Important Notes, please read;

• ONLINE ORDERING is now available @ nativehaunts.com/store!

• Many plants are available in large quantities for those big landscaping projects!

• The nursery is open only on the weekends by appointment only. Please, no drop in visits, I am not always on site.

• Please keep dogs in your vehicle.

• It is strongly recommended that you submit a list of plants you are interested before you visit. Not everything is in stock all the time and inventory changes rapidly.

• Plants can be picked up any time using our self-serve option after a pre-arranged date, time, and payment are discussed.

• Prices and availability subject to change.

• PLANT WARRANTY; we guarantee our plants to be alive and well when you purchase them.  If you find otherwise, please let us know and we will replace the plant with another one (if available), give you nursery credit, or give you your money back.

• Performance issues once the plants are in the landscape are a bit more subjective; promptly let us know when you start having issues-together, we will figure out what’s going and find a mutually agreeable solution. The plants you spend your money on are both a financial and ecological investment that benefits everybody when they succeed.

Trees and Shrubs

-Not all of our woody plants are seed grown; some are vegetatively propagated from stem cuttings and root pieces.  We try to source and grow as much seed started woodies as possible.

-Please contact us with your tree and shrub wish list; we will reply with available sizes and pricing when they are not listed below the description.

-To see images of plants, hover cursor over plant name and any other hyperlinks in blue and click on link. Not all descriptions currently link to an image, but more are being added weekly!

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Abies balsamea, Balsam fir

Highly adaptable tree that can live in cool densely forested wetlands/bottomlands to much drier upland white pine forests. Certain trees take on a prostrate (ground hugging) growth pattern, forming more of a ground cover. Stiff dark green needles give the tree a rather rigid stance. Plant in thickets to provide outstanding cover and protection for our feathered friends. Cones develop on the tippy top where they are harvested by squirrels and cached away for a critical food source in the lean winter months. And ahhhhh, don’t forget that idyllic balsam smell, that can bring back so many memories from Christmas times past, hiking in the mountains, or that trip to Moosehead.

 

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Acer spicatum, Mountain maple

Mountain maple, as implied by it’s namesake, is quite common in mountainous areas, like the White Mountains of New Hampshire. But, it can also be found in areas that definitely are not mountainous; we actually have several areas of it here in Alfred, Maine. I find it associated with cool pockets in the landscape- heavily forested, often near a wetland or stream area, on or at the base of a north facing slope. In one spot it is growing near spicebush, in another spot it is growing next to a gravel road in a hemlock dominated forest. This understory shrub is certainly an obligate shade plant and is a perfect specimen for the shade garden. Most maples are wind pollinated, but this species appears to be insect pollinated; it has upright facing flowers with obvious flower petals. Grown from seed right here at Native Haunts.

 

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Amelanchier canadensis, Shadbush

Small tree/large shrub; produces a flush of bright white flowers in the early spring before much else is going on; birds feast on the red berries that come out later in the summer; attractive smooth gray bark; does best in part sun, rich loamy soils with ample moisture.

 

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Amelanchier laevis, Smooth shadbush

Although similar to Amelanchier canadensis, these two species differ in significant ways. Smooth shadbush is more of an upland associated species, commonly growing to 10 feet or higher, often single stemmed. A quick rule of the thumb that I use for identification; if it’s growing in or at the edge of wetlands it’s probably Amelanchier canadensis. If it’s in an upland area, it’s probably this species, Amelanchier laevis. Brilliant bouquets of bright white flowers come out in early May illuminating the still muted landscape. Early spring flowers provide a welcome food source for pollinating insects. Fruit is eagerly consumed by our hungry feathered friends in June. This shadbush species exhibits a distinctive red tinge on newly expanding leaves in the spring, which further differentiates it from other shadbush species.

 

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Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Bear berry

An outstanding little shrub that will grow in some really tough situations. I have seen it growing at the base of Mount Kineo in Moosehead Lake in broken up rock and a little bit of soil. I find it growing sporadically in the dry acidic woods here in southern Maine. There is one spot where the plants are cascading down ledge outcrops in an impressive stream of green, how old they must be is anyone’s guess (I’m guessing pretty darned old) . Never more than a few inches off the ground, this adventurous plant is always looking for more ground to occupy, albeit slowly. Consider using bearberry in place of non-native ground covers like those big box store junipers and those dastardly Vinca’s. We typically offer the ‘Massachusetts’ variety. For what ever reason, a non-varietal offering is hard to come by. Flowers in spring, sets fruit in August.

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Aronia melanocarpa, Black chokeberry

Highly adaptable shrub, growing in a broad spectrum of habitats from saturated wetlands to bone dry sandy soils. Tends to remain more compact in the drier soils and leggier in wetter soils. Tart berries are loaded with beneficial phytochemicals and have been grown commercially in eastern Europe for decades (Which is a really interesting story by the way, google Ivan Mitschurin to go down the rabbit hole…) Flowers are on the smaller side,dark colored anthers contrast against bright white flower petals. Stunning fall foliage of crimson red and luscious purple makes this plant a darned good option for replacing those burning bushes that seemed like such a good idea just a decade or so ago. Many varieties of Aronia have been developed with a focus on fruit production and for landscape aesthetics and function. Varieties ‘Viking’ and ‘Nero’ (developed in eastern Europe) produce larger more succulent berries that are a little less tart and are excellent for juicing; it has been recently shown that these varieties may actually be hybrids between Aronia melanocarpa and Mountain Ash (Sorbia sp.), which, believe it or not, are very closely related (you can kind of see it in the fruit).  Compact landscaping varieties like ‘Ground Hugger’ were developed at UCONN, which has a long history of fascination with Aronia. On a mission to make native plants more palatable, lots of folks, myself included, prefer to use the name Aronia when talking about this plant; the name Chokeberry leaves a bad taste in your mouth for an otherwise outstanding plant that should be in everyone’s garden.

 

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Betula papyrifera, White birch, Paper birch

This is the quintessential white birch of northern New England. Not a terribly long lived species, especially when compared to maples and birches, they tend to max out at around 12″-15″ in diameter. I say “not long lived” but if they are happy, they will certainly outlive us. This tends to be an early forest successional species, and succumbs when dominated by white pine and oaks. Lustrous,sterling white bark highlighted by the occasional band of black accents. Interestingly, young trees start off their life with brownish black bark, which exfoliates to the classic white bark when it is an inch or two in diameter. In Alaska and other northerly climes, white birch is used for making a sweet tasting syrup; similar in idea to our maple syrup, but with a distinctive birch taste. Looks best when planted in drifts and groves, but can also make a handsome specimen tree. Larval host plant to the spectacular Eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly and Luna moth. Appreciates loamy soils in part sun where it can grow to 30 feet and higher.

 

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Betula populifolia, Gray Birch

This is one of the first woody plants (besides invasive honeysuckles, barberry, multiflora rose, and bittersweet) to appear in abandoned fields and pastures. They are able to grow in poor depleted soils, from full sun to part shade (Hey! That sounds like a lot of peoples lawns!) and stays a lot smaller than other birch species like river birch and paper birch. The trunks never get more than a few inches in diameter and they typically grow to 15 ft or taller. They are used to great effect when planted in clusters or groups, which also helps them support one another in the event of an ice storm or heavy wet snow, when they gracefully bend towards the ground. But even if they do, they will almost always spring right back up to the vertical position, and aren’t as prone to breakage as many non-native ornamentals (it’s almost like they are adapted to these conditions ?!). White bark is not quite as bright as paper birch, and the trunks have more black striping than paper birch. Typically produce a lot of seed which feeds critters of all types well into the winter.

 

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Cephalanthus occidentalis, Button bush

Grows in wetland areas full sun to nearly full shade, masses of spherical flower clusters attract lots of pollinators, particularly attractive to large butterflies like Fritillaries and Yellow swallowtails. It does quite well in upland soils but needs a good amount of shade and organic matter. I find it growing in and around vernal pools, when these areas are flooded in the spring amphibians such as salamanders and frogs will use the stems of button bush to anchor their eggs. Ducks eat the seeds that develop in the fall. Grows 4 to 6 feet tall on average. Peak bloom in late July.

