A Guide to Landscaping with Native Plants in the Barnegat Bay Watershed

1. A Guide to Landscaping with Native Plants
in the Barnegat Bay Watershed
What are native plants? Why should I
Native plants have evolved over thousands grow them?
of years to be adapted to conditions in a
To enjoy beautiful, hardy plants!
particular region and to the other plants and
Natives thrive in our local climate and soil and
animals around them.
have natural defenses to plant diseases, harmful
insects, and other pests.
How can I choose the
To save time and money! Well-adapted to
best plants for my yard? local conditions, natives require less water and
Use the chart inside to guide you in selecting fertilizer than non-natives, and are less likely to
the native plants best suited to the growing need pesticides.
conditions in your yard. You will also want to To bring in the birds and butterflies! Natives
consider plant height, flower color, bloom time, provide essential food, shelter, and nesting sites
and wildlife value when making your selections. for native wildlife.
To improve water quality! Native plant roots
hold soil in place, increase infiltration of rainwater
into the ground, and filter pollutants from our water.
Since natives need less fertilizer, they help reduce
the quantity of fertilizer that stormwater can carry
into our waterways and the Barnegat Bay.

2. SAMPLE DESIGNS FOR A NATIVE PLANT GARDEN
Native Plant Garden for Sunny Locations
8 feet
12 feet
Native Plant Garden for Shady Locations
12 feet

3. SHRUBS & TREES
PHOTO NAME HEIGHT FLOWERS LIGHT SOIL WILDLIFE NOTES
Common & Scientific Bloom Time & Color Moisture & Type
American Holly MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT evergreen; pyramid shape;
15’ - 40’
Ilex opaca small, white C L red berries in Oct.
Arrowwood MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT – – blue-black berries in Sept.;
5’- 10’
Viburnum dentatum flat white clusters L SO red fall foliage
Beach Plum MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT edible purplish-black fruit in
4’ - 15’
Prunus maritima white clusters L S Aug.; good for jelly; tolerates salt
Buttonbush MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT – ball-shaped clusters of fragrant
6’ - 10’
Cephalanthus occidentalis creamy white C L SO flowers; tolerates wet areas
Eastern Red Cedar MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT evergreen; blue fruit loved by
25’ - 50’
Juniperus virginiana green or yellow C L S birds; drought-tolerant
Eastern Redbud MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT one of the earliest bloomers;
20’ - 35’
Cercis canadensis magenta L S drought-resistant
Highbush Blueberry MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT – – blueberries July- Aug.; red fall
4’ - 10’
Vaccinium corymbosum white- pinkish L SO color; add organic matter to soil
Inkberry Holly MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT evergreen; black berries in Sept.
4’ - 10’
Ilex glabra small, greenish- white C L SO on female plants
Mountain Laurel MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT – – evergreen; nice addition to
8’-12’
Kalmia latifolia white to pink C L SO woodland garden
Ninebark MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT – – domed flower clusters;
4’ - 8’
Physocarpus opulifolius white to pink C L likes sandy soil
waxy bluish-white berries in
Northern Bayberry MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT – –
2’ - 8’ Sept.; plants will sucker and form
Morella pensylvanica small, yellow-green C L S colonies
Red Chokeberry MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT – – red fruit in Sept. persists through
6’ - 10’
Photinia pyrifolia clusters of white C L S winter; great red fall color
Red Twig Dogwood MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT – bright red stems for winter
8’ - 12’
Cornus sericea white L interest
River Birch MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT – attractive exfoliating bark;
40’ - 60’
Betula nigra brown C L can grow on flood-prone land
Shadbush or MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT – one of the earliest bloomers;
Serviceberry 35’ - 50’
small, white C L S red to purple fruit in July
Amelanchier canadensis
Sweet Pepperbush MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT – brown seed heads Sept.-Feb.;
5’ - 8’
Clethra alnifolia white C L S deer-resistant
Sweetbay Magnolia MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT – fragrant flowers; tolerates
12’ - 30’
Magnolia virginiana creamy white C L S flooding and salt
Sweetspire MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT –
4’ - 8’ fragrant flowers; good fall color
Itea virginica white C L S
Winged Sumac MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT dark red fruit persists over
8’ - 15’
Rhus copallinum yellowish green C L S winter; great fall color
Winterberry Holly MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT – red berries Oct.-Dec. on female
4’ - 10’
Ilex verticillata small, white C L SO plants

4. HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS
PHOTO NAME HEIGHT FLOWERS LIGHT SOIL WILDLIFE NOTES
Common & Scientific Bloom Time & Color Moisture & Type
Bee Balm 24” - 48” –
MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT
Monarda didyma fragrant flowers and foliage
pink to red L
Black-Eyed Susan 12”- 36” MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT
Rudbeckia hirta long bloom time
yellow C L
Blazing Star 12”- 36” MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT
Liatris spicata drought-tolerant
purple spikes C L S
Butterfly Weed 12”- 36” MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT favorite food of Monarch
Asclepias tuberosa
orange L S butterflies; attractive seedpods
Cardinal Flower 24”- 48” MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT – intense red color attracts
Lobelia cardinalis
red C L hummingbirds
Columbine 6”- 36” unique, showy two-toned
MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT
Aquilegia canadensis flowers; good in woodland
red to yellow L gardens; spreads by seed
Common Boneset 36”- 60” MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT – flat top flower clusters attract
Eupatorium perfoliatum butterflies; popular herb; good
white C L S for wet site
False Sunflower 36”- 60” MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT attractive daisy-like flower with
Heliopsis helianthoides
yellow L S a long bloom time
Foamflower 12”- 24” MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT interesting foliage; great choice
Tiarella cordifolia
spikes of white L for a shade garden
Foxglove Beardtongue 24”- 60” MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT
Penstemon digitalis tolerates poor drainage
white to pink C L S
Great Blue Lobelia 12”- 36” MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT – interesting, long-blooming blue
Lobelia siphilitica
blue spike C L S flowers
Joe-Pye Weed 12”- 96” MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT – – large plant that needs space;
Eupatoriadelphus fistulosum
pink-purple C L tolerates wet areas
Mistflower 12”- 42” MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT – – flat clusters of fuzzy flowers are
Conoclinium coelestinum an excellent nectar source; can
blue to violet C L spread quickly
New England Aster 18”- 72” MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT
Symphyotrichum pinch to keep plant compact
novae-angliae blue to violet L
Pink Tickseed 18”- 24” MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT deer-resistant; can spread
Coreopsis rosea
pink L S quickly
Purple Coneflower 24”- 36” MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT popular herb; goldfinches love
Echinacea purpurea
purple-pink C L S its seeds
Rosemallow 36” - 72” MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT – large two-toned flowers; can
Hibiscus moscheutos tolerate fresh or brackish tidal
cream and pink C L marsh
Seaside Goldenrod 12”-72”
Solidago sempervirens
MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT thrives in coastal areas;
yellow L S tolerates salt, sand, and drought
Sneezeweed 18”- 60”
Helenium autumnale
MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT interesting flower; can tolerate
yellow C L S wet areas

5. HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS
PHOTO NAME HEIGHT FLOWERS LIGHT SOIL WILDLIFE NOTES
Common & Scientific Bloom Time & Color Moisture & Type
Swamp Milkweed 36”- 60” MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT – attracts butterflies (especially
Asclepias incarnata Monarchs); can tolerate wet
pink C L areas, unlike butterfly weed
White Turtlehead 18”-36” MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT – flower looks like turtle’s head;
Chelone glabra will spread; good in a shade
white C L S garden
Wild Bergamot 18”- 60”
Monarda fistulosa
MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT fragrant flowers and foliage;
pink to purple C L can spread
GRASSES
PHOTO NAME HEIGHT FLOWERS LIGHT SOIL WILDLIFE NOTES
Common & Scientific Bloom Time & Color Moisture & Type
American Beachgrass 1’ - 3.5’ MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT
can grow in sand; spreads
Ammophila breviligulata
L S rapidly by rhizomes
Coastal Panicgrass 4’ - 6’ MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT
blue-green leaves; tolerates salt
Panicum amarum
L S and sandy soil
Little Bluestem 2’ - 4’ MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT exceptional drought tolerance;
Schizachyrium scoparium very ornamental; turns bronze-
green to reddish tan L S orange after frost
Prairie Cordgrass 4’ - 6’ MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT – can get quite tall; good for
Spartina pectinata shore areas; tolerates fresh and
L brackish tidal flooding
Saltmeadow 1’ - 3’ MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT – – can spread rapidly; tolerates
Cordgrass
C L S wet areas
Spartina patens
Switchgrass 3’ - 6’ MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT – – bunch grass with great fall
Panicum virgatum
green to brown to rose C L S color; tolerates wet areas
KEY
LIGHT.............................................................................................................................................................................. WILDLIFE
Butterflies
Shade = less than 3 hours of direct sunlight a day, or filtered sunlight Hummingbirds
Partial shade = approximately 3 to 6 hours of direct sunlight a day Songbirds
Full sun = at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day
Beneficial Insects
SOIL CONDITIONS – Moisture .................................................................................................................................... The beneficial insect icon includes bees
– – and other pollinators, as well as ladybugs
and other insects that help to control pests.
Dry = water does not remain after a rain HERBACEOUS PERENNIAL
Moist = soil is damp, and occasionally saturated A non-woody plant that lives for more than
Wet = soil is saturated, except during droughts two years. It dies back at the end of each
growing season, then re-emerges each
SOIL CONDITIONS – Type ........................................................................................................................................... spring from the root stock.
C L SO PHOTO CREDITS
Organic soil (contains a high percentage of organic matter such as decayed leaves) USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
http://plants.usda.gov
Sandy or coarse-textured soil
Loamy or medium-textured soil (contains a mix of mostly silt and sand) Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder
www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/
Clay or fine-textured soil
your-garden/plant-finder.aspx

6. USEFUL RESOURCES
American Littoral Society www.littoralsociety.org/Bayscape_for_Barnegat_Bay.aspx
(Bayscape for Barnegat Bay Program)
Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve www.bhwp.org/resources/Gardening-with-Natives.htm
(Gardening with Natives)
Native Plant Society of New Jersey http://npsnj.org
(Lists of Native Plants and Nurseries)
New Jersey Department of www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/forest/njfs_frep.html
Environmental Protection (NJ Forest Nursery)
Forest Resource Education Center
New Jersey Pinelands Commission www.nj.gov/pinelands/infor/yard
(Landscaping/Backyard Habitat)
Ocean County Soil Conservation www.soildistrict.org
District (Soil Conservation and Soil Health; “Low Maintenance Landscaping for the
Barnegat Bay Watershed: A Guide for Ocean County Homeowners”)
Pinelands Preservation Alliance www.pinelandsalliance.org/ecology/plants/pinelandsnativeplants
(Pinelands Native Plant Resources)
Rutgers Cooperative Extension www.water.rutgers.edu
(Water Resources Program – rain gardens)
http://ocean.njaes.rutgers.edu/garden
(RCE and Master Gardeners of Ocean County)
United States Department of http://plants.usda.gov
Agriculture Natural Resources (Plants Database)
Conservation Service (USDA NRCS)
United States Forest Service www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/nativegardening/index.shtml
(Native Gardening)
SEE A LIST OF NATIVE PLANT NURSERIES AND SUPPLIERS
on the Barnegat Bay Partnership’s website, http://bbp.ocean.edu.
© 2012 Barnegat Bay Partnership • bbp.ocean.edu • PO Box 2001 • Toms River, NJ 08754
For additional copies of this publication, email Barnegat Bay Partnership at bbp@ocean.edu.
This publication is based on “Native Plant Demonstration Garden,”
published in 2006 by the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary (http://delawareestuary.org)
and the Delaware Sea Grant College Program (www.deseagrant.org/products/native-plant-demonstration-garden-plant-guide).
COVER PHOTO: Garden photo by Don Knezik.
INSET PHOTOS (l. to r.): Bird photo by Raymond Truelove (iStockphoto.com). Butterfly photo by Edward Teune (Wikipedia Commons).
Hummingbird photo by Joe Schneid (Wikipedia Commons). Bee photo by Hannah Gaines, provided courtesy of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
ABOVE PHOTO: Black-Eyed Susans photo by Joseph Pirozek.
Printed on paper from FSC-Certified Mixed Sources, including well-managed This message has been funded by the USEPA under a Clean Water Act grant
forests, recycled fiber, chlorine-free pulp, and other controlled sources. agreement to Ocean County College and has not undergone USEPA review.