Native perennials in Boalsburg, PA, and State College, PA, are a fantastic addition to your garden.
At Landscape II, we love using native plants to create beautiful and sustainable landscapes. With our expert landscape design and installation in PA, your garden can become a thriving, low-maintenance outdoor space.
These plants are perfectly suited to Pennsylvania's climate and soil, making them easy to care for. They also play a vital role in supporting local wildlife. Your garden will be bursting with color and life thanks to these wonderful plants.
In this blog, we'll explore the benefits of native perennials, highlight some top picks for your garden, and share helpful tips for planting and maintenance. Let's see how native perennials can make your garden shine!
Key Takeaways
Native perennials are well-adapted to Pennsylvania’s climate and soil, making them an excellent, low-maintenance choice for any garden.
Using native plants supports local wildlife, including birds, insects, and pollinators, and promotes conservation efforts.
Landscape II specializes in creating beautiful, sustainable landscapes with native plants, ensuring your garden thrives year-round.
Why Choose Native Perennials?
Native perennials are plants that have been thriving in Pennsylvania long before European settlers arrived. Unlike non-native plants, which come from other regions and can disrupt local habitats, native plants are well-adapted to our climate and soil.
They're tough, resilient, and often require less water and fertilizer, making them an excellent choice for any garden. These low-maintenance plants handle challenging conditions with ease, from hot summers to cold winters. Their deep roots help stabilize soil and reduce erosion, enhancing any landscape.
Native plants, supported by the Pennsylvania Native Plant Society, play a crucial role in our ecosystems. They provide essential food sources for birds, butterflies, and other pollinators, producing nectar and pollen that are perfect for supporting local insects.
15 Popular Native Perennials for your Pennsylvania Garden
Looking to add some native flair to your garden? Here are some top-notch native perennials that will beautify your space and support local wildlife like birds, butterflies, and other pollinators. These plants are well-adapted to Pennsylvania’s climate, making them perfect for your garden.
Aquilegia canadensis (Columbine). This charming native plant sports delicate red and yellow flowers in spring. It's a favorite among hummingbirds and bees and a lively addition to your garden.
Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Weed). As the name suggests, this plant is a butterfly magnet. With its bright orange blooms, it's perfect for attracting Monarchs. Plus, it's drought-tolerant and thrives in sunny spots.
Aster novae-angliae (New England Aster). This late-blooming perennial offers vibrant lavender-pink flowers that are a hit with butterflies. It adds a splash of color to your garden in the fall when many other plants are winding down.
Chrysogonum virginianum (Green-and-Gold). This ground cover features cheerful yellow flowers from spring through fall. It’s great for sunny or partially shaded areas and provides nectar for various pollinators, making it a delightful addition to your landscape.
Rudbeckia fulgida (Black-eyed Susan). The Black-eyed Susan is a garden classic with its bright yellow petals and dark centers. It blooms from summer to fall and is a favorite among birds and butterflies, adding vibrant color and life to your garden.
Helianthus divaricatus (Woodland Sunflower). This tall perennial brings sunshine to any garden with its cheerful yellow flowers. It thrives in various soil conditions, provides essential food for pollinators and birds, and promotes a healthy and diverse habitat.
Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower). A standout with its striking purple petals and cone-shaped centers, this perennial is both beautiful and hardy. It's ideal for attracting butterflies and bees, making it a must-have for any pollinator garden.
Liatris spicata (Blazing Star). Known for its tall spikes of purple flowers, this plant is a showstopper in any garden. It’s excellent for attracting butterflies and other pollinators and thrives in well-drained soil.
Monarda didyma (Bee Balm). This vibrant red bloomer is a hummingbird favorite. Loved by bees and butterflies, it also adds a lovely fragrance to your garden, making it a delightful and aromatic choice.
Solidago rugosa (Wrinkleleaf Goldenrod) Goldenrod is often misunderstood but is a fantastic addition to your garden. Perfect for late summer and fall, it attracts a variety of pollinators with its golden blooms and provides essential support for local wildlife.
Heuchera americana (Alumroot). Known for its striking foliage in shades from deep green to purple, Alumroot thrives in shady areas and various soil conditions, attracts pollinators, and provides ground cover.
Mertensia virginica (Virginia Bluebells). Virginia Bluebells bring early spring color with blue bell-shaped flowers. Ideal for moist, shady spots, they attract bees and butterflies.