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Clethra alnifolia Summer sweet, Pepperbush

This is such a common plant in the trade, where it has festooned into so many cultivars, it is hard to believe that it’s a rare native plant for the state of Maine; southern Maine is at the northern end of this plant’s natural range. When you get further south into New England it becomes very common. It has a strong association with gravelly cobble that can be found around certain lakes and ponds here in southern Maine. In cultivation it grows well in loamy garden soil that has good moisture retention. Intensely fragrant flowers reminds me of a narcissus; that sort of stinky-sweet, heavy fragrance that lingers in the humid air of summer. Pollinators, including hummingbirds, love them. Multi-stemmed growth habit typically growing waist high. Starts flowering in late July. A plucky landscaper planted this in the hellacious parking lot islands of our local Walmart, and to my surprise, it does really well there!

 

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Ceanothus americanus, New Jersey-tea

This is a really popular plant, that always seems to be under-produced in the trade. It is often sold as being a Maine native, which it definitely is. I never did too much research on it, and have kept an eye out for it in my rambling adventures around southern Maine for years, and have never found it in the wild. Okay, what the heck is going on here. Turns out, according to the Maine Natural Areas Program (MNAP), it has a very limited distribution here in Maine, being only found in 9 towns in the central Maine counties of Androscoggin, Kennebec, Oxford, and Penobscot. Thankfully, it is not rare globally or across its range, it’s simply at it’s northern limit here in Maine. It’s habitat preference is “dry open woods, and gravelly or rocky banks”, according to MNAP. I found it growing in the wild in just such a location near the top rim of the “Grand Canyon” of Pennsylvania a few summers ago when I was visiting this north central PA landmark. It was definitely all that; bone dry, bare soil, in the full sun, without a drop of moisture in sight. Fluffy white flowers grow on shrubs that seem to get 3-5 feet high. Flowers in late July.

Fantastic choice for those tough spots with dry soil and full sun to part shade.

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Comptonia peregrina, Sweet fern

It’s not a fern and it’s not sweet, but it’s a really wonderful pioneering plant capable of growing in poor, sandy soils. Attractive leaves have a spicy minty scent when crushed. A friend of ours, Elder Ron, says that a tincture of the leaves, attached to your clothing, will keep mosquitoes away. Nitrogen fixing bacteria reside in root nodules; these help parent plants and also adds nitrogen to the soil for future plant establishment. Spreading colonies stabilize soils. Another good choice for hell strips. Grows to about knee or waist height.

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Cornus (Swida) alternifolia, Pagoda dogwood

The spectacular branching structure of this upland growing species of dogwood earns it a place in your landscape. It seems to like being in ecotonal habitats; field and forest edges. It can’t hack the full on shade of the forest, but seems to be too exposed in the full sun. It likes that Goldilocks Zone-not too sunny not too shady. Prolific white flowers attract pollinators in the spring and the blue fruit is carted off cart blanche by birds later in the summer. The fruit and flower bearing stems are a beautiful coral pink, which contrasts wonderfully with the azure blue fruit and the verdant green leaves. Grows to about 6-8 feet on average.

 

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Cornus (Swida) ammomum, Silky dogwood, red willow

Forms thickets along shaded stream banks and wooded wet areas. I have several patches that grow along my road and they always produce large amounts of attractive blue drupes (fruit). Birds and other critters must really like them because the fruit disappears quickly after ripening. This is a great example of a plant that creates both habitat and food. The dense thickets are wrapped in a cloak of leaves during the growing season rendering birds almost invisible. Branches tend to grow outward and downward from a multi stemmed axis, making a complex three dimensional shelter. Grows to about 6ft-8ft

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Cornus florida, Flowering dogwood

Flowering dogwood is at the far northern end of its range here in southern Maine; naturally occurring populations are rare. When planted in our landscape it does well, I have seen some really nice specimens growing in Yarmouth and elsewhere. Those big showy white flowers, aren’t actually the flowers at all, but subtending bracts; closer inspection reveals that the actual flowers are quite small. This species is typically found as an understory shrub of deciduous upland forests, and makes a wonderful focal point. Like all dogwoods, the fruit is gobbled up by the birds. Grows to about 10ft-12ft.

 

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Cornus (Swida) racemosa, Gray dogwood

Another thicket forming species of dogwood that will make a naturalistic looking drift. A good choice for a piece of the landscape that needs to be occupied by a wildlife friendly shrub. Fruit is white in color and comes out a bit earlier than other dogwoods. Attractive red colored fruit stems hang on after the fruit disappears. Fruit said to be consumed by at least 100 species of song birds. Also said to be a preferred browse for deer (isn’t everything?!), which may or may not be a good thing. Maybe this could be used to feed the deer instead of your garden or other plants? Will live in sun to part shade, dry to moist soils.

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Cornus (Swida) sericea, Red osier dogwood

Revered for its bright red branches that add a bold kick to the winter landscape, especially when piercing a blanket of snow. Similar habit to silky and gray dogwood, it forms dense tangled thickets in wet areas in the wild, but takes well to upland situations in our gardens. Reported to be invasive at times when it makes its way into fields. Many varieties have been selected from this species to try to attain the brightest red stems, interestingly, yellow stem color varieties have also been selected. In the wild, stem color is usually a dulled down red to brownish yellow color.

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Corylus americana, American hazelnut

American hazelnut is an important food source for wildlife and a great plant to include in your edible native landscape design. The nuts are small but tasty, feeding all kinds of critters. It is the larval host plant for the spectacular Polyphemus moth and the early hairstreak butterfly. Unlike it’s forest dwelling cousin, beaked hazelnut, this species wants to be in the wide open; it prefers open fields with decent loamy soils and full sun. The species has a tendency to sucker; it’s not uncommon for a single plant to have a dozen or more stems arising from a centralized area. Can grow up to 8-10 feet high.

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Corylus cornuta, Beaked hazelnut

This is one of two species of hazelnut in Maine; they lead completely different lifestyles, which is convenient, because it gives us landscaping options. I’m a big advocate of matching the plant to your landscape, and not modifying the landscape to fit the plant (like cutting down trees). Beaked hazelnut grows in upland forested areas, in rounded multi-stem clumps. It seems to enjoy loamier soils when it can find them, but ekes out an existence in poorer acidic soils as well. Named for the conspicuous beak that forms on the husk of the nut. The nuts won’t last long, hungry forest animals will harvest the nuts well before they are even ripe.

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Diervilla lonicera, Bush honeysuckle

Honeysuckles! Our first thought is non-native invasive Asiatic species like Morrow’s. We can relax, we do have a few native species of honeysuckle, like this one. Bush honeysuckle can be found in shade to sun, it competes best in dry, well drained, poor soils (who hasn’t got those conditions in at least a few places on their property?); attractive yellow flowers turn orange after they are pollinated. With time, forms nice drifts of multi-stemmed plants, looks particularly good when planted on hillsides. The height of this shrub is one of its most useful features in the landscape, it fills the size niche that few other shrubs can; its not a creepy crawly like bear berry, a bit taller and less persnickety to get established than low bush blueberry. The size can be a disadvantage for the attention deficit gardener, as it can be quickly out gunned by taller growing brambles, invasives, and natives. Keep it cleared of competition for best results, and watch it evolve into dreamy drifts.

