Polemonium reptans Native to: New York and further south/west Life cycle: Perennial Light: Full Sun to Full Shade Soil Moisture: Medium-Wet to Medium-Dry Height: 10-16” Spacing: 6-12” Blooms: April-June Bloom Color: Blue Natural Habitat: Man-made habitats, meadows and fields, woodlands and woodland edges Benefits: Pollinator Favorite, Deer/Rabbit Resistant, Benefits Other Wildlife/Pollinators, Fragrant “Like many spring blooming natives, the bloom time on Jacob’s Ladder is short but sweet. The few short weeks in April or May that the flowers appear, the plant will be covered in blooms that range from shades of pink to blue.

aka spotted jewelweed, spotted touch-me-not Impatiens capensis Native to: All of New England Life cycle: Annual Light: Partial/Full Shade Soil Moisture: Wet to Medium Height: 2-5’ Spacing: 2-3’ Blooms: July-September Bloom Color: Orange Natural Habitat: Human-disturbed or -maintained habitats, forests, shores of rivers or lakes, swamps, wetland margins Benefits: Bird Favorite, Attracts Hummingbirds, Attracts Butterflies, Rain Garden “The mature seed pods of spotted touch-me-not pop open at a slight touch, giving this species its common name.

Hypericum kalmianum Native to: New York and Midwest Life cycle: Perennial Light: Full/Partial Sun Soil Moisture: Medium-Wet to Medium Height: 2-3’ Spacing: 1-2’ Blooms: Jul-Aug Bloom Color: Yellow Natural Habitat: Moist open woods to wet lakesides Benefits: Attracts Bees, Drought Tolerant, Low Maintenance “Kalm’s St. John’s Wort is a small shrub topping out at just a few feet. Consider using it as a native hedge in a sunny, medium-moist site. ” –Prairie Moon Nursery “This dense, evergreen shrub is an absolute metropolis for pollinators once it flowers.

Schizachyrium scoparium Native to: All of New England Life cycle: Perennial Grass Light: Full/Partial Sun Soil Moisture: Medium to Dry Height: 1-4’ Spacing: 2-3’ Blooms: July-September Bloom Color: Green, Blue Natural Habitat: Dry, sandy, or gravelly roadsides, meadows, or pine barrens Benefits: Bird Favorite, Host Plant, Benefits Other Pollinators Wildlife, Drought Tolerant, Deer/Rabbit Resistant, Salt Tolerant, Erosion Control/Soil Stabilization, Low Maintenance Pairs Well With: Spotted bee-balm, flax-leaved stiff aster, downy goldenrod, common milkweed, butterfly milkweed, and smooth blue aster

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae Native to: All New England Life cycle: Perennial Light: Full/Partial Sun Soil Moisture: Wet to Medium-Dry Height: 2-5’ Spread: 2-3’ Spacing: 2-3’ Blooms: August-October Bloom Color: Purple Natural Habitat: Meadows, roadsides, and ditches with fertile, moist soils. Benefits: Pollinator Favorite, Bird Favorite, Host Plant (eg. Wavy-Lined Emerald), Drought Tolerant, Urban Environment, Low Maintenance Pairs Well With: Swamp milkweed, blue vervain, closed gentian, golden alexander, and coastal Joe-Pye weed

Liatris novae-angliae Native to: MA, CT, RI, NH, ME (uncommon to extremely rare in wild) Life cycle: Perennial Light: Full/Partial Sun Soil Moisture: Medium to Dry Height: 1-5’ Spacing: 1-2’ Blooms: July-September Bloom Color: Purple Natural Habitat: Dry, sandy, disturbed soils Benefits: Pollinator Favorite, Bird Favorite, Host Plant, Urban Environment, Drought Tolerant, Compaction Tolerant, Low Maintenance Pairs Well With: Butterfly milkweed, spotted bee-balm, little bluestem, flax-leaved stiff aster “The only blazing-star truly native to New England, this species is native to dry, sandy, disturbed soils, and produces tall stems with flowers forming separate ‘buttons’ alternating up the spike.

Ceanothus americanus Native to: All of New England Life cycle: Perennial Shrub Light: Full/Partial Sun Soil Moisture: Medium to Dry Height: 2-3’ Spacing: 18-36” Blooms: June-August Bloom Color: White Natural Habitat: Disturbance-prone habitats like barrens or sandplains; talus and rocky slopes Benefits: Pollinator Favorite, Bird Favorite, Host Plant (eg. Azures), Drought Tolerant, Deer/Rabbit Resistant, Low Maintenance, Edible “This tidy, charismatic shrub blooms in midsummer, attracting bees and butterflies. It grows best in sandy or rocky well-draining sites, and will suffer with too much moisture or soil compaction.

Vernonia noveboracensis Native to: NH, MA, CT, RI Life cycle: Perennial Light: Full/Partial Sun Soil Moisture: Medium-Wet to Medium Height: 4-8’ Spread: 3-4’ Spacing: 3-4’ Blooms: July-October Bloom Color: Purple Natural Habitat: Meadows, wetlands, and roadside edges Benefits: Pollinator Favorite, Bird Favorite, Host Plant (eg. American Lady, Crossline Skipper), Deer/Rabbit Resistant, Low Maintenance Pairs Well With: Boneset, swamp milkweed, New England aster, tall white aster, and coastal Joe-Pye weed “A spectacular species for some vibrant, late-season interest.

aka Hairy Beardtongue Penstemon hirsutus Native to: MA, ME, VT, CT, RI Life cycle: Perennial Light: Full Sun to Full Shade Soil Moisture: Medium-Wet to Dry Height: 1-2’ Spread: 1-2’ Spacing: 10-12” Blooms: May-June Bloom Color: Purple, Pink Natural Habitat: Dry, rocky woodland edges and meadows, ledges, and disturbed areas Benefits: Pollinator Favorite, Deer Resistant, Bird Favorite, Drought Tolerant, Host Plant (eg. Baltimore Checkerspot), Attracts Hummingbirds Pairs Well With: Red columbine, small’s beardtongue, and cranesbill geranium

Physostegia virginiana Native to: VT, ME Life cycle: Perennial Light: Full/Partial Sun Soil Moisture: Wet to Medium Height: 10-48” Spacing: 1-2’ Blooms: August-September Bloom Color: Pink Natural Habitat: Woodland edges, moist meadows, thickets, seeps and moist roadside or railroad right-of-ways. Benefits: Pollinator Favorite, Bird Favorite, Attracts Hummingbirds, Deer/Rabbit Resistant, Urban Environment, Low Maintenance Pairs Well With: Joe-pye weed, boneset “A bountiful addition to any moderately to consistently wet site. These flowers tower with abundant, pastel pink blooms: the reason behind the common name is that they’ll stay in whatever position you point them (at least temporarily).