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).

aka rock harlequin Corydalis sempervirens (Capnoides sempervirens) Native to: All of New England Life cycle: Annual (rarely biennial) Light: Full/Partial Sun Soil Moisture: Medium-Dry to Dry Height: 2-3’ Spacing: 12-18” Blooms: May-September Bloom Color: Pink Natural Habitat: Rocky outcrops, quarries, and disturbed dry, gravelly areas Benefits: Attracts Bees, Attracts Butterflies, Low Maintenance “An attractive annual native for rocky, shallow-soil sites and cooler climates. Easy to start from seed, it has light to dark pink tubular flowers with bright yellow tips and greenish-blue leaves - a real stand out in the garden!

Echinacea pallida Native to: Midwest and Southern U.S. Life cycle: Perennial Light: Full/Partial Sun Soil Moisture: Medium to Dry Height: 3’ Spacing: 10-18” Blooms: June-July Bloom Color: Pink Natural Habitat: Meadows, roadsides, woodland openings, and rocky shorelines Benefits: Bird Favorite, Pollinator Favorite, Host Plant (eg. Ottoe-skipper), Deer Resistant “[Pale Purple Coneflower] blooms in early summer when only a few of the sun loving plants are in bloom and provides nectar for hummingbirds and butterflies, and the leaves provide food for the Ottoe-skipper larva.

Chamaecrista fasciculata Native to: Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island Life cycle: Annual (self-sows) Light: Full/Partial Sun Soil Moisture: Medium to Dry Height: 6-24” Spread: 6-14" Spacing: 6-12” Blooms: July-September Bloom Color: Yellow Natural Habitat: Meadows, grasslands, and disturbed areas Benefits: Pollinator Favorite, Bird Favorite, Deer/Rabbit Resistant, Urban Environment, Drought Tolerant, Host Plant (eg. Io Moth) Pairs Well With: Blue iris, blue vervain, and New England aster “An annual wildflower that makes a great addition to a garden or meadow planting.

Native to: All of New England Life cycle: Perennial Light: Partial/Full Shade Soil Moisture: Medium-Dry to Wet Height: 1-2" Spacing: 10-14" Blooms: Summer Bloom Color: White Fruits: Summer Fruit Color: Red Natural Habitat: Forest edges, forests Benefits: Deer/Rabbit Resistant, Attracts Bees, Benefits Other Pollinators/Wildlife, Drought Tolerant, Low Maintenance, Edible Pairs Well With: Canada mayflower (Maianthemum canadense), huckleberry (Gaylussacia spp.), American wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens), eastern white pine (Pinus strobus), trillium (Trillium spp.

aka field thistle Cirsium discolor Native to: All of New England Life cycle: Biennial or Short-Lived Perennial Light: Full/Partial Sun Soil Moisture: Medium to Medium-Dry Height: 6’ Spacing: 1-2’ Blooms: August-October Bloom Color: Purple Natural Habitat: Human-disturbed or -maintained habitats, meadows and fields Benefits: Pollinator Favorite, Bird Favorite (eg. goldfinches), Deer/Rabbit Resistant, Host Plant (eg. Painted Lady) “Our native thistles tend to get grouped into the undesirable Thistle category, but they benefit many different bees, butterflies, and moths, along with hummingbirds… Goldfinches are particularly fond of the seed.

Juncus tenuis Native to: All of New England Life cycle: Perennial Light: Full/Partial Sun Soil Moisture: Medium-Wet to Dry Height: 8-20” Spacing: 1-2’ Blooms: June-September (non-showy) Natural Habitat: Human-disturbed or -maintained habitats, meadows and fields, shores of rivers or lakes Benefits: Bird Favorite, Compaction Tolerant, Urban Environment, Drought Tolerant, Deer/Rabbit Resistant, Erosion Control/Soil Stabilization, Low Maintenance “Path rush grows wild throughout North America, forming dense, diminutive clumps (compared to other rushes) in full sun to partial shade.