Native Shrubs

NAME

LIGHT

MOISTURE

HEIGHT

COMMENTS

Common

Scientific

Downy serviceberry

Amelanchier arborea

F,P

M

25'

Useful in edible and wildlife landscapes; excellent orange fall color

Eastern serviceberry

Amelanchier canadensis

F,P

M

20'

Useful in edible and wildlife landscapes; yellow-gold fall color

Smooth serviceberry, Allegheny serviceberry

Amelanchier laevis

F,P

M

25'

Useful in edible and wildlife landscapes; spring leaves are bronze

Bog rosemary

Andromeda polifolia var. glaucophylla

F,P

H

1'

Leathery evergreen leaves; requires very moist acid soil

Buttonbush

Cephalanthus occidentalis

F

H

6'

Good for wetland plantings

Sweetfern

Comptonia peregrina

F,P

S,X

3'

Aromatic foliage; interesting texture; good in dry sandy soil

Gray dogwood

Cornus racemosa

F,P,S

M

15'

Suckering; white fall fruits eaten by many birds

Redosier dogwood

Cornus sericea

F

H,M

6’

Red stems attractive in winter; suckering; tolerates wet soil

American hazelnut

Corylus americana

F,P

M

15'

Good for naturalizing; fruit eaten by wildlife; tolerates alkaline soil

Bush-honeysuckle

Diervilla lonicera

S,P

M

5'

Suckering plant, very hardy, adaptable

Leatherwood

Dirca palustris

S

M

4'

Yellow fall color; thrives in moist, shady sites

Common witchhazel

Hamamelis virginiana

F,P

M

15'

Avoid droughty sites; yellow flowers in October; yellow fall leaf color

Winterberry, Black-alder

Ilex verticillata

F,P

H,M

10'

Bright red fruits persist into midwinter; excellent wetland plant

Common juniper

Juniperus communis var. depressa

F

M,S,X

3'

Tolerates drought, wind, sterile or alkaline soils; evergreen

Sheep, Laurel, Lambkill

Kalmia angustifolia

F,P

M,S

3'

Adaptable to many soils; best in very acid soil; good for naturalizing

Sweetgale

Myrica gale

F

S,X

4'

Bushy plant; dark green foliage; aromatic foliage

Northern bayberry

Myrica pensylvanica

F,P

S,X

6'

Good for massing; useful in poor soil sites; aromatic foliage

Bush cinquefoil

Pentaphylloides floribunda (Potentilla fruticosa)

F

M,S,X

4'

Good summer-flowering shrub; tolerates alkaline soil

Black chokeberry

Photinia (Aronia) melanocarpa

F,P

H,M,S

6’

Suckers; wine-red fall color; good wildlife plant in wet or dry soils

Beach plum

Prunus maritima

F

M,S

6'

Good for edible landscape; salt-tolerant

Chokecherry

Prunus virginiana

F

M

30'

Suckering shrub; white flowers in spring; wildlife food source

Rhodora

Rhododendron canadense

F,P

H,M

3'

Magenta flowers in spring; best in very acid soil

Labrador tea

Rhododendron (Ledum) groenlandicum

F,P

H,M

3'

Transplants well; good for moist-to-wet naturalized sites

Staghorn sumac

Rhus hirta (R. typhina)

P

M,S.X

25'

Spreads by suckers; good mass plant for dry slopes

Meadow rose

Rosa blanda

F

M

5'

Suckers; single light pink flowers; red hips in fall and winter

Pasture rose

Rosa carolina

F

M

5'

Pink single flowers in midsummer; small red hips persist into winter

Virginia rose

Rosa virginiana

F

M,S

5'

Suckers; good in dry and seaside sites; good barrier/hedge

Pussy willow

Salix discolor

F

H,M

15'

Fuzzy flowers in early spring; good for naturalizing

American elder

Sambucus canadensis

F

M

12'

Useful in edible landscape; tolerates alkaline soil

Scarlet elder

Sambucus racemosa spp. pubens (S. pubens)

F

M

20'

Flowers in mid to late July; handsome red fruit in midsummer

Canadian yew

Taxus canadensis

P,S

M

6'

Hardiest yew; good for naturalized shady landscape; evergreen

Highbush blueberry

Vaccinium corymbosum

F

M

8'

Good for edible or wildlife landscapes; best in very acid soil

Mapleleaf viburnum

Viburnum acerifolium

P,S

M,S

6'

Suckering; good for mass plantings in shady sites

Hobblebush

Viburnum lantanoides (V. alnifolium)

P,S

M

8'

Open shrub; good for naturalized landscape

Arrowwood viburnum

Viburnum dentatum var. lucidum

F,P

M

15'

Durable; good for hedges; tolerates alkaline soil

Nannyberry

Viburnum lentago

F,P

M,S

15'

Good for wildlife and naturalized landscapes

Witherod, Wild-raisin

Viburnum nudum var. cassinoides

S,P

M

10'

Excellent fall foliage and fruit color

Highbush cranberry

V. opulus var. americanum (V. o. var. trilobum)

F,P

M

12'

Excellent for screening; good for wildlife landscapes