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Hamamelis virginiana, Witch hazel

Tall multi-stemmed under story shrub of deciduous forests. I have one growing in my front yard that started its life in shade, but is now in full sun for most of the day. It is doing okay, but its leaves look stressed much of the time now. Interestingly, it now seems to set seed every year. Plants growing in the deep shade only set seed once every 3 to 5 years. Leaves have been used for centuries as a powerful astringent for toning the skin and taking care of ailments in more discrete places. Crepe paper like pastel yellow flowers come in late fall, well after every other shrub has finished fruiting, much less flowering. This plant has a long, bizarre, and unique seed development period; flowers are pollinated in the fall by moths, after fertilization, embryo development goes dormant throughout the winter and resumes at some point in the spring. Seeds mature in the fall of the proceeding year. The seeds will then take two years to germinate after going through a cold-warm-cold-warm cycle. Wow. Why? How? How did the flowering of this plant get set back so far into the season? We can only speculate.

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Ilex verticilata, Winter berry

A common shrub of wetlands and poorly drained areas. I have a wonderful scrub-shrub/Black tupelo wetland in back of my house that is thickly forested with winter berry. It is a sanctuary for wildlife year round; a delightful chorus of bird song through out the summer; chickadees and hares flit through the branches above and below in the winter. It seems to be an important anchor species, certainly a dominant one. It shares ground with high bush blueberry, choke berry, mountain holly, male berry, and shad bush. I have always looked to Mother Nature for guidance; here she shows us the many companion plants that work well together, we can use this as a template to guide our efforts in our yards. During the growing season, this is not a very showy species. In the winter it lights up like a neon light, those bright red berries burning bright in the other wise dull landscape. Dainty flowers are barely noticeable, but they are to bees and other pollinators who show up in surprising numbers. Male and female plants. Since this species is grown for the berries, many varieties of this plant are geared towards production of known males and females.

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Juniperus communis, Pasture Juniper

   We native plant folks are always on our soapbox telling you “Don’t plant this, plant this! You don’t have to plant those non-native cultivar box box store junipers, you can plant one of our wonderful native ground covers, pasture juniper! Yes, it is a bit slow growing, but in the blink of an eye that scabby piece of land that nothing else will grow on will be covered in a luxurious, albeit prickly undulating sea of blue green tranquility. Pasture juniper rolls across the landscape like a carpet, providing habitat and food for all manner of animals. Needs full sun and dry well drained soils to be happy. I’m happy to finally be able to offer this one, I have been recommending it for years…………

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Juniperus virginiana, Eastern red cedar

Slow growing, medium sized conifer tolerant of poor sandy and salty soils; found growing on the coastline here in southern Maine, the further south you go the more common it becomes inland; full sun. The Marginal Way sea-side trail in Ogunquit, Maine has a number of old specimens flanking the trail that you can go see. There is even a grove of them where you can sit and watch the ocean roll by.

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Larix laracina, Tamarack

This is a deciduous conifer; we associate conifers as being evergreen, like pines and hemlocks, but not this one. The needle shedding probably evolved as a way to manage water loss in the long cold winters of its preferred northern climes. The flexible, soft green needles aren’t coated with the thick waxy layer that most evergreen conifers have. Needles turn a beautiful golden color before dropping in the fall. It is uncommon here in southern Maine, but increases in abundance the further north you travel. Grows in wetlands in the wild, but adapts well to upland areas. Really quite a striking specimen tree.

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Lindera benzoin, Spicebush

Splendid medium to large shrub of shady forested wetlands. At the northern end of its range here in southern Maine, it’s starting to pop up more and more (am I getting better at noticing it or is the range extending northward?), bright little yellow flowers cover the branches in early spring, scarlet red berries in September are relished by birds, male and female plants, THESE PLANTS ARE UN-SEXED. Delicate greenish blue leaves have that distinctive spicy sweet smell when rubbed or crushed. Host plant for the spicebush swallowtail butterfly. Grows well in loamy garden soils with shade.

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Myrica pensylvanicum, Bayberry or Wax berry

Early colonists to New England were said to have removed the waxy coating from the berries to make into candles. (I have always wanted to try this myself, wouldn’t that be cool, wax berry candles.) Typically found above the high tide line where they can make a living despite the insults the ocean throws at them. Tolerant of salt, quick draining sandy soils, low soil fertility, and low moisture levels. An exceptional selection when you have spots that won’t grow much else. This is a perfect substitute for rugosa rose, which is pretty, but not native, and arguably invasive. Birds love the berries in the fall. Unsexed plants.

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Nyssa sylvatica, Black Tupelo, Button bark

These trees have fascinated me for as long as I’ve known about them. Mature specimens form striking silhouette against the sky as the branching structure is compact and angular. They do not have the arching well developed canopies that oaks and maples do. They remind me of the baobab trees in Africa; huge trunks but not much branching. Male and female trees, females produces blue fruit high in the canopy that are coveted by birds. Typically found in wetlands, but like so many of our natives, they will grow happily in upland soils. Fall color is a spectacular red inferno. At the northern limit of its range here in southern Maine, where it is uncommon but not rare.

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Picea glauca, White Spruce

One of a trio of native spruce trees (black and red spruce being the other two) that we have growing in the southern Maine area. Each one grows in a specific habitat. This is the more common of them, growing in many of the inland forested wetlands. Grows to about 30 to 40 feet, when in wetlands, shorter when growing in uplands. My dad planted one in our field at least 40 years ago, if not more, it is doing well, but is barely 20 feet tall. This is common among wetland plants; they grow tall and skinny in their wetland habitats, and stay shorter when in upland areas. Fantastic shelter for birds, seeds provide an important food source for birds and mammals. Seeds are heavily predated by seed eating insects, which are probably fed upon by birds and other animals; the circle of life…

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Picea rubra, Red Spruce

Grows in two very different places in Maine, but not in between; along the immediate coast and in the mountains. What is it about these two seemingly dissimilar habitats that appeal to this species? I’ll have to ask one of the trees next time I see one. Slender growing tree to about 20-30 feet. Said to be good for making musical instruments like violins. As all of our native spruce, they provide excellent habitat for birds and provide food for a great number of animals. Don’t plant poorly suited Colorado blue spruce or other non-native conifers if you live by the ocean, make the natural choice and plant red spruce.

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Pinus strobus, White pine

Maine is the Pine Tree State due to the ubiquity of this species. The pine cone and tassel is the state flower. (Evidently, somebody didn’t consult with a botanist to be told that pines are gymnosperms, and gymnosperms do not bear flowers, but oh well.) Big tall growing trees long used for their excellent lumber. The legendary King’s Pines were used for masts on British sailing ships back in the colonial days and before. They have wonderful wildlife qualities too, providing habitat and food for so many animals. I have been recommending white pines more and more now, especially to replace hemlocks due to the hemlock woolly adelgid becoming more prevalent here in southern Maine. Makes a nice border hedge, more airy then the stiffer growing spruces.

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Prunus maritima, Beach plum

Dune dwelling shrub of the Atlantic coast; tolerates the salty sandy bare bones beach sand and thrives in garden loam; provides food for many animal species; prolific bloomers- excellent pollinator plant in the spring and lots of critters feed on the plums in the fall; plums make delicious jams and jellies; needs full sun, anything less stunts growth. Rarely encountered in the wild anymore, certainly due to rampant coastal development, but also, perhaps, to natural scarcity to begin with here in southern Maine.

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Prunus pumila, Sand cherry

Suckering colonial shrub that tolerates a variety of challenging soil types including poor, excessively drained soils. Nice spreading ground cover over time for those tough spots that we may typically plant some non-native juniper in. Covered in a profusion of small white flowers in early spring. Small plum like fruits appear in August. Like so many natives this should better known and more widely available…give it a try.

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Prunus virginiana, Choke cherry

The plants we have for sale have have been growing in the field for the last few years and are ready to be dug. This is a surprisingly hard to find species in the trade, even though
it is quite common in the wild. It’s often hiding out on the edges of fields and roads, growing among the company of other trees and shrubs. Tolerant of lower nutrient acidic soils, part shade to sun, well drained upland soils. Perfect choice for a native shrub hedge. Produces pendulous strings of vibrant white flowers in the spring followed by dangling strings of dazzling burgundy cherries in the late July. Thicket forming species that’s best characterized as a shrub. Although a wonderful shrub for wildlife, the seed containing fruit can be poisonous if ingested in large quantities. Larval host plant for the spectacular Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly.

