Easy to Grow Native Field Plants of the North East

Compiled for The Native Plant Society of New Jersey by Hubert Ling, Ph.D. and Betty B. Knorr, Ph.D.

    Code KEY
  • (A) Seeds available in ounce or pound amounts commercially
  • (B) Seeds available in small amounts from various sources
  • (SC) Seeds usually have to be self collected
  • (PS) Species grows best with part shade
  • Warm Colors - Red, Yellow, Orange flowers
  • Cool Colors - Blue, Lavender, Pink, Purple, White flowers

You can download the plant list as a excel spreadsheet 

Sunny Fields - Medium Moisture - Warm Colors

Scientific NameCommon NameBloom ColorCodePlant Profiles & Photos
Aquilegia canadensis Wild ColumbineRed/yellow A, B, PSwild columbine
Asclepias tuberosaButterfly WeedOrangeA, Bbutterfly weed
Cassia fasciculataPatridge PeaYellowB 
Chrysopsis marianaMaryland Golden AsterYellowB 
Coreopsis lanceolataLance Leaf CoreopsisYellowA, B 
Helianthemum canadenseFrostweedYellowB 
Helianthus divaricatusWoodland SunflowerYellowA, PS 
Helianthus giganteusTall SunflowerYellowSC 
Helianthus strumosusPale-Leaved Wood SunflowerYellowSC, PS 
Lysimachia quadrifoliaWhorled LoosestrifeYellowB 
Oenothera biennisEvening PrimroseYellowB 
Oenothera fruticosaSundropsYellowB 
Rudbeckia hirtaBlack Eyed SusanYellowA, B 
Solidago sp.GoldenrodYellowB 
Tephrosia virginianaGoat's RueYellow/roseB 

 

Sunny Fields - Medium Moisture - Cool Colors

Scientific NameCommon NameBloom Color CodePlant Profiles & Photos
Anaphalis margaritaceaPearly EverlastingWhiteB 
Aster laevisSmooth AsterLavenderB 
Aster lateriflorusCalico AsterWhiteB 
Aster linariifoliusStiff AsterLavenderB 
Symphyotrichum pilosumFrost AsterWhiteA 
Aster simplexPanicled AsterWhiteSC 
Aster spectabilisShowy AsterLavender/BlueB 
Aster vimineusSmall White AsterWhiteB 
Erigeron annuusDaisy FleabaneWhiteB 
Eupatorium rotundifoliumRound-Leaved ThoroughwortWhiteB 
Gnaphalium obtusifoliumSweet EverlastingWhiteB 
Geranium maculatumWild GeraniumLavenderB, PSwild geranium
Liatris graminifoliaBlazing StarLavender/PurpleB 
Liatris spicataDense Blazing StarLavender/PurpleB 
Lupinus perennisWild LupineBlueB 
Monarda fistulosaBergamotPinkB 
Penstemon digitalisBeardtongueWhiteA, B 
Penstemon hirsutusHairy BeardtonguePurpleB 
Solidago bicolorSilver RodWhiteB 
Specularia perfoliataVenus' Looking GlassBlueB 

 

Moist/Wet Fields & Drainage Ditches - Warm Colors

Scientific NameCommon NameBloom Color CodePlant Profiles & Photos
Bidens aristosaTickseed SunflowerYellowB 
Bidens coronataTickseed SunflowerYellowB 
Impatiens bifloraJewelweedOrangeB, PS 
Impatiens pallidaPale Touch-Me-NotYellowB, PS 
Lilium superbumTurk's Cap LilyOrangeBturks cap lily
Lobelia cardinalisCardinal FlowerRedA, B, PScardinal flower
Lysimachia ciliataFringed LoosestrifeYellowSC 
Lysimachia terrestrisSwamp CandlesYellowSC 
Monarda didymaBee BalmRedB  
Rudbeckia laciniataGreen-Headed ConeflowerYellowSC 
Ranunculus pensylvanicusBristly ButtercupYellowSC 
Senecio aureusGolden RagwortYellowB 
Zizia aureaGolden AlexandersYellowA, B, PS 

 

Moist/Wet Fields & Drainage Ditches - Cool Colors

Scientific NameCommon NameBloom ColorCode Plant Profiles & Photos
Aster novae-angliaeNew England AsterBlue/PurpleA, Bnew england aster
Aster prenanthoidesCrooked-Stemmed AsterBlue/PurpleSC 
Chelone glabraTurtleheadWhiteB 
Eupatorium maculatumJoe Pye WeedPinkA, B 
Eupatorium perfoliatumBonesetWhiteA, B 
Gentiana andrewsiiClosed GentianBlueB 
Gentiana clausaBottle GentianBlueB 
Gentiana saponariaSoapwort GentianBlueB 
Gerardia purpureaPurple GerardiaPurpleBpurple gerardia
Hibiscus moscheutosSwamp Rose MallowWhiteB 
Iris prismaticaSlender Blue Flag IrisBlueB 
Iris versicolorLarge Blue Flag IrisBlueB 
Lobelia siphiliticaBlue LobeliaBlueA, B 
Rhexia virginicaMeadow BeautyPink/PurpleB 
Saururus cernuusLizard's TailWhiteB, PS 
Sisyrinchium angustifoliumBlue Eyed GrassBlueBblue eyed grass
Sisyrinchium atlanticumBlue Eyed GrassBlueB 
Vernonia noveboracensisIronweedPurpleB 

 


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