Grounds for Nature

Botanical Name

Common Name

Light

Soil

Height

Bloom

Wildlife Value

Allium Cernuum

Nodding Onion

sun, ps

M, D

1'- 2'

Pink

Amsonia
'Blue ice'

Blue Star

sun, ps

M, D

12"-15"

Lavender-blue
May- June

Butterflies

Amsonia hubrectii

Thread leaf Blue Star

sun, ps

M, D

3'

Steel-Blue
June-July

Butterflies

Anemone virginiana

Thimble Weed

sh, ps

M, Avg

12"- 18"

White w/ yellow center
May- June

Aplectrum hyemale

Adam and Eve Orchid, Putty Root

sh

M

12”-18”

Greenish-Yellow- Purple; May- June

Leaf remains all winter, disappears, then flowers w/o leaf

Aquilegia canadensis

Wild Columbine

sun, sh

Avg, D

1'- 3'

Red w/ Yellow
May- June

Hummingbirds

Arisaema dracontium

Green Dragon

Sh, pt sh

M, Avg

1’- 4’

Green; April-June

Aruncus dioicus

Goatsbeard

sun, ps, sh

Avg, M

3'- 5'

White, June- July

Asarum canadense

Wild Ginger

sh, ps

M

0.5"

Brownish-purple
April- May

Insects

Aster cordifolius

Blue Wood Aster

sh, ps

D- M

2'- 3'

Blue, Sept- Nov

Butterflies

Aster macrophyllus

Heart Leaf Aster

sh, ps

D, M

3'- 4'

Violet; Aug- Sept

Butterflies

Aster oblongifolius

Aromatic Aster

sun, ps

D, M

2'- 3'

Blue, Aug- Oct

Butterflies

Aster laevis

Smooth Aster

sun, ps

Avg, M

4'

Blue, Aug- Oct

Butterflies

Baptisia minor

Dwarf False Blue Indigo

sun, ps

D, M

18"-24"

Blue; May- June

Butterflies

Caltha palustris

Marsh Marigold

sun, ps

M, W

1'

Golden Yellow
April- June

Songbirds

Chrysogonum
virginianum 'Australe'

Golden Star

sun, ps

Avg, D

8"

Golden Yellow
Spring & Fall

Cimicifuga racemosa

Black Cohosh

sh, ps

Avg, M

3' -6'

White, June- Aug

Coreopsis tripteris

Tall Coreopsis

sun

D, M

7'

Yellow
July

Butterflies

Delphinium exaltatum

Tall Larkspur

ps, sh

Avg, D

3'- 6'

Blue; July

Hummingbirds

Delphinium tricorne

Dwarf Larkspur

Pt sh, sh

M, Avg

8”-18”

Deep Purple;

April- May

Dicentra cucullaria

Dutchman’s Breeches

Sh, ps, sun

M, Avg

6”- 12”

Yellow w/ White;

April-May

Echinacea purpurea

Purple Coneflower

sun

Avg, D

3'- 4'

Purple
July- Sept

Butterflies

Eupatorium fistulosum

 Joe-Pye Weed

sun, ps

M, W

7'

Mauve
July- Aug

Butterflies

Eupatorium perfoliatum

Boneset

sun, ps

M, W

4'-7'

White, July- Sept

Butterflies

Eupatorium rugosum 'Chocolate'

Snakeroot

sun, sh

D, M

2'- 3'

White
Sept- Oct

Butterflies

Galax urceolata

Wandflower

sh

M

15”

White; Late spring-early summer

Gentiana clausa

Bottled Gentian

pt sh/pt sun

M, Avg

1'-2'

Violet-Blue
May- June

Bees

Geranium maculatum

Wild Geranium

ps, sh

D, Avg

8"- 12"

Pink- Lavender
Spring

Gillenia trifolata

Bowman's Root

ps

D, Avg, M

2'- 3'

White, Summer

Hepatica acutiloba

Sharp-lobed Hepatica; Liverleaf

sh

Avg, M

White-Pink-Lavender; Apr-May

Helianthus divaricatus

Woodland Sunflower

sun, sh

D, M

6'

Yellow, July- Aug

Butterflies, Birds

Heuchera americana

Alum Root

sh, ps

D, M

12"- 16"

Creamy White
May- June

Hummingbirds

Heuchera villosa

Maple-leaved
Alum Root

sh, ps

D, M

10"- 18"

White, Late Summer

Hummingbirds

Heuchera villosa 'Autumn Bride'

Maple-leaved
Alum Root

sh, ps

D,M

1'-2'

White, Late Summer

Hummingbirds

Heuchera micrantha
'Palace Purple'

Palace Purple
Coral Bells

sun, sh

D, M

12"- 18"

White

Hummingbirds

Hexastylis virginica

Virginia Heartleaf Ginger

sh

M, Avg

Maroon;

