monarda fistulosa plants in bloom with lavender flowers

Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa). Photo: Elmer Verhasselt, Bugwood.org

Updated: January 13, 2023

These are several species of native plants recommended for Maryland home gardens and landscapes. Click on the photos for details and growing information.

The majority of these plants are native to one or more ecoregions of our state. We also have included a few select species that are native to ecoregions in our nearest southern states, for their potential suitability as climate change shifts the natural ranges of plant populations.

Groundcovers & ferns

  • fronds of native Christmas fern

    Christmas Fern

  • foamflower and phlox in flower

    Foamflower

  • yellow flowers of native golden groundsel plant

    Golden Groundsel

  • green and gold

    Green and Gold

  • lady fern

    Lady Fern

  • lavender flowers of phlox subulata groundcover native to maryland

    Moss Phlox

  • leaves of native pussytoes plant

    Pussytoes

  • fronds of native sensitive ferns

    Sensitive Fern

  • Canadian ginger

    Wild Ginger

Native wildflowers

  • alumroot

    Alumroot

  • yellow flowers of native black-eyed Susan

    Black-Eyed Susan

  • blue wood aster

    Blue Wood Aster

  • orange flowers of native butterfly milkweed

    Butterfly Weed

  • red flowers of cardinal flower

    Cardinal Flower

  • red flowers of wild columbine

    Eastern Columbine

  • blue spikes of flowers on Maryland native baptisia australis perennial plant

    False Blue Indigo

  • white flowers of native foxglove beardtongue plants

    Foxglove Beardtongue

  • blue flowers of great blue lobelia plant

    Great Blue Lobelia

  • yellow flowers of native golden groundsel plant

    Golden Groundsel

  • purple flowers of native joe pye weed

    Joe Pye Weed

  • purple flowers of new york ironweed plant

    New York Ironweed

  • pink flowers of native rose mallow plant

    Rosemallow

  • orange flowers of turks cap lily

    Turk's Cap Lily

  • pink flowers of wild bergamot plant

    Wild Bergamot

Native grasses, sedges & rushes

  • native blue sedge blooming

    Blue Sedge

  • native wool grass with seed heads

    Wool Rush or Wool Grass

  • native little bluestem grass with seedheads

    Little Bluestem

  • yellow indiangrass

    Yellow Indiangrass

Shrubs

  • ripening berries of aronia melanocarpa - a native shrub with clusters of white flowers in the spring

    Black Chokeberry

  • Black huckleberry shrub

    Black Huckleberry

  • Bloom of Carolina allspice shrub.

    Carolina Allspice

  • Blooms of the native shrub common witchhazel.

    Common Witchhazel

  • fothergilla flowers

    Fothergilla

  • white flowers of hillside blueberry shrub

    Hillside Blueberry

  • black berries are produced on female inkberry plants - ilex glabra

    Inkberry Holly

  • Leucothoe

    Leucothoe

  • Bloom of the native shrub mapleleaf viburnum.

    Mapleleaf Viburnum

  • gray berries on female bayberry plant

    Northern Bayberry

  • Bloom of the native shrub oakleaf hydrangea.

    Oakleaf Hydrangea

  • red berries on a chokeberry plant

    Red Chokeberry

  • smooth hydrangea

    Smooth Hydrangea

  • Blooms of the native shrub spicebush.

    Spicebush

  • white flower of clethra alnifolia native shrub

    Sweet Pepperbush

  • White flowers of Virginia sweetspire native plant

    Virginia Sweetspire

  • red berries of winterberry holly

    Winterberry Holly

  • red berries of Yaupon holly plant native to southeastern united states

    Yaupon Holly

Trees

  • Developing seed clusters on native tree American hornbeam.

    American Hornbeam

  • red fall foliage of native blackgum tree

    Blackgum

  • small redbud tree in bloom

    Eastern Redbud

  • Eastern redcedar berries

    Eastern Redcedar

  • Blooms of the native tree flowering dogwood.

    Flowering Dogwood

  • hawthorn tree fruits

    Green Hawthorn

  • small multistemmed serviceberry tree with white flowers

    Serviceberry

  • fall foliage of native white oak tree

    White Oak

Related information

Ornamental and Native Grasses

Cultivars of Native Plants

Native Plants and Climate Change

Why Include Native Plants in your Garden?

Converting Lawns Into Diverse Landscapes: Case Studies

Additional resources

Publications for Gardeners | Maryland Native Plant Society

(PDF) Keystone Native Plants | National Wildlife Federation

(PDF) The Right Tree for Your Lawn | University of Maryland Extension Sea Grant

Do Not Sell! Ornamental invasive plants to avoid with climate change (includes native plant alternatives) | University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Still have a question? Contact us at Ask Extension.