Tried and True Native Plant Selections for the Mid-Atlantic
Learn more about specific perennials:
Monarda fistulosa (Wild Bergamot) with eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly and bumble bee in July. Photo © 2018 Elaine Mills
- Aquilegia canadensis (Wild or Eastern Red Columbine)
- Amsonia tabernaemontana (Eastern Blue-star)
- Asclepias incarnata (Swamp Milkweed)
- Asclepias tuberosa ([Common] Butterfly-weed)
- Baptisia australis (Blue Wild Indigo)
- Chelone glabra (White Turtlehead)
- Cirsium discolor (Field Thistle) new 2021!
- Coreopsis verticillata (Threadleaf Coreopsis, Whorled Tickseed)
- Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower)
- Eutrochium dubium (Three-nerved (Coastal Plain) Joe-pye-weed)
- Eupatorium hyssopifolium (Hyssop-leaf Thoroughwort
- Geranium maculatum (Wild or Spotted Geranium)
- Heliopsis helianthoides ([Smooth] Oxeye)
- Hibiscus moscheutos (Swamp or Eastern Rose-mallow)
- Iris virginica (Virginia or Southern Blue Flag)
- Liatris spicata ([Dense] Blazingstar, Gayfeather)
- Lilium superbum (Turk’s-cap Lily)
- Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal Flower)
- Lobelia siphilitica (Great Blue Lobelia)
- Mertensia virginica (Virginia Bluebells, Virginia Cowslip)
- Monarda didyma (Scarlet Beebalm, Oswego Tea)
- Monarda fistulosa (Wild Bergamot)
- Phlox divaricata (Woodland Phlox)
- Phlox paniculata (Fall or Garden Phlox)
- Polygonatum biflorum (Solomon’s-seal, Smooth Solomon’s Seal)
- Pycnanthemum muticum (Short-toothed/Clustered Mountain-mint)
- Rudbeckia fulgida (Orange Coneflower)
- Rudbeckia hirta (Black-eyed Susan)
- Solidago Caesia (Blue-stemmed or Wreath Goldenrod) new 2021!
- Solidago rugosa (Rough-stemmed Goldenrod)
- Symphyotrichum cordifolium (Blue Wood or Heart-leaved Aster)
- Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (New England Aster)
- Tradescantia virginiana (Spiderwort)
- Trillium grandiflorum (Large-flowered or Great White Trillium)
- Uvularia grandiflora (Large-flowered Bellwort)
- Verbena hastata (Blue or Common Vervain)
- Vernonia noveboracensis (New York Ironweed)
Where to See These Perennials in Our Demonstration Gardens
Glencarlyn | Shade | Simpson | Sunny | Other Gardens
Many of these recommended plants can easily be seen in person at local public gardens. The following gardens feature native plants and are designed and maintained by Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia, serving Arlington and Alexandria.
Glencarlyn Library Community Garden
300 S. Kensington Street, Arlington, Virginia 22204
Features:
Native plants suitable for a container garden, shade garden, or scented garden
- Asclepias incarnata, Swamp Milkweed in the Medicinal Mini-Garden
- Asclepias tuberosa, (Common) Butterfly-weed in the Parking Lot Garden
- Chelone glabra, White Turtlehead C. lyonii inthe Woodland Garden
- Echinacea purpurea, Purple Coneflower in the Medicinal Mini-Garden
- Eutrochium dubium, (Three-nerved (Coastal Plain) Joe Pye Weed E. purpurea in the Pollinator Garden
- Liatris spicata, (Dense) Blazingstar, Gayfeather in the Pollinator Garden
- Lobelia siphilitica, Great Blue Lobelia in the Woodland Garden
- Mertensia virginica, Virginia Bluebell in the 3rd Street Garden
- Monarda fistulosa, Wild Bergamot in the Woodland Garden and at the front of the Library
- Phlox paniculata, Summer Phlox, Garden Phlox P. divaricata in the Woodland Garden
- Polygonatum biflorum, Smooth Solomon’s Seal P. commutatum in the Woodland Garden
- Rudbeckia fulgida, Eastern or Orange Coneflower in the Memorial and Woodland Gardens
- Rudbeckia hirta, Black-Eyed Susan R. triloba in the Fence and Pollinator Gardens
- Solidago rugosa, Rough-Stemmed Goldenrod ‘Fireworks’ cultivar in the Gazebo and Pollinator Gardens
- Symphyotrichum novae-angliae, New England Aster in the Fence and Memorial Gardens
- Trillium grandiflorum, Large-flowered or Great White Trillium in the Woodland Garden
- Vernonia noveboracensis, New York Ironweed in the Pollinator Garden
Shade Demonstration Garden at Bon Air Park
850 N. Lexington Street Arlington, Virginia 22205 (near the shelter)
Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) flower
Photo © 2016 Christa Watters
Features:
Native plants that thrive in morning shade and partial sun
- Aquilegia canadensis, Eastern Columbine in section 2C
- Asclepias tuberosa, (Common) Butterfly-weed in section 8E
- Echinacea purpurea, Purple Coneflower in section 8E