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Quercus alba, White Oak

White oaks tend to be associated with slightly richer soils than red oaks, but this may be purely subjective on my part, because it’s just as common to find them both growing in the same area. The acorns of white oak are a much coveted food source for all kinds of wildlife from birds to mammals. The acorn meat of this species taste a lot better than the more bitter acorn meat of red oak, maybe this is why critters love them so. Hundreds of species of insects rely on oaks to complete their lifecycles, which in turn feeds countless other animals up the food chain. Entomologist and author Doug Tallamy has deemed oaks a “keystone species”, a species that has a disproportionately beneficial impact on the ecosystem they inhabit. By planting an oak, you get perhaps the “biggest bang for your ecological buck”. Big, meaty, robust growing trees attaining 40+ feet. Be sure to give these beauties room to grow.

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Quercus rubra, Red Oak

“The mighty oak”. We have heard this term for a long time, but come to find out, the oak is mightier, than we could have imagined.Doug Tallamy (Mother Nature already has cleared him for sainthood) has just published another mind blowing book, The Nature of Oaks(2021), that details just how important this keystone species is. Hundreds of species of caterpillars feed on the leaves. These caterpillars in turn are food for scores of baby songbirds that need this critical source of protein to grow. The acorns feed large numbers of animals from acorn weevils to turkeys to deer and bears. Red oak is salt tolerant and is a good tree choice if you live near the ocean.

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Rhododendron viscosum, Clammy or swamp azalea

Native azalea growing in swamps and along lake shores, tolerates some shade, but not constantly; like so many of our wetland species this plant adapts well to upland garden soils, albeit growing a bit smaller, extra organic matter is appreciated to retain and moderate moisture levels; delicate white flowers emerge in the spring; true to its namesake the leaves and flowers are covered in sticky viscous glands.

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Rosa virginiana, Virginia rose

Native rose species tolerant of sandy, salty, poor soils, salt spray from ocean; this is a good native replacement for that ubiquitous beach rose; doesn’t form those impenetrable hedges that beach rose does; amiable to loamy, better garden soils too; good choice for those “hell strip areas” right next to the road that get sand, salt, soil compaction and beatings from the snow plow. Blooms in mid to late June.

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Sambucus canadensis, Elderberry

Elderberry likes sun to part shade, loamy soils with good moisture retention; flowers attract interesting wasp and fly (Hymenopteran) type pollinators. BB sized, dark bluish black, tart berries are ravenously consumed by birds. Elderberry has a very impressive list of health and nutritive benefits that have been utilized for centuries including proven protection against colds and flu. A suckering cane-type shrub forming small colonies that can grow up to 10 feet tall when fully satisfied. Even though elderberry is not typically considered a cane fruit, like raspberries, you can treat elderberry similarly by cutting out the older canes every 3 or 4 years, which will stimulate new growth and increase fruit production.

Commercial elderberry orchards have been established over the last few decades across the eastern United States using high berry yield cultivars, hoping to cash in on the “elderberry wave”. (It’s nice to see our native plants in the spotlight, instead of some tropical wonder fruit that has to be shipped in from continents away.) Native fruit production matches well to our local environment, probably requiring less resources like water, fertilizer, and pesticides. In fact, many of our native plants have “generously” contributed wholly or genetically to commercialized niche fruit markets; high and low bush blueberries (our native highbush blueberries are now being grown in South America to satisfy winter demand), Aronia (first commercially grown in Russia and eastern Europe!), wild strawberry (genetics from our sweet little Fragaria virginiana are in many common commercial varieties), fox grape (‘Concord’ grape was a variety selected from thousands of grown out fox grape seedlings over a hundred years ago), and cranberries. There are really interesting stories behind all of them, particularly Aronia, fox grape, and wild strawberry.

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Sambucus racemosa, Red elderberry

Splendid clusters of bright red berries come out in late June, just about the same time that black elderberry is just getting into flower. Red elderberry grows to about the same dimensions as black elder does, but it grows in different habitats. I find it growing in the full shade of the woods, often times in rocky, well drained soils. I also see it growing in full sun on gravelly roadsides in northern Maine. Red elder does not have the same litany of medicinal and nutritional qualities as black elder does. Enough with the comparisons to black elder, red elder is an outstanding plant in it’s own right, and doesn’t need to be compared to other family members for street cred. These organically grown plants are started from seed collected right here in Maine.

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Salix bebbiana, Beaked willow

Shrub or small tree of moist to wet places including wet ditches, swamps, and wetlands, often found growing with other willow species; fast growing multi-stem species capable of forming large colonies; great plant for stabilizing any matter of lake or stream shore from erosion; leaves are hairy and pale green on the under side. Willows support an enormous variety of lepidopterous larvae, that in turn feed newly hatched chicks in the spring when large amounts of high quality protein are at a premium. According to Wikipedia; “This is the most important species of diamond willow, a type of willow which produces fine, colorful wood used for carving.”

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Salix discolor, Pussy willow

This classic harbinger of spring, the pussy willow, is pleased to grow in a variety of soil types and moisture regimes; the fuzzy pussy cat toes that emerge in March are the developing flower clusters that will serve the reproductive needs of the species. Willows support an enormous variety of lepidopterous larvae, that in turn feed newly hatched chicks in the spring when large amounts of high quality protein are at a premium.

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Salix nigra, Black willow

A fast growing species tolerant of very wet soils. We see it mostly as a shrub to small tree size around here some where between 6 and 30 feet. Excellent choice for holding soil in place and minimizing erosion. According to wildflower.org- “This is the largest and most important New World willow, with one of the most extensive ranges across the country. In the lower Mississippi Valley it attains commercial timber size, reaching 100-140′ (30-42 m) in height and 4′ (1.2 m) in diameter . Also a shade tree and honey plant.” I had no idea this modest willow could grow into such a monster! An important food source for lepidopterous larvae, which in turn feed our wonderful feathered friends. Willows have an outsized, under appreciated role in our ecosystems and need to be planted more extensively landscapes.

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Spiraea latifolia, Meadowsweet

Common, low growing, bushy shrub of wetlands and fields. Forms relatively compact, but dense colonies; I like to think of these as island-like sanctuaries, as they often form wildlife shelters in areas lacking other refugia. More often than not, I will find birds nests nestled between the branches. Lovely foamy flowers starting in mid July attract a stunning diversity of insects; everything from tiny wasps and bees, weevils, ants, and even the spectacular Virginia ctenucha moth! Lovely green leaves add texture to the landscape and the exfoliating brown bark adds winter interest. Tiny seeds feed small mammals in the winter. Salt tolerant species, I consistently find meadowsweet growing around the high tide line and on the edges of salt marshes. Good choice for seaside planting and perhaps hell strip areas. I see this plant growing in wetlands and in dry sandy deposits beside the road- impressive versatility! Grows to a mature height of 4 to 5 feet.

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Spiraea tomentosa, Hardhack/Steeplebush

Typically associated with wetland meadow areas, but will grow well in upland soils; full to part sun. Spikes of frothy pink flowers attract lots of pollinators; fuzzy light green leaves; looks great planted in patches/drifts. Flowers for a few weeks starting in late July, after its close relative, meadow sweet.. Compared to Spiraea latifolia, this species doesn’t have as much of a “bushy girth”, that is, horizontal spread. Excellent pollinator plant.

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Vaccinium angustifolium, Low bush blueberry

Tolerates sun and shade, poor dry acidic soils. Spreads over large areas in time producing those delicious sweet blueberries. Early spring flowering provides reliable food for pollinators. Give this one a little while to get going; I think that it relies extensively on mycorrhizal associations, and these relationships can take time to develop. NOT grown from seed. This species is most often propagated using rhizome pieces.Grows no taller than a 1 or 2 tall at the most. Please note that this can be a tough plant to get started. Sets fruit in early July.

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Vaccinium corymbosum, Highbush blueberry

Medium sized multi-branched shrub growing in and around wetlands. Blueberries come out in July and are delicious to both people and wildlife. We have many pick your own blueberry farms here in southern Maine, and this is the species they use. Look into any garden catalog and you will find a number of commercial varieties that have been developed from the wild one. These are non-varietal selections. Although they can be grown in upland areas, they must have acidic soil with lots of organic matter to retain moisture. Please note that this can be a tough plant to get started.

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Viburnum cassinoides, Wild raisin, smooth witherod

“Will the real Viburnum cassinoides please stand up?” There is some confusing nomenclature swirling around this species. Sometimes known as Viburnum nudum var. cassinoides or just Viburnum cassinoides. This is the northern occurring species that we have growing here in Maine; you may have seen it growing in moist areas along a sunny road side, or along power line right of ways. It will catch your eye in mid to late spring when a profusion of frothy flowers erupt from the upper most branches. Multi-stemmed habit like so many of our native viburnums provides habitat for animals and structure to the landscape. You can get a nice naturalized look when you plant these in drifts; excellent component for native shrub hedges. This plant is perhaps most noteworthy for the way its fruit changes colors from white to pink to blue. Our most impressive viburnum (hobblebush would contend).

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Viburnum dentatum, Arrowood viburnum

Most often associated with open moist to wet areas in the wild, such as power line right of ways. Multi-stemmed plants typically growing upright, straight as an arrow. White flower clusters about the size of a tennis ball come out in the spring and attract large numbers of varied insect pollinators. Those flowers give way to a similar sized cluster of azure blue fruit, which are eagerly consumed by birds. It’s hard to get the seed collection just right on this species, because the birds eat them so quickly. I use this as an important metric, that is, the time it takes for the fruit to completely disappear after it ripens. This tell us us how important certain species are to birds, and guides us in choosing the most high impact plants to landscape with. This is one of the higher impact shrubs; it provides shelter, food for pollinators, and food for birds. This species can harbor viburnum leaf beetle.

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Viburnum lentago, Nannyberry

This is our tallest growing species of viburnum, often looking more like a small tree than a shrub. I see it forming thickets a lot, growing from moist edges of wetlands to considerably drier patches in fields. It seems to like a bit of shade, rarely growing in spots that have full day sun. Creamy white clusters of flowers in the spring attract pollinators and the subsequent fruit in the fall is consumed post haste. We have some many incredible viburnum species of our own, why would we want to plant non-natives?

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Viburnum trilobum, Cranberry Viburnum

Named for the ruby red colored fruit that looks something like the cranberries growing in bogs. Hardy adaptable shrub that likes living in the shadows of a forest canopy, more so than being in wide open sunny spaces. Usually grows to about 6 ft-10 ft tall, multi-stemmed; likes rich organic soils, but can tolerate less fertile loamy soils as well. In Ogunquit, ME along the beautiful seaside Marginal Way Trail, this species has naturalized on the southern end of the trail, which surprised me when we first observed them growing there. That’s one more thing we can add to this wonderful plant’s resume; tolerant of sea side conditions (which is something I wouldn’t have wagered on). Off white flowers emerge in Spring when they are visited mostly by wasp and bee (Hymenopteran) type pollinators. Also called Crampbark, this species has a number of medicinal uses associated with it. The fruit is loved by birds and even we can eat the fruit too.

 

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Perennials

• Unless indicated, our perennials are grown organically from seed.
• “gal” is short for gallon, which is pot size.
•  MOFGA=Maine Organic Farmers and Growers Association; they certify and promote organically grown produce, see mofga.org for more info.
• Why does organically grown matter? It assures you that persistent systemic insecticides won’t be poisoning the pollinators and wildlife we are trying to nurture.
• BARE ROOT is available for many of our perennials, but only early in the season (April-early May). Place orders early. We can offer bareroot plants at $12 each.
• To see images of plants, hover mouse over plant name and click on link. Not all descriptions currently link to an image, but more are being added weekly!

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Adiantum pedatum, Maidenhair fern

I have lots of favorites, and this is my favorite species of native fern. It’s unique in so many ways; most of our ferns grow in a vertical aspect, think the upright fronds of an Interrupted or Cinnamon fern. Maidenhair has a flat top

 

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Ageratina altissima, White snakeroot

  This plant was recently considered a Eupatorium, but it has since been moved to its own genus due to several distinctions. It likes to grow in moist to dry woods; I don’t see it here in southern Maine, but I run across it from time to time growing in the lower to mid elevation areas of the White Mountains. Has an affinity towards limey, rich soils. This plant is considered poisonous, which surprised me a bit, as most asteraceous (that is, plants in the sunflower family, Asteraceae) plants are pretty benign when it comes to toxicity. White snakeroot contains the chemical tremetol which causes “milk sickness”.

When cows eat this plant the toxin accumulates in their meat and milk, humans become sick when they consume these products. Wikipedia states “During the early 19th century, when large numbers of European Americans from the East, who were unfamiliar with snakeroot, began settling in the plant’s habitat of the Midwest and Upper South, many thousands were killed by milk sickness.” (Huh, who would of thought?) Despite this nefarious dark side, it is still a wonderful and unique plant for our shade gardens; don’t use it on your salad and don’t let Bessy the cow feed on it and you’ll be okay. For me, unique plant chemistry adds to the allure of each plant’s identity. Seed grown, MOFGA certified.

 (Seed grown, MOFGA certified organic.)

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Amsonia tabernaemontana, Eastern bluestar

In its native haunts, eastern bluestar can be found growing in moist to wet woods and along lake shores in Massachusetts, where it’s at the northern end of it’s range. Being the versatile plant that it is, it grows very well in upland garden soils here in southern Maine. A fairly early bloomer coming out in May, the unique and beautiful sky blue flowers have recurved petals, giving the appearance of streaking through the sky. Lanceolate willow-like leaves turn a marvelous golden yellow in the fall before they succumb to heavy frosts. This plant throws down a deep tuberous root system, so plant it where the soil has some depth to it. Tolerates full to part sun. Seed grown, MOFGA certified organic.

 

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Asclepias incarnata, Swamp milkweed

Sensuous and showy purple flowers attractive to a variety of  wonderful pollinators including fritillary and crescent butterflies and the hummingbird-like clear wing moth!; grows on wetland and river edges in full sun to part shade; adapts well to upland garden conditions, staying shorter then it would be in wetter areas. Blooms in mid to late July. Grows to 2 to 4 feet tall depending on moisture and organic matter. Seed grown, MOFGA certified organic.

 

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Asclepias syriaca, Common milkweed

As the name implies, this is the most common milkweed that we encounter in dry open fields and roadsides. It is the posterchild for teaching about the unique relationships that plants and insects have; we learn at an early age about the monarch butterfly and its reliance on this plant. The milkweed can survive without the monarch, but the monarch cannot survive without the milkweed. This is reason enough to plant these showy wildflowers around or houses, but it needs to be noted that the flowers attract a large number of diverse insect pollinators-from the stunning hummingbird/ clear wing moths to the riotous metallic beetles that feed on the leaves. Overtime they will spread to form loose colonies. Now, if we could just work on that name, weed has such a bad connotation. Seed grown, MOFGA certified organic.

 

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Asclepias tuberosa, Butterfly weed

Can you believe that this species used to be found growing wild in Maine? Used to be is the operative term here; the Maine Natural Areas program considers this species as “apparently extirpated in Maine (historically occurring species for which habitat no longer exists).” I have read that this species was never terribly common to begin with, the final nail in the coffin was that it was coveted as a medicinal herb. It’s also known as pleurisy root and is/was used for ailments of the lungs including coughs, swelling of the lining of the lungs, swelling of the sir sacs of the lungs, and so on. You would never know it is a rare plant with how common it is in the horticultural trade; it’s not hard to find in catalogs and garden centers.

