Golden Ragwort (Packera aurea) Golden Ragwort (Packera aurea) Golden Ragwort (Packera aurea) is one of the most versatile New York native wildflowers you can grow. This species thrives in sun and shade alike, adjusting effortlessly to a wide range of light conditions. Moreover, Golden Ragwort grows in bone-dry soil and also flourishes in soggy rain-garden […]
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Monarda punctata Spotted Horsemint Spotted Horsemint (Monarda punctata). Taxonomy: Monarda punctata (Lamiaceae family). Common Names: Spotted Horsemint, Dotted Horsemint, Spotted Beebalm. Spotted Horsemint (Monarda punctata) is one of the most unexpectedly beautiful wildflowers in the New York native palette. This species stands out because of its layered, pagoda-like bracts and dotted tubular flowers. It carries
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Question Mark Butterfly (Polygonia interrogationis) The Question Mark Butterfly is one of the most fascinating brush-footed butterflies in North America. Its name comes straightaway from a small silver punctuation-mark-shaped curve on the underside of its hindwings — a clear “question mark.” Once you see it, you’ll never forget it. This butterfly is easy to recognize
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Corporate Habitat Garden Projects. Corporate Habitat Garden Projects: Renewing the Local Ecosystem while Saving Money on Maintenance Costs. Corporate habitat garden projects are one of the most effective ways for a business to create visible, lasting good. When a company chooses to replace turfgrass with organic native wildflowers, the results ripple outward. A pollinator garden,
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New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) A Native Wildflower Worth Knowing. New England Aster is a tall, showy perennial wildflower native across much of North America, prized for its rich violet- to pinkish-purple blooms with bright yellow centers from late summer into fall. Key Characteristics. Height & form: Typically grows 3-6 ft tall (sometimes up
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Thimbleweed (Anemone virginiana) Thimbleweed (Anemone virginiana). Thimbleweed (Anemone virginiana) is one of New York’s most adaptable and graceful native wildflowers. Belonging to the Buttercup family (Ranunculaceae), this perennial species is found throughout much of eastern North America. It thrives in a wide range of habitats. From open woodlands and forest edges to sunny meadows and
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Aromatic Aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium) Aromatic Aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium) Taxonomy: Family: Asteraceae (Aster family) Genus: Symphyotrichum Species: oblongifolium Common names: Aromatic Aster, Oblong-leaved Aster There’s something enigmatic about Aromatic Aster. It’s one of those late-season native plants that refuses to fade quietly. Just when most wildflowers are shutting down for the year, Symphyotrichum oblongifolium bursts into
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Heartleaf Aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium) Heartleaf Aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium) is also known as Bluewood Aster. Certainly, this species is one of the most abundant, reliable and flexible native wildflowers you can grow. Aster cordifolium brings a soft lavender-blue glow to the autumn landscape — shining bright in both woodland shade and full sun. It’s a favorite
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White Admiral Butterfly. The White Admiral (Limenitis arthemis) is one of the most elegant native butterflies in New York. As a matter of fact, it lives across the northern United States as well. Observers easily recognize Limenitis arthemis by its striking black wings banded with a clean white stripe. This woodland species is a frequent
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Fastest Growing Native Trees for New York Landscapes. “What are the fastest growing trees?” When homeowners dream of shade, a future canopy layer, and wildlife support in their yard, the question often comes up: “What trees grow the fastest?” Luckily, there are many native species that balance quick growth with ecological integrity—offering habitat, cooling shade,
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Flat Top Aster (Döellingera umbellatus) Flat-Top Aster (Döellingera umbellata) Taxonomy: Family: Asteraceae (Aster family) Genus: Döellingera Species: umbellata Common names: Flat-Top Aster, Parasol Aster. Few plants catch you off guard the way Flat-Top Aster does—especially when you find it blooming in the least expected places, like the edges of damp country roads or low-lying ditches.
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Plants That Repel Mosquitoes. There’s something very magical about summer evenings in the garden—until the mosquitoes show up. Luckily, nature provides elegant, fragrant solutions that keep our outdoor spaces enjoyable without resorting to chemicals. 1. Aromatic Herbs: Basil & Lemongrass. Aromatic herbs are a gardener’s best friend when it comes to natural pest control. Basil
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Best DIY Potting Soil Mix for Healthy Plants. Plants grow best in a clean, balanced strata—something that holds moisture, drains well, and offers enough nutrition for roots to explore freely. The perfect DIY potting soil blend is easy to make at home and creates the ideal environment for strong, healthy growth. The Ideal Blend: Best
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Low Maintenance Backyard Landscaping Ideas (Using Only Native Plants). If you want a backyard that’s beautiful, ecologically sound, and actually low maintenance, the secret isn’t plastic edging, dyed mulch, or constant irrigation. The secret is native plants, healthy soil, and design choices that work with nature instead of against it. When you follow the land’s
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Fiddlehead Fern: A Spring Delight in the Northeast Garden. If you spend time in Northeastern forests in early spring, you’ve probably seen them: tight green coils poking up through leaf litter, spiraling toward the sunlight. These whimsical shapes are called fiddleheads, the young growth stage of certain native ferns. They’re a seasonal signal that winter
Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium): A Wildflower of Immense Range and Culture. Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium), also known as Willow Herb, is one of those remarkable native plants that seems to follow humanity and disturbance, and then heal what’s been broken. From the charred soils of post-wildfire forests to roadside gravels and glacial valleys, Fireweed is basically a
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Bluets (Houstonia caerulea): Tiny Spring Jewels in the Wild Garden. Looking for Spring through the Plants. One of the first true signs of spring in the Northeast is the quiet arrival of Bluets (Houstonia caerulea). Also called Quaker Ladies or Innocence, these tiny wildflowers are easy to miss at first. But once your eyes tune
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Smooth Blue Aster (Symphyotrichum laeve): Beautiful, Tough, and Apparently Delicious to Bunnies. Smooth Blue Aster—formerly known as Aster laevis—is one of the loveliest late-season native wildflowers in the Northeast. With soft blue petals and a clean, upright form, it brings gentle color into the fall garden just when most blooms are fading. Bees, butterflies, and
Invasive Plants in New York: What Homeowners Need to Know (and What to Plant Instead). Landscapes in New York should be thriving, biodiverse, and full of life—but many are quietly being overrun by invasive plants. These aggressive species spread rapidly, outcompeting native wildflowers, shrubs, and trees. The result is a dramatic loss of habitat for
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Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii): The Tallest Grass of the American Prairie. If you spend any time studying native meadows or tallgrass prairies, one plant demands your attention: Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii). Soon towering six to nine feet in ideal conditions and waving like a bronze-red ocean in late summer, this warm-season perennial grass is the