Apr - June

Hieracium Venosum

Rattlesnake Weed

sun, sh

D, M

12"-24"

Yellow, Sept- May

Hydrastis canadensis

Goldenseal

sh

M

6"-8"

White, Spring

Iris cristata

Dwarf Crested Iris

sh, ps

Avg, M, D

6"- 8"

Blue-violet
April- May

Iris cristata
'Tennessee White'

Dwarf Crested Iris

sh, ps

Avg, M, D

6"-8"

White
April- May

Iris versicolor

Blue Flag Iris

sun, ps

Avg, W

2'- 3'

Violet Blue w/
Yellow Throat
May- June

Birds

Lilium superbum

Turk’s Cap Lily

sun,ps

Avg, M, W

3’-6’

Orange/ Spotted Maroon; July-Aug

Lobelia cardinalis

Cardinal Flower

sh, ps

M, W

2'- 4'

Red, July- Aug

Hummingbirds

Lobelia siphilitica

Great Blue Lobelia

sun, ps

M, W

2'- 3'

Deep Blue
Aug- Sept

Hummingbirds, Birds,
Beneficial insects,
Butterflies

Mertensia virginica

Virginia Bluebells

sun, ps

M, Avg

1’-2’

Blue-Violet; Spring

Monarda didyma
'Jacob Cline'

Bee Balm

sun, ps

M, Avg

4'- 5'

Red, July

Hummingbirds,
Butterflies

Monarda fistulosa

Wild Bergamot

sun

Avg, D, M

3'- 5'

Lavender, June- July

Hummingbirds,
Butterflies

Opuntia humifusa

Prickly Pear Cactus

sun

D, Avg

8"-14"

Lemon Yellow, Summer

Birds

Pachysandra procumbens

Allegheny Spurge

ps, sh

M, Avg

8”- 12”

Whitish Pink;

March-April

Penstemon digitalis

Foxglove Beardtongue

sun, ps

D, Avg, M

3'- 5'

White, Apr- June

Hummingbirds,
Butterflies

Phlox divaricata

Wild Sweet William

sh, ps

M, Avg, D

1'

Rose- Lavender
April- May

Butterflies

Phlox paniculata
 'Robert Poore'

Garden Phlox

sun

avg, M

4'- 5'

Rose-Purple
July

Butterflies

Phlox stolonifera

Creeping Woodland
 Phlox

sh, deep sh

D, Avg, M

6"

Pink-Purple,
Spring

Buttterflies

Phlox stolonifera
 'Blue Ridge'

Creeping Woodland
 Phlox

sh, deep sh

D, Avg, M

6"

Violet-Blue
May- June

Buttterflies

Phlox stolonifera
'Home Fires'

Creeping Woodland
 Phlox

sh, deep sh

D, Avg, M

6"

Pink
May- June

Buttterflies

Phlox stolonifera
'Sherwood Purple'

Creeping Woodland
 Phlox

sh, deep sh

D, Avg, M

6"

Blue- Purple
May- June

Buttterflies

Polemonium reptans

Jacob's Ladder

sh, ps

M, W

1'- 2'

Light Blue, Spring

Butterflies

Polemonium reptans 'Stairway to Heaven'

Variegated Jacob's
 Ladder

sh, ps

M, W

1' -2'

Violet Blue
Late Spr, early summer

Butterflies

Pycnanthemum muticum

Short-toothed
Mountain Mint

sun, ps

M

3'

Pinkish White w/
silvery bracts
Aug- Sept

Butterflies, Bees

Rudbeckia lacinata

Green-headed Coneflower

sun, ps

M, Avg, D

4’-6’

Yellow-Green;

July, Aug

Butterflies, Birds, Bees

Ruellia humilis

Wild Petunia

sun, ps

D, M

1'- 2-

Pink, June- Aug

Hummingbirds,
Butterflies

Sanguinaria canadensis

Bloodroot

ps, sh

Avg, M, W

6”-10”

White w/ Yellow center; Mch-May

Sedum ternatum

Wild Stonecrop

sun, sh

Avg, M

5"

White, May- June

Senecio aureus

Golden Ragwort

sun, sh

D, M, W

1'- 2'

Yellow, May-June

Butterflies,
Birds, Bees

Silene caroliniana

Wild Pink

sun, ps

D, M

1'

Deep Pink, May- June

Spiranthese cernua
v. odorata

Ladies Tresses

sun, ps

M, W

1'- 2'

White, Aug- Sept

Thalictrum dioicum

Early Meadow Rue

sun, ps

M, Avg

3'- 5'

Yellow-Green,
Apr-May

Butterflies,
Birds, Bees

Thermopsis villosa

Carolina Lupine

sun

D, Avg, M

3’-5’

