Native plants are any plant that occurs naturally in a given area. There are many benefits to planting natives, including lower levels of care, pollinator benefits, and more.
Because they are naturally found in an area, these plants are better prepared to grow there. Hampton Roads tends to have hot, humid summers. Non-native plants that don’t come from a similar environment may struggle and develop fungal diseases a native plant wouldn’t. These plants are better suited to handle the climate and weather of their native home than imported plants are. This includes winter temperatures, summer rain levels, and more.
Natives also benefit local wildlife. Milkweed, for example, is the only known host plant of Monarch butterflies. These butterflies will only lay their eggs on this perennial and caterpillars will only eat its foliage. By planting natives like Milkweed, you are providing an important resource to all your local pollinators, birds, and other wildlife.
Native Plants
Below is a list of popular natives we carry. All plants listed have a cultivar native to North America and plants marked with “*” are specifically native to the Eastern United States. Due to their seasonal nature, however, the plants listed below may not be available at all times.
Perennials, Vines & Grasses
The following seasonal plants come back year after year. Most perennials have several cultivars (varieties) that have been bred to have different characteristics. These can range from differing flower colors and shapes to overall size and growth habit.
American Wisteria
Agastache
Anemone*
Aster
Baptisia*
Beardtongue*
Bee Balm*
Bellwort*
Blackeyed Susan*
Blazing Star*
Bleeding Heart*
Bluestar*
Bluestem Grass*
Boltonia*
Carex Grass*
Carolina Jessamine*
Catchflies*
Chrysogonum*
Columbine
Coneflower*
Coral Bells
Coreopsis*
Goldenrod*
Ferns
Gaillardia
Goatsbeard*
Goldenrod
Helianthus*
Heliopsis*
Hibiscus*
Iris
Jacob’s Ladder*
Joe-Pye Weed*
Lobelia*
Mexican Petunia
Milkweed*
Muhly Grass
Obedient Plant*
Oenothera*
Phlox
Pinkroot*
Snakeroot*
Sneezeweed*
Solomon’s Seal*
Stylophorum*
Switchgrass*
Tiarella
Tradescantea
Trumpet Honeysuckle*
Verbena
Veronica
Virginia Bluebell*
Virginia Clematis*
Yarrow*
Trees & Shrubs
When looking for native trees and shrubs, make double sure the variety you are looking at is actually native. Some plants, such as Dogwoods and Beautyberry, have both native and non-native counterparts.
American Beautyberry*
Bald Cypress
Buttonbush*
Clethra
Chokeberry*
Eastern Redbud*
Flowering Dogwood
Fringetree
Fothergilla
Inkberry*
Itea*
Leucothoe
Loblolly Pine*
Maples
Mountain Laurel*
Oakleaf Hydrangea
Red Cedar*
Red Twig Dogwood*
River Birch*
Serviceberry
Sweetbay Magnolia
Viburnum
Virginia Pine*
Wax Myrtle*
Wild Hydrangea
Winterberry*
Witch Hazel*
Yellow Twig Dogwood
Yucca
Further Reading About Native Plants
There are many benefits of native plants. They can be used to create pollinator gardens and attract birds. They also tend to be more drought tolerant than non-natives. For more information about similar plants, click one of the following links: