June is National Pollinator Month and one thing that every gardener can do to help support our pollinators is to plant native plants. At Natureworks, we carry an everchanging selection of natives, both straight species and our favorite cultivars. As I walked around the nursery yard this week (June 4-10, 2023), I was proud of the diversity of our offerings. This is not meant to be a comprehensive list but it will give you an idea of the type of plants we carry. If you are traveling from a distance and want something in particular, please call ahead as plants come and go VERY quickly in June!
Straight species
Actaea pachypoda- doll's eyes
Adiantum pedatum- maidenhair fern
Aesculus parviflora is a large, native shrub with large flowers in the summer that attract butterflies galore
Aesculus parviflora-bottlebrush buckeye
Allium cernum-nodding onion
Amelanchier canadensis- shadbush
Aralia racemosa- American spikenard
Asarum canadense- American ginger
Asclepias incarnata-swamp milkweed
Aslepias purpurescens-purple milkweed
Asclepias syriaca-common milkweed
Asclepias tuberosa-butterfly weed
Asclepias verticillata- narrowleaf milkweed
Aster linarifolius-stiff leafed aster
Aster novae-angliae- New England aster
Aster umbellatus-flat top aster
Baptisia sphaearocarpa- yellow dwarf false indigo
Boltonia asteroides- Bolton's aster
Carex pennsylvanica- Pennsylvania sedge
Callirhoe involucrata-poppy mallow
Comptonia peregrina- sweet fern
Dalea purpurea-purple prairie clover
Echinacea purpurea- Eastern purple coneflower
Geum triflorus-prairie smoke
Gilenia trifoliata-Bowman's root
Helianthus divaricatus- woodland sunflower
Hamamelis virginiana- autumn witch hazel
Helianthus tuberosus- Jerusalem artichoke
Ilex opaca- American holly
Iris versicolor- blue flag iris
Iris versicolor is our native blue flag iris
Liatris aspera-rough blazing star
Liatris scariosa var. novae-angliae--New England blazing star
Liatris spicata-dense blazing star
Lindera benzoin- spicebush
Lobelia cardinalis- cardinal flower
Meehania cordata is creeping woodland mint, a great native groundcover
Meehania cordata-creeping woodland mint
Monarda bradburiana-Eastern bee balm
Monarda fistulosa- bergamot, bee balm
Packera aureus- golden groundsel
Parthenium integrifolium- wild quinine
Penstemon calycosus- calico beardtongue
Penstemon hirsutus-Northeasterrn beardtongue
Polemonium reptans-Jacob's ladder
Pycnanthemum flexulosum- Appalachian mountain mint
Pycnanthemum muticum-smooth mountain mint
Pycnanthemum tenuifolium-narrow leaf mountain mint
Quercus alba-white oak
Quercus palustris-pin oak
Rhododendron arborescens- sweet azalea
Rhododenron calendulaceum- flame azalea
Rhododenron viscosum-swamp azalea
Schizachyrium scoparium-little bluestem grass
Solidago bicolor-silverrod
Solidago speciosa-showy goldenrod
Vaccinium angustifolium- lowbush blueberry
Vernonia noveborincensis- New York ironweed
Viburnum lentago- nannyberry
Viola labradorica-Labrador violet
Zizia aptera-Golden Alexanders
Our favorite native cultivars
Agastache foeniculum 'Blue Fortune'- anise hyssop
Arctostophyllos uva ursi 'Massachusetts'- bearberry
Aronia melanocarpa 'Ground Hug' - creeping black chokeberry
Aster ericoides 'Snow Flurry'- ground cover heath aster
Aster oblongifolius 'October Skies'- aromatic aster
Chamaecyparis thyoides 'Top Point'- dwarf Atlantic white cedar
Chelone obliqua 'Tiny Tortuga' is a dwarf turtlehead that blooms in the fall
Chelone obliqua 'Tiny Tortuga'- dwarf pink turtlehead
Chelone glabra 'Black Ace'- white coneflower (burgundy new growth)
Clethra alnifolia 'Ruby Spice'- pink summersweet
Cornus stolonifera 'Arctic Fire Red'- dwarf red twig dogwood
Echinacea purpurea 'Rubinstern'- Ruby star coneflower
Eupatorium dubium 'Little Joe'- dwarf Joe Pye weed
Heuchera villosa 'Autumn Bride'-alum root
Hydrangea quercifolia 'Munchkin'- dwarf oakleaf hydrangea
Hypericum kalmianum 'Gemo'- shrubby St. Johnswort
Ilex glabra 'Gem Box'- dwarf inkberry
Itea virginica 'Love Child'- dwarf Virginia sweetspire
Leucothoe axillaris 'Squirt'- dwarf hobblebush
Lysimachia lanceolata 'Burgundy Mist'
Monarda didyma 'Jacob Kline'- red bee balm
Myrica gale 'Lowboy'-sweetgale
Phlox paniculata 'Jeana'- summer phlox
Phlox stolonifera 'Sherwood Purple'- woodland groundcover phlox
Rhus aromatica 'Gro-Low'-fragrant sumac
Rudbeckia 'American Goldrush'- black eyed Susan
Tiarella cordifolia 'Running Tapestry'- foamflower
Vaccinium macrocarpon ''Pilgrim'- cranberry