This plant is renowned for having aphid problems. I always see it being grown in rich garden soils, usually with excessive organic matter and thus water retention. The richer the soil the happier the plant, right? Don’t ask the plant, ask the aphids; they’ll tell you (if you could understand “Aphidese”) that everything thing is just great! Many years ago I was in Mattapoisett, MA, which is just to the west side of the Cape Cod Canal. I stumbled across some butterfly weed growing trail side. I was delighted; I finally get to see this plant growing in its native haunts! (Which is always a goal of mine for every plant I grow). I was dumbstruck when I examined the soil it was growing in; there was a very thin layer of organic matter on the surface (like, 1/4 of an inch!) and below that was more or less pure sand! Boom. Case solved. It’s no wonder we have un-heathy plants, if this is what they grow in, in the wild. Long story short, let’s try giving these guys a really lean soil, and see how they do. Flowers in late July.

 

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Aquilegia canadensis, Wild Columbine

One of our showiest spring flowers; bright red sepals with yellow petals and stamens and an irregular flower shape; hard to believe it’s in the Buttercup family (Ranunculaceae). Lacy compound leaves persist after flowering until the drier parts of the summer season. Attractive to hummingbirds. Grows in a variety of shady locals; dry woods, often on rocky talus slopes, rich deciduous forests. Primo plant for a shady-part sunny rock garden. Usually the real knock outs are hard to grow and propagate, but not this one; give it the right spot and conditions and it will reward you with yearly splendor and lots of children. Can columbine be considered a spring ephemeral, it’s arguable. Organically grown plants from seed.

 

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Chamerion angustifolium, Fireweed (Available in 2024!)

There’s that “weed” suffix again! Why do early pioneering species have to bare the burden of such a bad rap? We hamfisted humans should be grateful to species that have the miraculous healing ability of being able to grow on land that has been ravaged by fire or razed by the plow. Anyone who has ever seen a large patch of fireweed in bloom will have that image singed into their memory; the luminous, almost neon shade of red-pink positively radiates. As an added bonus the shoots, leaves, and flowers are all edible; the early spring shoots are referred to as the “Asparagus of the North”. The flowers and buds can be used for a captivating garnish and can be made into fireweed jelly. Fireweed is the larval host plant to the super-fly white lined sphinx moth. Attractive to hummingbirds! Grows 2-3 feet tall, in full sun to part shade, moist to dry soils. Flowers in mid-summer.

 (Seed grown, MOFGA certified organic.)

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Chelone glabra, Turtle head

The oval shaped white flowers really do look like turtle heads. In fact, the genus Chelone nods to the reptilian order Chelonia, which includes the turtles and tortoises. Like turtles, this plant likes to live in wet areas; in the wild I typically find it growing along the shady margins of streams and wetlands. Will grow well in upland gardens, as long as there is ample moisture retention provided by organic matter. This is a good later season bee plant; the bees have to work a little harder to get to the good stuff. It’s interesting to watch them part the upper and lower lobes of the flower to reach the pollen inside.

 

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Clematis virginiana, Virgin’s Bower Vine

One of just a few native Clematis species, not at all like the flamboyant hybrid cultivars that are usually of east Asian origin. These flowers are much smaller, about the size of the finger nail on your index finger and are an off white color. What the flowers lack in size they make up for by the sheer numbers produced; a modestly sized plant can support hundreds of flowers . An excellent choice for trellising or running up and over an arbor. This species covers well in the horizontal plane as well; I have seen it draping itself over stonewalls and low growing shrubs. Attracts lots of smaller sized bee like pollinators when it blooms in late July. Even the seeds look cool when they mature in September, looking like wild haired shrunken heads, or tendrilly spiders! This one is a real show stopper.

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Cornus canadensis, Bunchberry

   I have always questioned how this creeping herbaceous perennial of woodlands could possibly be in the same genus as red osier and flowering dogwoods. Well, now it has its own genus, Chamaepericlymenum, quite a mouthful. I’m going to eat crow and keep referring to it as Cornus, the genus that most everybody is familiar with.

   Like its cousin, flowering dogwood, those big white toothy-looking structures that we assume are flowers, aren’t flower petals, but bracts. The actual flowers are much smaller and less showier if you look more closely. Never-the-less, this is a primo ground cover for the right place-mostly shaded, has adequate moisture retentive organic matter, acidic, woodland or ecotonal habitat. I see them growing into the woods, on the edges of power line right-of-ways, and sometime in near full sun if the ground is continuously moist. Flowers in June, followed by bunches of bright red berries in late July.

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Dennstaeditia punctilobia, Hay scented fern

A really influential fern, as it turns out. Hay scented fern thrives in recently cut areas of the forest. They can grow so thick that they can stall the successional dynamics of the forest, studies have shown. This is in Mehlreter, Walker, and Sharpe’s book, Fern Ecology if you want to check it out. Makes un excellent groundcover in sunny drier areas, areas you don’t typically with ferns. They can be a little rambunctious, so be sure to plant them with this in mind.

 

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 Echinacea purpurea, Purple coneflower

Purple coneflower is a species that is native to the Ozark and mid-western areas of our country and and can be found across MI, KY, TN, GA and into VA. I typically only sell plants that are native to Maine and northern New England, BUT this one deserves its exceptional status. It thrives here in southern Maine and attracts butterflies like you can only dream about; big showy species like fritillaries, monarchs, admirals, skippers, hairstreaks, and painted ladies. Will grow in full sun to part shade, tolerates drier loamy soils but really appreciates a little extra moisture and organic matter. So even though this one isn’t native to the area, it’s butterfly feeding prowess earns itself a place in your garden.

 

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Eupatorium perfoliatum, Boneset

This is one of my favorite natives. The appearance of the plant is so intriguing; the stem seems to shoot right up through multiple whorls of leaves, like some avant garde sculpture. The whorls of opposite leaves have a wonderful texture to them, they look like they are really thick, but it’s just the pubescence (hair) of the leaves that makes this optical illusion of sorts. Terminal flower heads are a grayish-white color; even though we can’t smell them the pollinators evidently can, as the flowers attract a wonderful array of uncommon pollinators. Old timey wisdom told us that this plant was helpful in setting bones; leaves were placed in splints and casts to help the healing process. (Call me a pessimist, but it probably didn’t work.) The leaves are still used to make a tea, which is said to be beneficial for treating colds, flus, and coughs. In the wild this plant is almost always associated with wetlands, in sun to part shade, but in cultivation, it does well in our upland gardens.

 

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Eurybia macrophylla, Big leaf aster

This is an ecotonal species; defined as the transitional area of vegetation between two plant communities. It grows on the edge of the field/ forest border, never in the field, and not too far into the woods. The large leaves will spread and form a pleasant ground cover over time. Spikes of flowers come out in the fall; sometimes the petals take on a very attractive purplish tinge.

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Eutrochium fistulosum, Hollow stemmed Joe pye

This is a species that is confined to southern Maine. It’s a lot shorter then spotted joe pye, getting about waist high instead of way-over-the-head-high. In the wild it grows in wet fields and ditches, full sun to part shade. Excellent plant for pollinators. Despite its wetland preference in the wild, this species does well in upland garden situations.

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Eutrochium maculatum, Spotted Joe Pye

Spotted joe pye is the mac-daddy of the pye weeds, routinely growing in excess of 6 feet. (I really wish we could move away from the “weed” part of this magnificent plant’s name, there’s nothing unpleasant or weedy about it.) When planted en masse it creates an impressive effect, large frisbee sized magenta flower clusters attract lots of pollinators including the big showy butterflies we all love to have around. Likes full sun, grows in wet open meadows but can also be found growing in drier areas. Tolerates a variety of moisture regimes in cultivation, drier soils may keep it a bit shorter.

