Latin Name
Common Name
Opuntia humifusa Penstemon calycosus
Key Characteristics
Height
Color
Comments
eastern prickly-pear
8"–24"
Yellow
Only cactus widespread in Eastern U. S.; fruit is edible
long-sepal beardtongue
12"–36"
Red/Pink
Stems arise from basal rosette
Phlox maculata
meadow phlox
2'–3'
Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’
Jeana garden phlox
4'–5'
Red/Pink White Blue/Purple Red/Pink
Physostegia virginiana
obedient-plant
2'–3'
Red/Pink
Depending on cultivar, can spread aggressively
Pycnanthemum muticum
clustered mountain-mint
1'–3'
White
Drought tolerant; scented leaves
Quercus alba
white oak
50'–80'
—
Large, attractive, long-lived tree; acorns eaten by many animals
Rhododendron arborescens
sweet azalea
4'–10'
Red/Pink
Sweetly fragrant
Rhododendron maximum
rosebay rhododendron
4'–15'
White
One of the most cold-hardy bigleaf rhododendrons
Rhododendron prunifolium
plum-leaf azalea
8'–12'
Red/Pink Orange
Late-flowering, non-fragrant flowers
Rubus odoratus
purple-flowering raspberry
3'–6'
Red/Pink
Fruit is of value to birds and mammals
Rudbeckia fulgida
black-eyed Susan
12"–36"
Yellow
Spreads by rhizomes
Rudbeckia hirta var. hirta
woodland black-eyed Susan
12"–36"
Yellow
Tolerates poor soil and drought; can colonize
Ruellia caroliniensis
Carolina petunia
12"–18"
Red/Pink
Self-sows and spreads; individual flowers last only one day
Sarracenia purpurea
purple pitcherplant
9"–18"
Red/Pink
Carnivourous plant; grow in wet bogs, swamps and containers
Scutellaria serrata
showy skullcap
1'–2'
Blue/Purple
Provides color after many spring wildflowers have faded
Senna hebecarpa
northern wild senna
3'–7'
Yellow
Large herbaceous perennial
Silphium mohrii
Mohr’s rosinweed
2'–5'
Yellow
Can grow in rocky and gravelly soil
Solidago juncea
early goldenrod
2'–4'
Yellow
Plume-like infloresensce; one of the first goldenrods to bloom
Spigelia marilandica
Indian pink
1'–2'
Red/Pink
Striking, clump-forming perennial
Stokesia laevis
Stokes’ aster
12"–18"
Blue/Purple
Drought tolerant; must have well-drained soil
Styrax grandifolius
bigleaf snowbell
6'–10'
White
Fragrant; flowers
Swida alternifolia
pagoda tree
15'–20'
White
Fragrant; flowers
Thermopsis villosa
Blue Ridge golden-banner
3'–5'
Yellow
Tolerates poor soil and drought
Vaccinium corymbosum
highbush blueberry
3'–10'
White
Produces edible fruit
Veronicastrum virginicum
Culver’s root
3'–6'
White
Strong vertical accent plant with striking blooms
Viburnum nudum
possumhaw viburnum
6'–10'
White
Fruit is abundant and extremely ornamental
Zenobia pulverulenta
dusty zenobia
3'–6'
White
Semi-evergreen, fragrant flowers
Fragrant; uncommon in the wild; popular garden plant Fragrant; neat bushy appearance; long bloom period
For a list of businesses that sell native plants or seeds, visit mtcubacenter.org/directory.
Download this plant list at mtcubacenter.org/plantsofsummer 3120 Barley Mill Road / Hockessin, DE 19707 / 302.239.4244
Add beauty and attract beneficial wildlife to your home landscape with these native plants, chosen for their seasonal interest and ecological benefits. Find all of these plants in Mt. Cuba’s gardens, marked by a plant highlight label (shown above). To learn more about Mt. Cuba Center’s featured seasonal plants, register for our Native Plants of Spring, Summer, and Fall courses at mtcubacenter.org.
