports pollen specialist bee
Coneflowers (Rudbeckia): genus supports 17 species; 29 supports pollen specialist bees
- Orange Coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida)
- Brown-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia triloba)
- Cut-leaf Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata)
Additional Herbaceous Keystone Plants from Tallamy List
- Beardtongue (Penstemon) – 8
- Beebalm (Monarda) – 7
- Evening Primrose (Oenothera) – 16
- Iris (Iris) – 17
- Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium) – 6
- Lobelias (Lobelia) – 4
- Lupine (Lupinus) – 33
- Milkweed (Asclepias) – 12
- Phlox (Phlox) – 8
- Verbena (Verbena) – 11
Plus grasses from Blakney book:
Additional Resources
Keystone plants supporting Lepidoptera:
- Blakney, Robert R. Northern Virginia Butterflies & Skippers
- Homegrown National Park (keystone plants by eco-region-8.3 SE USA Plains)
- Keystone Native Plants, Eastern Temperate Forests – Ecoregion 8, National Wildlife Federation
- Native Caterpillars, Moths, Butterflies, and Host Native Woodies, Wild Ones
- Tallamy, Doulas. Bringing Nature Home, Nature’s Best Hope, The Nature of Oaks
Locally appropriate species:
Compendium, Earth Sangha Wild Plant Nursery (general advice on planting natives)
Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora
Native Plant Finder, National Wildlife Federation (locate keystone plants by zip code)
Native Plant Society of New Jersey, Plant Lists
Native Plants for Delaware Landscapes
Native Tree Choices, Plant NoVA Natives
- Oaks of the National Capital Region, National Park Service
- Pennsylvania Native Plant Society
- Plant Virginia Natives (regional native plant guides), including Native Plants for Northern Virginia
Other:
- Carex for the Mid-Atlantic Region, Mt. Cuba Center
- Nectar and Host Plants for Selected Mid-Atlantic Butterflies and Moths, MGNV
- Pollen Specialist Bees of the Eastern United States, Jarrod Fowler & Sam Droege
- Soft Landings, Izel Native Plants blogpost (includes chart by growing condition)
- Native-only Plant Sellers, Plant NoVA Natives
- Native Plant Nurseries & Vendors, Maryland Native Plant Society
- Native Plant Nurseries, Native Plant Society of New Jersey
- Native Plant Nurseries Serving Delaware, Delaware Nursery & Landscape Association
- Native Plant Sources, Pennsylvania Native Plant Society