Do you live in the Mid-Atlantic area—Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, or D.C.— and want to start a native plant garden? Here is the garden inspiration you were looking for! These native flowers, shrubs, and trees are easy to find, easy to plant, and will look stunning in your garden.
Before we share 50+ native plants (with links to their profiles), let’s start with a basic question.
What is a native plant?
A native plant has grown in a region for thousands of years. It has lived through every drought, storm, blizzard, and heat wave. These plants’ DNA is made to thrive in your yard with minimal care. Thousands of plants are native to the Mid-Atlantic area.
Why plant native in the Mid-Atlantic?
There are three big reasons to plant native:
- Support iconic wildlife. Native plants give bugs, birds, and butterflies needed food and homes, ensuring their survival.
- Fuss-free, money-saving landscaping. Be a lazy gardener! Native plants thrive with normal rainfall once they are established.
- Native plants are gorgeous. Your neighborhood or yard will look incredible, especially if it’s currently filled with boring static boxwoods.
Now that we have a few reasons why planting natives is worth it, let’s meet some yard-worthy flowers, shrubs, and trees.
Native flowers for Mid-Atlantic gardens
Any of these native flowers gives food to butterflies, hummingbirds, and pollinators. Pick a few flowers from each season so pollinators and wildlife always have something to eat (and you always have something to admire.)
Native Flowers for Spring
Native flowers for summer
Native Flowers for Fall
Native shrubs for Mid-Atlantic gardens
These native shrubs are made for Mid-Atlantic weather, seasons, and sunshine.
Native Trees for Mid-Atlantic gardens
Looking for a tree for Mid-Atlantic landscapes? Try any of these beauties:
Plant these plants together for a stunning native garden
All the plants here look amazing in Mid-Atlantic landscapes. Almost every one of these plants is also a perennial, meaning they will come back year after year looking better than ever.
Each of these plants is easy to grow. After their first year of establishment, each will return year after year and require nothing fancy to keep going besides normal rain.
Planting native plants ensures our gardens look amazing and our water bills stay low. You don’t have to have a botany degree to plant a garden. Plant these easy natives and enjoy a gorgeous Mid-Atlantic yard all year long.
Looking for more options?
There are thousands of plants native to the Mid-Atlantic. If you’re looking for a huge encyclopedia of native plants, we have some to recommend:
- Virginia Cooperative Extension has a wonderful list of Tried and True Native Plant Selections for the Mid-Atlantic
- BONAP has county-specific maps if you want to get granular with native ranges
- USDA Plant Database is a mind-boggling, enormous countrywide resource
- Explore plants by pollinator profiles at Xerces Society
We’re not done yet. Here is more information on sourcing, expert opinions, and more.
Hear from a Mid-Atlantic expert
Hear tips and tricks for planting in the Mid-Atlantic in our interview series:
Online native plant sellers in the Mid-Atlantic
Looking to start your garden by shopping online? We got you. Here are some stellar Mid-Atlantic online resources for native plants:
- Burpee only some natives (Warminster, Pennsylvania)
- Ernst Seeds (Meadville, Pennsylvania)
- Direct Native Plants (Middle River, Maryland)
- Izel’s Native Plants (Washington D.C.)
- Keystone Wildflowers (Robesonia, Pennsylvania; pick-up only)
- Mid-Atlantic Natives (Cobbs Creek, Virginia)
- Monticello (Charlottesville, Virginia)
- Rare Roots (Mechanicsville, Virginia)
Mid-Atlantic Native Nurseries
Mid-Atlantic native nurseries include:
Delaware
- Inland Bays Garden Center (Frankford; run by two former school teachers ❤️ )
- University of Delaware’s Botanic Gardens hosts an amazing plant sale every spring
- Mt Cuba Center Gift Shop (Hockessin; closed in winter)
Pennsylvania
- Aquatic Resource Restoration Company (ARRC) (Glen Rock, PA; read our interview with the Nursery Manager)
- Bartram’s Garden (Philadelphia, PA)
- Behmerwald Nursery (Schwenksville, PA)
- Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve Native Plant Nursery (New Hope, PA)
- Edge of the Woods Native Plant Nursery (Orefield, PA)
- Gino’s Nursery (Newtown, PA)
- Go Native Tree Farm (Manheim, PA; by appt only)
- Good Host Plants (Philadelphia, PA; pick-up and appt only)
- Heartwood Nursery (Felton, PA)
- Hungry Hook Farm (Bainbridge, PA)
- Keystone Wildflowers (Robesonia, PA; by appt only)
- Perennial Gardens Nursery (New Bloomfield, PA)
- Pikes Peak Nurseries (Penn Run, PA)
- Redbud Native Plant Nursery (Media, PA)
- Rich Farms (Smithfield, PA)
- Schroeder Gardens (Millersville, PA)
Maryland
- Chesapeake Natives (Upper Marlboro, MD)
- Kollar Nursery (Pylesville, MD)
- Lauren’s Garden Service (Ellicott City, MD)
- Unity Church Hill Nursery (Church Hill, MD)
- Wakefield Valley Nursery (New Windsor, MD)
- Wild Spirit Native Plants (Thurmont, MD, pick-up only—nursery not open to public)
- Wildflower Native Nursery (Bethesda, MD)
New Jersey
- D&R Greenway Plant Trust (Princeton, NJ)
- Earth First Native Nursery (Egg Harbor Township, NJ)
- Goshen Gardens (Cape May, NJ)
- Pinelands Direct (Columbus, NJ; online pick-up only)
- Rarefind Nursery (Jackson, NJ, by appt only)
- Summersweet Native Plants (Mays Landing, NJ; open by appt only)
- Toadshade Wildflower Farm (Frenchtown, NJ; appt only)
- Wildridge Plants (Alpha, NJ)
Virginia
- Hill House Farm & Nursery (Castleton, VA)
- Mid-Atlantic Natives (Cobbs Creek, VA)
- Morningside Farm & Nursery (Boston, VA)
- Monticello (Charlottesville, VA)
- Nature by Design (Alexandria, VA)
- Rare Roots (Mechanicsville, VA)
- Seven Bends Nursery (Windchester, VA)
- Watermark Woods (Hamilton, VA)
Washington D.C.
- Bona Tera (Washington D.C.)
Wow, inspired yet? We hope so. Planting native in the Mid-Atlantic is such an easy way to bring wildlife and beauty to our landscapes with minimal work (especially compared to lawns.) Native plants have thrived in our area without any human intervention for thousands of years. After they are established, all they need is rain to thrive. Spend a few hours planting native and enjoy years of watching hummingbirds, butterflies, and birds flourish. Explore more by visiting some of our most popular guides, including a Beginner’s Guide to Native Coneflowers or a Beginner’s Guide to Native Hydrangeas. Happy planting!
