Choose Native Plants for a Successful Garden

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climate zone map for native plants of United States

Map: Courtesy of Jane Marinelli

Native Plant Climate Zone Map
1. Northern Pacific Coastal/Cascade Mountain Forests
2. Palouse
3. Great Basin Desert
4. Sierran Foothills/Alpine Vegetation
5. California Grasslands, Chaparral, and Woodland
6. Mojave and Sonoran Deserts
7. Rocky Mountain Forests/Alpine Vegetation
8. Central Prairies and Plains
9. Eastern Deciduous Forests
10. Boreal Forests
11. Coastal Plain Forests
12. Tropical

Native plants grow according to climate zones

the fragrant evening primrose is ideal for sunny, dry climates

Fragrant evening primrose, a wildflower of the Great Basin desert

the sagebush penstemon's blue flowers prefer sunny, dry climates.

Sagebush penstemon, a wildflower of the Sierran foothills and Alpine region

the bush anemone's scented white flowers bloom in late spring and summer

Photo: Cliff Hutson

Bush anemone, a shrub of California grasslands, chaparral, and woodlands

the Saguaro cactus grows about 1 inch per year

Saguaro, a cactus of the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts

the Red elderberry's edible red fruit prefers sun to partial shade and climates with moderate moisture

Red elderberry, a shrub of the Rocky Mountain forests and Alpine regions

the Big bluestem blooms in summer and fall

Big bluestem, grass of the central prairies and plains

the aromatic witch hazel blooms in late winter

Witch hazel, a shrub of the eastern deciduous forests

The maidenhair fern has graceful black stems that are ideal for shade and partial sun.

Maidenhair fern, of boreal forests

the Oakleaf hydrangea's white roses bloom in summer

Oakleaf hydrangea, shrub of the coastal plain forests

The yellow beach sunflower attracts butterflies in sunny, dry climates

Photo: Elissa Malcohn

Beach sunflower, a tropical wildflower

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What You'll Learn:

9. Eastern Deciduous Forests

Grasses:
• Bottlebrush grass Hystrix patula: Seed heads look like skimpy bottle brushes. Partial sun to light shade. Moist to slightly dry soil. 5 feet.

Shrubs:
• Eastern redbud Cercis canadensi: Pink flowers on bare stems, followed by heart-shape leaves. Shade. Little water. 25 feet.

• Witch hazel Hamamelis virginiana: Blooms in late winter. Aromatic. Sun or partial shade. Moderate moisture. 20 feet.
• Mountain laurel Kalmia latifolia: Blooms in early summer. Evergreen. Partial sun to shade. Wet to dry. 20 feet.
• Gray twigged dogwood Cornus racemosa: White flowers and white fruits that birds love. Sun or shade. Moderate moisture. 15 feet.
• Wintergreen Gaultheria procumbens: A ground cover with edible red berries. Sun to shade. Dry to moderately wet. 6 inches.

Wildflowers:
• Spring beauty Claytonia virginica: For woodland gardens. Blooms early. Partial sun or shade. Moist. 12 inches.
• New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae: Purple fall flowers with yellow centers. Great for the back of a garden. Sun to partial shade. Moderate to moist soil. 5 feet.
• Wild blue phlox Phlox divaricata: Slightly fragrant spring bloomer. Partial sun to shade. Average to moist soil. 1 foot.
• Wild ginger Asarum canadense: Tidy groundcover with curious maroon flowers below leaves. Shade. Moderate moisture. 8 inches.
• Blue bead lily Clintonia borealis: Bell-shape flowers develop into shiny blue berries. Shade. Moderate moisture. 1 foot.

Resources:
Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Connecticut Botanical Society
Ohio Farm Bureau