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Wild Plants That Can Be Used in the State of New York

When looking for wild plants that can be used in New York landscapes, which fall in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4b through 7a, a good place to start is with the local native species of the area. Many native species are not only attractive and suitable for home landscapes, but they are also less expensive to maintain and serve a number of important purposes. Once established, native plants need less water and require little or no fertilizer or pest control. They also provide food and shelter for a number of wild species such as birds and butterflies.

  1. Perennials

    • Perennials are plants that grow, die back (usually in winter), and grow again the following season. A number of New York native perennials deserve a more prominent place in home landscapes. For example, the butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa), hardy in USDA zones 3 through 9, bears bright orange flowers that attract butterflies. Wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), hardy in USDA zones 3 through 9, bears red and yellow flowers and attracts hummingbirds. Smooth blue aster (Aster laevis), hardy in USDA zones 4b through 9a, has a daisy-like blue flower that blooms in fall when other perennials are fading.

    Shrubs

    • Shrubs can be either evergreen or deciduous. Some New York native shrubs make stunning landscape additions, such as New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus), hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8, which bears white flower clusters and attracts butterflies, and the swamp rose, which bears single pink flowers. This hardy rose grows well in USDA zones 3 through 9, especially in difficult-to-landscape wet areas. Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8, bears yellow fringe-like flowers in late winter when little else is blooming.

    Trees

    • Trees abound in New York, so there is a large selection of wild trees to choose from. Some of the more popular landscape additions are the red maples (Acer rubrum), hardy in USDA zone 3b through 9, due to their spectacular bright red fall color, and Eastern dogwood (Cornus florida), hardy in USDA zones 5 through 9, due to its abundant white flowers. A wonderful evergreen choice is the white pine (Pinus strobus), hardy in USDA zones 3 through 8, with its soft blue-green needles.

    Ferns

    • A number of ferns are native to New York and make great landscape plants. Most ferns perform better in shady areas of the garden and tend to soften the appearance of the landscape. The maidenhair fern (Adiantum pedatum) has a delicate appearance and is hardy in USDA zones 3 through 8, while New York fern (Thelypteris noveboracensis), hardy in USDA zones 5 through 7, bears 18-inch fronds. Hay-scented fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula), hardy in USDA zones 3 through 8, emits a sweet, hay-like scent.

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