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Eutrochium purpureum, Purple Joe Pye

This species of Joe pye is tolerant of much more shade than the previous two species. It can be found growing in the woods in wet to drier, mesic soils. This is the one to plant if you haven’t got light enough for spotted or hollow stem joe pye. The flowers have a distinctive vanilla scent, which also sets a part from the other two species listed here, which typically do not have memorable smelling flowers. Purply-magenta flowers are not as dense as spotted joe pye, but they still attract lots of pollinators in mid to later summer. More common to the south, this is a rare plant in Maine.

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Fragaria virginiana, Wild strawberry

Tiny intensely sweet and flavorful berries come out in early summer. Once you eat a few precious hand-fulls you won’t want to eat the store bought strawberries anymore.
Grows in open sunny fields in dry to more moisture retentive soils. Makes a great ground cover and spreads out by self rooting runners. Nickel sized bright white flowers come out in early spring when few other plants are flowering. Fragaria virginiana was cross bred with other species of strawberries to develop the commercially grown varieties; its genetic contribution of hardiness and that unmistakable flavor can be tasted in many varieties.

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Geranium maculatum , Cranesbill. Wild Geranium

An ecotonal species, liking the area at the forest field edge or in a forested glade. Likes the shade but not too much, likes a bit of sun, but only glances. Light pastel pink flowers come out mid-spring. Seeds have a unique dispersal mechanism where they are catapulted away from the mother plant. Tend to naturalize in areas where they are happy.

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Iris versicolor, Wild iris, Blue flag Iris

When in bloom, you can’t just walk by this blue flag, the mesmerizing purpley-blue color will have you staring in admiration for a few spell bound minutes. Typically found in wet open meadows, fields, and roadside ditches this adaptable native will happily grow in upland garden soils as long as there is plenty of OM (organic matter) to keep moisture levels adequate. SO many of our natives are flexible; they grow in saturated conditions in the wild but are content with the drier conditions in our gardens. Aren’t we lucky? We really are.

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Lobelia cardinalis, Cardinal flower

Spectacular red spikes of flowers form in mid to late summer and are particularly attractive to hummingbirds. In the wild we find cardinal flower growing in part shade to nearly full sun along gravelly streams and small rivers. In these nutrient poor areas the plants are slim and trim. When given a richer diet of nutrients and organic matter they quite literally fatten up, including the spikes producing those lush red flowers. Takes well to upland areas as long as there as adequate moisture and a bit of shade.

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Lobelia siphilitica, Great blue lobelia

It is said that blue is one of the rarest colors in nature, so that makes great blue lobelia even more appealing with its stunning spikes (up to 4 ft) of sky blue flowers that come out later in the summer. In the wild it is found growing in wet areas and moist shady woods from Maine to Manitoba and south into Texas, Alabama, and North Carolina. Grows well in upland areas with moisture retentive soils and shade. Once established and happy it will self propagate.

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Monarda fistulosa, Wild bergamot

This versatile member of the mint family grows across much of North America in full sun to part shade sporting unique pinkish to purple flowers attractive to many pollinators, including hummingbirds. Many of our Monarda’s can be prone to powdery mildew. Used to seeing this, I was flabbergasted when I came across a whole field of it growing in southwestern MA, with not a powdery mildew stained leaf anywhere. The bedrock there was limestone, which made the soils very basic. Our soils are quite the opposite here in ME, being acidic for the most part. This observation suggested that a lime application may benefit these plants in cultivation. Aromatic leaves can be made into tea. Organically grown from seed. Starts to bloom in mid to late July. Certain individuals sport attractive lavender colored stems, most are a pale sea-green color.

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Osmunda cinnamomea, Cinnamon fern

Upright, radial growing fern of lightly forested wetlands and wet meadows. Makes a wonderful specimen plant or planted in drifts due to its strong presence. Tolerates part shade to part sun depending on moisture levels. Nursery propagated, of course.

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Osmunda regalis, Royal fern

Upright growing with rather delicate stems and spectacular compound leaves. Grows on pond edges, wet meadows, and forested wetlands with an open canopy. Tolerates part shade to part sun depending on moisture levels. Grows happily in our gardens out of the full sun with adequate organic matter in the soil. Nursery propagated, of course.

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Packera aurea, Golden ragwort

These are truly little rays of sunshine, growing in wetlands to moist woodlands where they form compact colonies. The flowers are a most attractive orangey-chrome yellow and always catch you by surprise when you encounter them. They make a wonderful addition to the shady parts of your garden. Like so many of our natives, they are quite adaptable to growing conditions.

 

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Penstemon digitalis, Beard tongue

Clump forming perennial that grows in field and roadsides, where it can tolerate a variety of soils. Can deal with some shade, but prefers sunnier locals. Excellent bumble bee plant. If you study the flowers you will see a faint orange line leading into the center of the white or pinkish lowers. This shows up very brightly in the uv spectrum, which bees can see, and acts like a trail, showing the way to where the food is. Leaves are a dark lustrous green to a crimson red color. The variety ‘Husker Red’ was developed from this species, found at most every garden center.

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Pycnanthemum muticum, Clustered mountain mint

You don’t usually think of mints as being beautiful, but this one is a stunner. The flowers themselves aren’t terribly showy, but the whorls of leaves that subtend the flowers are blushed white, almost like they have been frosted. Plants sport multiple stems reaching to about 3 or 4 feet tall, and stay relatively confined to where you plant them. The leaves are a soothing light green and have a complex and distinctive flavor profile that is seldom encountered elsewhere. Attracts a steady flow of insect pollinator traffic during those sultry humid days of mid July; mostly tiny wasps and other hymenopterans.

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Pycnanthemum virginianum, Mountain mint

The mountain mints have become all the rage in the last few years due to their utterly impressive ability to attract and feed pollinators. Stay for awhile around one of these plants when they are in bloom on a warm sunny day and you’ll see the power for yourself, as swarms of wasps, bees, and butterflies make their rounds. The leaves have a powerful minty aroma when rubbed, and can be steeped to make a refreshing tea. Stout, multi branched perennials of well drained soils, does well in full sun to part shade. Lanceolate shaped leaves.  Flowers in late July, a couple weeks after clustered mountain mint Multi-stemmed growth habitat attaining 3-4 feet in height.

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Rudbeckia fulgida, Orange coneflower 

The Pollinator program at the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation recognizes this species as being an important pollinator plant as it “attracts a large number of native bees.”
Orangey-yellow petals and a brown/black center earn it the name Black eyed Susan, a namesake it shares with the closely related Rudbeckia hirta. Garden guides and common experience tells us that it grows best in full sun, well drained soils. Native plant field books indicate it can be found growing “chiefly in woods or moist places.” Knowing where and how a plant grows in the wild gives us other ideas of where we can use this plant in our planted landscapes. (I would have never considered trying to grow this plant in woods or moist places based on where I see it growing in cultivation.) Even though we see this plant growing all over the place, it is because it has naturalized and not necessarily native, at least around here (in Maine). It’s native range is PA to MI south to TX and FL. We include it in our selections because of its pollinator value and it’s just plain pretty. 

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Schizachyrium scoparium, Little bluestem grass

Clump forming grass species adapted to poor, well drained, dry soils in full sun to a bit of shade. Grass stems can range in a variety of colors from
blue to green to reddish hues. Plant in drifty groups for a stunning naturalized effect. The clumping nature of this species provides habitat for a variety of animals from ground dwelling birds to ground burrowing bees. Keep on a lean diet; excessive organic matter and moisture tend to make them “obese” and sickly looking. This is a warm season species of grass; active growth doesn’t kick in until June and robustly in July-August. Even though this species is wind pollinated, it is a very important larval host plant for many species of skipper butterflies and the showy wood nymph. You can’t have skippers if you don’t have this plant in the neighborhood.

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Solidago caesia, Blue stem goldenrod

“A goldenrod that thrives in the shade, you say?” Indeed. This isn’t your typical goldenrod. Like zig-zag goldenrod, you will find this species growing in the woods where it keeps to a modest height of a foot or less. Flowers are born in the junctions between leaves and stem. It does not form the terminal clusters that the field dwelling species do. Does not have the bullish tendencies of the field growing goldenrods and does not spread by underground rhizomes. Stem is an appealing blueish green color with a white dusty bloom. Also called bridal wreath goldenrod as the stems tends to grow horizontally at times in the shape of a wreath or crown. Great choice for the shade garden. Flowers in August through September.