Phlox paniculata (Garden Phlox). With clusters of fragrant pink, purple, and white flowers, Garden Phlox blooms from mid-summer to early fall. It's perfect for sunny areas and attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.
Penstemon digitalis (Beardtongue). Beardtongue has tall spikes of white or pink flowers that bloom in late spring. It thrives in sunny, well-drained soil and provides nectar for bees and butterflies.
Coreopsis verticillata (Threadleaf Coreopsis). Threadleaf Coreopsis offers bright yellow flowers from summer to fall. It's drought-tolerant, thrives in full sun, and supports pollinators with its extended blooming period.
Planting and Maintenance Tips
Planting Pennsylvania native plants in your garden can be a rewarding experience, but it's essential to follow some key tips for the best results. Here’s how to get started and ensure your native perennials thrive.
Best times for planting
The optimal times for planting native perennials are spring, early summer, and fall. These seasons provide the best conditions for root establishment before the extreme temperatures of winter and summer.
Soil preparation and testing
Before planting your native plants, it's crucial to prepare and test your soil. Conduct a soil test to determine its pH and nutrient levels. Pennsylvania native plants are typically well-adapted to local soil conditions, but knowing your soil type helps you make necessary adjustments.
If your soil is heavy clay or poor, amend it with organic matter to improve its structure. This helps create a better habitat for your native perennials, shrubs, and trees to grow strong and healthy.
Watering and mulching guidelines
After planting, water your native plants thoroughly to help them establish strong roots. During the first growing season, keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged to promote healthy growth.
Mulch around the plants with organic mulch, such as shredded bark or compost, to help retain moisture, regulate soil temperature, and suppress weeds. It's important to keep the mulch away from the stems of the plants to prevent rot and other issues.
Handling challenging conditions
Pennsylvania gardens often face challenging conditions like heavy clay or poor soil. To improve these conditions, incorporate organic matter to enhance drainage and aeration. Raised beds are another effective solution, providing better control over soil quality.
Select Pennsylvania native plants known for their resilience in such environments. When you improve your soil and choose the right natives, you ensure a robust, thriving garden that supports local habitats and promotes conservation.
Transform Your Garden with Landscape II's Expertise
Fed up with non-native plants that just won’t thrive in your Pennsylvania garden? Native plants are the perfect solution, offering beauty, resilience, and support for local ecosystems.
Landscape II gets this. We specialize in using native plants that are perfectly adapted to Pennsylvania's climate and soil. Our friendly experts will help you choose the best trees, shrubs, and wildflowers to create a beautiful, sustainable landscape that supports local wildlife, including insects and pollinators.
Choose Landscape II, and invest in your garden and help preserve local habitats. Our expert landscapers offer comprehensive services, from soil preparation to plant selection and maintenance, to ensure your landscape flourishes beautifully and sustainably.
Let us transform your outdoor space into a thriving native habitat that promotes conservation and year-round beauty. Call Landscape II today, and visit our website for more details and photos of our projects.
Summary
Native Pennsylvania plants are key to creating a beautiful and sustainable garden. They are perfectly suited to our local climate and soil, making them easy to care for and highly resilient.
By incorporating these native plants, you support local wildlife like birds, insects, and pollinators and contribute to important conservation efforts. Native plants help enhance biodiversity and maintain a healthy, vibrant environment, creating habitats and food sources that non-native plants can't provide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a native plant in Pennsylvania?
A native plant in Pennsylvania is a plant species that naturally occurs in the region and has adapted to the local climate and soil conditions over thousands of years.
These plants, supported by the Pennsylvania Native Plant Society, play a crucial role in local ecosystems, promoting conservation and biodiversity by providing habitats and food sources for native wildlife.
Are hostas native to Pennsylvania?
No, hostas are not native to Pennsylvania. They are originally from Asia and are considered non-native plants in North America.
While hostas are popular for their lush foliage and shade tolerance, their increased use does not support local habitats or contribute to conservation efforts in the same way that native plants do.
What ground cover is native to PA?
A great ground cover native to PA is the Pennsylvania native plant Pachysandra procumbens, also known as Allegheny spurge.
This native plant thrives in shady areas and helps prevent soil erosion while providing habitats for local wildlife. It is an excellent alternative to non-native ground covers, promoting conservation and supporting the local ecosystem.
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