CHARACTERISTICS LEGEND Full Sun
Latin Name
Common Name
Actaea racemosa
Key Characteristics
Height
Color
Comments
black bugbane
3'–6'
White
Appalachian Azur caterpillars feed on this species
Aesculus parviflora
bottlebrush buckeye
8'–12'
White
Spreads by roots to form large colonies with time
Allium cernuum
nodding onion
8"–24"
White
Easily grown; use as a mass in a border
Aruncus dioicus
goat’s-beard
3'–6'
White
Clump–forming; excellent source of pollen and nectar
Asclepias incarnata
swamp milkweed
4'–5'
Red/Pink
Flowers are followed by attractive seed pods
Asclepias tuberosa
butterfly weed
1'–3'
Orange
Tolerant of drought; host plant for Monarch butterfly larvae
Carex pensylvanica
Pennsylvania sedge
6"–12"
—
Can be used to create “no-mow” lawns
Carex plantaginea
plantain–leaf sedge
6"–12"
—
Good groundcover for moist shade
Carpinus caroliniana
American hornbeam
20'–40'
—
Will not tolerate compacted soils; muscular looking bark
Caulophyllum thalictroides
blue cohosh
2'–3'
Yellow
Ornamental dark blue fruit in late summer
Clematis viorna
northern leatherflower
6'–12'
Blue/Purple
Summer flowering perennial vine
Clethra alnifolia
summer sweet clethra
4'–9'
White
Very fragrant flowers; easily grown; can form colonies
Coreopsis verticillata
whorled tickseed
1'–2'
Yellow
Bees, butterflies and other insects frequent; birds eat seeds
Echinacea purpurea
purple coneflower
2'–4'
Red/Pink
Nectar for bees, butterflies; seeds attract goldfinches
Eurybia macrophylla
large-leaf aster
2'–4'
Blue/Purple
Makes a good groundcover Nectar attracts many pollinators; finches eat seeds
Eutrochium fistulosum
hollow-stem Joe-pye weed
4'–7'
Blue/Purple Red/Pink
Fagus grandifolia
American beech
50'–80'
—
Outstanding American forest tree; may live 300–400 years Shrub-like herbaceous perennial
Hibiscus moscheutos
swamp rose mallow
3'–7'
White Red/Pink
Hydrangea quercifolia
oakleaf hydrangea
4'–6'
White
Year-round interest from flowers and bark
Full Shade
Hydrangea radiata
silver-leaf hydrangea
3'–5'
White
Leaves are silvery grey on the underside
Moist to Wet Soil
Hydrastis canadensis
golden-seal
6"–15"
Yellow
Declining due to collection for medicinal purposes
Average, Well-drained Soil
Hypericum densiflorum
bushy St. John's-wort
4'–6'
Yellow
Exfoliating bark provides ornamental interest
Dry Soil
Ilex glabra
inkberry
4'–6'
—
Excellent evergreen for seasonally wet spots
Itea virginica ‘Henry’s Garnet’
Henry’s Garnet Virginia sweetspire
4'–6'
White
Versatile shrub; lightly fragrant flowers; fall color
Kalmia latifolia
mountain laurel
3'–15'
White Red/Pink
Somewhat finicky shrub to establish; attractive blooms
Liatris spicata
spike gayfeather
2'–6'
Blue/Purple
Upright perennial
Lilium canadense
Canada lily
3'–5'
Yellow
Attractive flowers held in a candelabra shape
Part Shade/Part Sun
Tree Shrub Herbaceous (Not Woody) Vine
Lobelia cardinalis
cardinal flower
2'–4'
Red/Pink
Can be short-lived, but readily seeds in
Grass or Grass-like
Lonicera sempervirens
trumpet honeysuckle
3'–20'
Red/Pink
Vigorous deciduous vine for trellis, arbor, or fence
Pollinator/Wildlife Significance
Magnolia grandiflora
southern magnolia
60'–80'
White
Visually striking tree; fragrant flowers; wildlife eat seeds
Generally available at Garden Centers
Magnolia virginiana
sweet bay
10'–20'
White
Attractive landscape shrub or small tree; fragrant flowers
Monarda didyma
bee balm
2'–4'
Red/Pink
Can spread aggressively
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