- Lobelia cardinalis, Cardinal Flower in sections 5, 2C
- Lobelia siphilitica, Great Blue Lobelia in section 8E
- Mertensia virginica, Virginia Bluebell in sections 2C, 2E, 6N
- Monarda didyma, Scarlet Beebalm, Oswego Tea (cultivar ‘Jacob Kline’) in section 2W
- Phlox divaricata, Woodland Phlox in sections 1W, 2W
- Polygonatum biflorum, Smooth Solomon’s Seal P. odoratum ‘variegatum’ in section 5
- Rudbeckia hirta, Black-Eyed Susan in section 8E
- Symphyotrichum cordifolium, Blue Wood or Heart-leaved Aster in section 7
- Tradescantia virginiana, Spiderwort in sections 1,2,5
Simpson Park Demonstration Garden
420 E. Monroe Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22301 (next to the YMCA parking lot)
Features:
Native selections for waterwise gardening and host plants for butterfly gardens
- Asclepias incarnata, Swamp Milkweed on the big berm
- Asclepias tuberosa, (Common) Butterfly-weed in the Waterwise Garden
- Baptisia australis, Blue Wild Indigo in the Waterwise Garden
- Echinacea purpurea, Purple Coneflower in the Butterfly Garden
- Liatris spicata, (Dense) Blazingstar, Gayfeather in the Princess Diana Bed
- Lobelia siphilitica, Great Blue Lobelia on the big berm
- Phlox paniculata, Summer Phlox, Garden Phlox in the Butterfly Garden
- Solidago rugosa, Rough-Stemmed Goldenrod ‘Fireworks’ cultivar in the Butterfly Garden
- Symphyotrichum novae-angliae, New England Aster on the big berm
- Vernonia noveboracensis, New York Ironweed in the Butterfly Garden
Sunny Demonstration Garden at Bon Air Park
850 N. Lexington Street, Arlington, Virginia 22205 (at the end of the parking lot)
Coreopsis verticillata, Threadleaf Coreopsis
Photo © 2015 Elaine Mills
Features:
Sun-loving perennials and shrubs that thrive despite excessive humidity or drought
- Asclepias tuberosa, (Common)Butterfly-weed in the *hellstrips and bed 7
- Baptisia australis, Blue Wild Indigo in the center of the Herb Bed; B. tinctoria in the *hellstrips
- Coreopsis verticillata, Threadleaf Coreopsis in the *hellstrips and bed 7
- Echinacea purpurea, Purple Coneflower in the *hellstrips
- Eutrochium dubium, (Three-nerved (Coastal Plain) Joe Pye Weed E. hyssopifolium in the *hellstrips
- Lobelia siphilitica, Great Blue Lobelia in bed 7 under the Smokebush
- Phlox paniculata, Summer Phlox, Garden Phlox in the middle bed
- Rudbeckia fulgida, Eastern or Orange Coneflower in the *hellstrips
- Rudbeckia hirta, Black-Eyed Susan in the middle beds
- Solidago rugosa, Rough-Stemmed Goldenrod ‘Fireworks’ cultivar in bed 7 & corner bed; S. memoralis in hellstrips
- Symphyotrichum novae-angliae, New England Aster in bed 7
- Verbena hastata, Simpler’s Joy, Blue Vervain V. canadensis ‘Homestead Purple’ & V. bonariensis in *hellstrips and middle beds
- Vernonia noveboracensis, New York Ironweed in bed 7 & the back bed near compost
*”The Hellstrip or curb garden is that inhospitable area where nothing seems to grow along the fence, by the driveway, or that trampled strip between the sidewalk and the street/ parking area that is difficult to water.”
Other Local Public Gardens Where These Perennials May be Seen
The Potomac Overlook Native Plant Garden, 2845 N. Marcey Road, Arlington, VA 22207, next to the demonstration Organic Vegetable Garden maintained by Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia, has a variety of perennials. The garden is maintained by Audubon at Home, the Virginia Native Plant Society, and Arlington Regional Master Naturalists in collaboration with the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority
- Asclepias tuberosa, (Common) Butterfly-weed in section 23
- Baptisia australis, Blue Wild Indigo in section 24
- Coreopsis verticillata, Threadleaf Coreopsis in section 25
- Liatris spicata, (Dense) Blazingstar, Gayfeather in section 27
- Phlox divaricata, Woodland Phlox and P. stolonifera in section 16
- Solidago rugosa, Rough-Stemmed Goldenrod in section 29
The Pollinator Garden, 3608 N. Military Road, Arlington, VA 22207, which is maintained by the Arlington Department of Parks and Recreation, also contains
- Asclepias incarnata, Swamp Milkweed
- Baptisia australis, Blue Wild Indigo
- Coreopsis verticillata, Threadleaf Coreopsis
- Echinacea purpurea, Purple Coneflower
- Eutrochium dubium, Eutrochium dubium,(Three-nerved (Coastal Plain) Joe Pye Weed
- Liatris spicata, (Dense) Blazingstar, Gayfeather
- Vernonia noveboracensis, New York Ironweed