Yellow; May-June

Bees

Tradescantia ohiensis

Ohio Spiderwort

sun, ps

D, Avg

24"- 30"

Blue, Pink, Purple
June- Sept

Tradescantia x 'Sweet Kate'

Spiderwort

ps, sh

D, Avg

18"

Blue-Purple
June- Sept

Trillium grandiflorum

Great White Trillium

ps

M, Avg

12”-18”

White fades to pink; Spring

Trillium luteum

Yellow Wake-Robin

Ps, sh

D, Avg, M

1’-1.5’

Yellow; Apr- May

Zizia aureus

Golden Alexanders

sh, ps

M, W

1'- 3'

Golden Yellow
May- June

Butterflies

Adiantum pedatum

Northern Maidenhair

sh, ps

M

12"- 18"

Bright green fronds w/shiny black stems; clumper

Provides shelter for
amphibians

Athyrium filix-femina

Lady Fern

sun, sh

M

2'- 3'

Light green, finely
divided fronds

Provides cover and
nesting material for birds

Athyrium filix-femina
 'Lady in Red'

Lady Fern

sh, ps

M

2'- 3'

Light green, lacy
fronds w/ red Stems

Provides cover and
nesting material for birds

Dryopteris goldiana

Goldie's Fern

sh, ps

M

3'- 4'

Largest native wood
fern; creeping rhizomes

Provides shelter for
amphibians

Dryopteris marginalis

Eastern Wood Fern

sh, ps

M

12"- 18"

Neat, evergreen
leaves; clumper

Provides shelter for
amphibians

Matteuccia struthiopteris

Ostrich Fern

sh, sun

M, Avg

3'- 4'

Large, dark green
arching fronds

Provides shelter for
amphibians

Onoclea sensibilis

Sensitive Fern/
Bead Fern

sh, ps

M

1'- 2'

Bright, yellow-green fronds; sori cluster like beads

Provides shelter for
amphibians

Osmunda cinnamomea

Cinnamon Fern

sh, sun

M, W

3'- 5'

Upright, vase shaped w/green fronds, & spore-bearing "cinnamon sticks"

Cover for birds,
Hummingbirds use
fiber for lining nests

Osmunda regalis
var. spectabilis

Royal Fern

sh, ps

M

4'- 6'

Broad, bright green fronds w/ purple stems

Provides shelter for
amphibians

Polystichum acrostichoides

Christmas Fern

sh, ps

D, Avg, M

12"- 18"

Neat habit, evergreen leaves, clumper

Provides shelter for
amphibians

Woodwardia virginica

Virginia Chain Fern

sh, ps, sun

W,M,Avg

18"- 24"

Upright w/ long purple- brown stalks; Spreads by creeping rhizomes

Provides shelter for
amphibians

Carex appalachia

Appalachian Sedge

sh

D

1'

Green

Chasmanthium latifolium

Sea Oats

sun, ps, sh

D,M, W

3'- 4'

Tan

Birds

Ampelaster
carolinianus

Climbing Aster

sun

M, W

5'- 10'

Lavender w/ yellow
center; Fall

Butterflies, Insects

Hydrangea climbing

Decumaria barbara

sun, ps

avg, M

10'-20'

Creamy White, Spring

Butterflies

Lonicera sempervirens

Coral Honeysuckle

sun, ps

D, Avg, M

5'- 14'

Coral w/ Yellow center

Butterflies, Hummingbirds

Wisteria frutescens
 'Amythyst Falls"

Purple American
Wisteria

sun, ps

D, Avg, M

15'- 20'

Lilac to Deep Purple

Butterflies

Wisteria macrostachya
'Clara Mack'

White American
Wisteria

sun, ps

Avg, M, W

20'

White
June- July

Butterflies

Callicarpa americana

American Beautyberry

sun, ps

Avg

3'-6'

Lavender-pink

Birds

Calycanthus floridus

Carolina Allspice

sun, ps

M, Avg

6'-10' x
6'- 12'

Maroonish Brown
Late Spring - Summer

Cephalanthus occidentalis

Buttonbush

sun, ps

Avg, M

3'- 5'

White; Summer

Butterflies, Birds

Euonymous americana

Strawberry Bush

sun, ps

Avg, D,M

3'-6'

Yellow-green; Spring

Birds

Itea virginica
'Henry's Garnet'

Virginia Sweetspire

sun, sh

M, Avg, D

3'-5' x
3'-5'

White
May- June

Butterflies, Birds

Symphoricarpos orbiculatus

Indian currant; Coralberry

Sh, ps

M, D, Avg

2’-4’

Greenish- White; Late Spring

Birds

Viburnum dentatum

Arrowwood Viburnum

Sun, ps

M, Avg, D

6’-8’

Creamy white; May-June

Birds