 

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Solidago flexicaulis, Zig-zag goldenrod

This is one of several species of goldenrod that we find growing in the shade of the forest. They are not the colonizers like the field growing species, but tend to grow as individuals, eventually forming manageable colonies. I have seen them growing in relatively dry acidic hemlock/pine forest here in southern Maine and along a mucky stream side in the Moosehead Lake area. Named for that distinctive zig-zagged pattern of its stem. As all goldenrods are, this species is an important pollinator plants for both the adult stage and the larval stage; including the wavy-lined emerald moth. Knowing where your plants are from is important; these plants were grown out from seed collected in Unity, New Hampshire (western-central part of the state) by Cat Swamp Farm; please check them out.

 

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Symphyotrichum laevis, Smooth aster

Asters rule the world. I’ve pretty much convinced myself of this. When you look out across the native plant landscape starting around mid summer all the way through to the frosty end of the season, asters are the dominant flowers-New England asters, goldenrods, boneset, big leaf aster, big Joe Pye’s and on and on. Smooth aster is one of the gang, growing in open fields and field edges, up to 3 feet tall, with tangibly smooth leaves. The pretty bluish-purple flowers start blooming in September will often keep on blooming right into the fall, keeping the doors open for all of those late season pollinators. Smooth aster is the host plant for the Pearl crescent butterfly and the Wavy lined emerald moth.

 

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Symphyotrichum novae-angliae, New England aster

Spectacular blooms of pink, purple, and magenta daisy heads are a critical late season food source for migrating butterflies like monarchs, painted and American lady butterflies, and bees. This species is an ideal choice for pollinator stations and naturalizing. They seed freely so you may find them growing up or down the road from where you planted them. Tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions from poor to moderate fertility, sun to part shade. No need to buy mums or those artificial looking asters in the fall, this is the real deal.

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Trandescantia ohiensis, Smooth spiderwort, bluejacket

I was surprised to read that this species is native to New England; it can be found growing in meadows, thickets, and prairie-like habitat in Massachusetts west to Minnesota and south to Texas. Petal color can naturally range from blue to rose to white. Ohio spiderwort has a whitish bloom on the leaves and stems, which help differentiate it from the more common Virginia spiderwort. Ohio spiderwort has glabrous (smooth, without hairs) pedicels (the stalk of the flower), unlike Virginia spiderwort which has pubescent (hairy) pedicels. The Ladybird Johnson Wildlife center indicates that “when touched in the heat of the day, the flowers shrivel to a fluid jelly”. I haven’t noticed that, but it’s an interesting thing to watch for. Trandescantia will freely hybridize with just about any other spiderwort species in the garden. Now that I am looking for them, I have noticed lots of spiderworts in peoples yards. Flowers in mid June; color is a spectacular shade of purple-blue.

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Verbena hastata, Blue vervain

You will find this wide ranging species growing in open to partly shaded habitats; ranging from meadow wetlands to trash strew roadside ditches. In the olden days it was thought to be a “cure all” plant with medicinal properties that could cure everything from jaundice to depression. It is the larval host for the common buckeye, a species I routinely see flying in our field. Tiny purple flowers are borne on stiff cylindrical upright stems, although the individual flowers are indeed small, there are always many stems flowering simultaneously on a given plant, making for lots of purple. Plant them with Joe pyes and you will have a spectacular show on your hands. Flowers in late July. Can grow 4 to 6 feet tall depending on moisture and organic matter in the soil.

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Veronicastrum virginicum, Culver’s Root

Native to CT, MA, and VT, introduced in ME this taller growing perennial can be found growing in rich deciduous woodlands, dry uplands, and prairie-like habitats. Pretty common in the trade where rose colored varieties have been selected from this typically white flowering plant. An extended flowering time of 2-4 weeks in August provides an attractive food source for bumblebees and other hymenopteran pollinators. Taller growing species with columns of light frothy flowers that’s great for borders or towards the back of the pollinator garden. The great horticulturist and author Allan Armitage notes that Culver’s root makes a fantastic cut flower.

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Vernonia noveboracensis, New York Ironweed

I really love the color purple; so I’m always on the look-out for the next “purple-fix”; NY Ironweed has the most intense, luscious, regal purple color I have ever seen in the plant kingdom. It will stop me dead in my tracks every time I see it in bloom. In the wild this species is associated with meadow wetlands and open roadside ditches; pretty much the same habitat as our moisture loving Joe-pyes. In fact, it is often snuggled in with Joe Pye whenever I see it in the wild. In cultivation it does not need to be in a wetland, and can do well in loamy garden soils, which keep it at a slightly lower height. This species does not occur naturally in Maine, tapping out just south of us in New Hampshire, where it has naturalized.  There are many species in the Vernonia genus, but they tend to be of more southerly climes. On a recent trip, I saw it growing naturally in Pittsburgh,PA, through out mid state NY, and up to the VT border. This is a tall species, growing 6 to 8 feet, blooming in late August along with the Joe Pyes.

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Viola sororia, Meadow violet, common blue violet

For such a little plant it sure has lots of common names; common blue violet, meadow violet, purple violet, woolly blue violet, woods violet. (This is a great example of why common names can be misleading to the exact species we are referring to.) Blooms from spring to early summer, you’ve probably noticed these guys while taking early spring walks in the woods. They grow happily in lots of different places; in the woods, in lawns, roadside clearings, fields, forest borders, thickets, and stream banks. Common across New England. Most violets have two different flower types, spring time chasmogamous flowers and late summer time cleistogamous flowers. Chasmogamous (open marriage) flowers are “normal flowers”, if you will. They open up and are fertilized by pollinators. Cleistogamous (closed marriage) flowers remain shut and are self fertilized, these are often born underground.

Violets are the host plants for our magnificent fritillary butterflies, and the food source for the mining bee, a pollinator specialist feeding exclusively on violets.

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How to order plants

You can get your plants in a number of convenient ways.

-Order on our online store-nativehaunts.com/store.

-We can ship you plants via United Parcel Service (UPS) if you live far away. We can deliver your plants to you if you live near-by (There is a minimum order requirement or delivery fee added on if you live more then 1/2 hour away). You can stop by and chat, browse our selection and pick out your plants at the nursery, but please call ahead, as we do not have regular hours.

-E-mail (nativehaunts@gmail.com) us with the plants that you would like, I will respond promptly with plant availability. I find this system works well because it avoids the disappointment of sending in for a plant you really, really want, only to find out a couple weeks later when the order comes in that it is out of stock. E-mailing me with your request is like taking a ticket at the deli counter- it ensures your place in line and gets you the plants you want.

Call in your order: 1-207-604-8655.

Curb side pick is available; tell us the plants you want and we can leave them out to be picked up when ever is most convenient for you. Payment can be made with credit card, Venmo, or Paypal ahead of time, or you can leave cash or check at time of pick up.

 

Shipping and Handling Costs

This is based on each individual order. For a rough estimate, figure on about 20% of the total order.
Minimum shipping charge of $15.00

 

Payment

We accept Visa, Master Card, and Discover credit cards.

Venmo, Paypal, and check is welcomed.
Good old fashioned cash works too, but for pick-up only.

 

Nomenclature

Nomenclature, or naming, follows Flora Novae Angliae, 2011 by Arthur Haines and the New England Wildflower Society. Synonyms, abbreviated syn, are included when appropriate for previous names that folks may be more familiar with. Of course, these are the same plants, but with new names to try and learn. Botanists love to change names around on us, but it is usually for good reason. Although botanical reshuffling has happened since the time of Linneaus, now-a-days it’s due to new findings at the molecular level which reveals relationships that may not have been so obvious using traditional classification systems.