Maryland Native Plants for Home Landscapes

Maryland’s vast array of beautiful native plants includes pollinator flowers like foxglove beardtongue, trees like flowering dogwood and shrubs like hillside blueberry.

In addition, native ground covers like golden star not only look beautiful but can serve as a low-maintenance substitute for grass. Finally, to give your yard an edge, consider adding a native ornamental grass like blue sedge.

The benefit of using plants native to Maryland is that they grow in the area naturally, so they’re usually low-maintenance and preserve biodiversity. Here are examples of Maryland’s natives.

Maryland native pollinator plants

Sadly, pollinator populations are declining worldwide. The top two reasons for the decline are habitat loss and pesticide poisoning. Creating a pollinator-friendly garden will attract these important members of our ecosystem and help them to survive.

Here’s a mix of five native pollinator plants; three flowers and two trees. However, take note that some of the plants in the other categories below are also pollinators. For example, the shrubs rosemallow, huckleberry, mapleleaf viburnum, and inkberry holly, and the ground covers moss phlox and wild ginger.

Foxglove beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis)

Duration: Perennial

Height: Typically 3 feet in full bloom; on rare occasion, they may grow taller

Blooms: Bell-shaped white to pale pink blossoms

Sun: Full sun to light shade

Soil: Fertile, well-drained soils; tolerates all soil textures; excels in compact urban soils; prefers acid soils

Hazards: Not known

This plant produces a striking display of bell-shaped white flowers from late May through June. The blossoms contain purple stripes that guide bees to the flowers’ nectar. The hairy “tongues” of the flowers make it easier for the bees to pollinate them. Hummingbirds also visit the foxglove beardtongue sometimes. 

In the fall, the flowers develop strikingly red capsules. In the winter, the basal foliage is semi-evergreen. These then turn a dry brown in the fall. Their seed pods look great in the garden in the winter, but if you don’t want your foxglove beardtongue to self-sow, remove them. However, the plant is somewhat short-lived and needs seeding every so often.

The plant is perfect for rain gardens and works well with other rain garden plants we’ll learn about below.

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)

Duration: Perennial, biennial, and annual

Height: 1 to 3 feet

Blooms: Orange-yellow with black eye

Sun preference: State-wide black-eyed Susans do best in full sun to partial sun; Western Maryland Susans are more tolerant of shade

Soil preference: Moist to dry, well-drained soils; tolerates a range of conditions

Hazards: Toxic to cats; may be harmful to dogs, other animals, and humans

The bright black-eyed Susan boasts orange-yellow flowers from June through October. Some Susans are perennial, while others are biennial, and even others are annual. This low-maintenance beauty not only adapts to various environments but also resists most pests and diseases.

If you wish, you can usually put this versatile beauty in a pot or container but also grows in meadows, roadsides, and gardens, where it can self-sow. The Western Maryland Susan is likely to thrive in perennial borders, even with some shade. Once established, the plant is quite drought-tolerant. Despite the beauty of this flower, it’s unfortunate that little is actually known about it.

Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis)

Duration: Perennial

Height: 2 to 4 feet

Blooms: Intense red

Sun preference: Shade or partial shade; full sun with consistently wet soil

Soil preference: Moist to wet, rich soil of any texture

Hazards: Toxic to people and animals such as dogs, cats, and horses

This stunning, bright red flower blooms from July to September. After flowering, the original rosette dies, but more flowers usually spring from it for several years. Over the winter, cardinal flowers survive as an evergreen rosette with basal foliage; leaves grow from their stem. 

Deadhead the plant to tidy it up, encourage rebloom, and prevent reseeding. Pinch it back to train it more compact and bushier. Cut the plant back after flowering, and divide the plants every two to three years.

Cardinal flower is a great pollinator, especially for large bees, swallowtail butterflies, and hummingbirds. It’s also deer- and rabbit-resistant. Just beware of the plant’s toxicity.

Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida)

Duration: Perennial

Height: 20 to 30 feet

Flowers: Four petal-like bracts, emerging reddish or greenish and growing into white or pink blossoms

Sun preference: Part sun to shade; ideally a mix of sun with some afternoon shade

Soil preference: Moist and well-drained; acidic; fertile

Hazards: Toxic to people and pets if consumed in large quantities

Flowering dogwood is beautiful year-round. From its spring flowers to its summer berries and red to purplish fall colors, it is a charming statement piece. In the fall, the tree has stunning red foliage that looks great in shrub borders and gardens alike. Flowering dogwood doesn’t need pruning; just remove the shoots as needed. The tree is, however, susceptible to certain diseases and pests.

Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis)

Duration: Perennial

Height: 20 to 35 feet

Blooms: Light pink to lavender; rarely white

Sun preference: Full sun to partial shade

Soil preference: Loam-sand-clay, high organic matter; pH 4.5 to 7.5; not wet, poorly aerated, or coarsely sandy soils

Hazards: Reported to contain a toxic saponin; level of toxicity and absorption is not known

The eastern redbud tree will adorn your garden with showy, light pink to lavender flowers that bloom from April to May. It has several maroon to purple trunks and a wide crown. It also grows lovely, heart-shaped leaves. This brilliant tree naturally appears in forest edges, woodlands, and stream banks in all regions of Maryland except a few counties nearest the Atlantic coastline. While it normally lives 20 to 30 years, plant it young, and leave it undisturbed; it doesn’t transplant well.

Maryland native shrubs

Maryland offers a variety of native shrubs, some of which bear edible (and others inedible) berries. Not only are they loved by humans, but also local wildlife. Here’s an example of three local shrubs.

Rosemallow (Hibiscus moscheutos)

Duration: Perennial

Height: 4 to 7 feet

Blooms: White or pink with a dark red middle

Sun preference: Full sun to part sun; tolerates light shade

Soil preference: Wet to moist, coarse or loamy soils with organic matter; slightly acidic

Hazards: Not known

The beautiful Rosemallow shrub blooms with white or pink flowers from July to September. It blooms much longer than most hibiscus plants. If it becomes too large or if you want new plants, you can divide rosemallows into clumps.

The plant is a perfect addition to streams and ponds, in bog gardens, and in rain gardens. You should plant it before the heat of the summer and mulch it heavily for the first winter. Shield it from the wind to protect it from wind burn. In the winter, rosemallow is lovely for dried arrangements. You can trim back the old stems in the spring. To maintain a neat appearance, deadhead spent flowers. 

Black huckleberry (Gaylussacia baccata)

Duration: Perennial

Height: 1.5 to 3 feet

Blooms: Clusters of delicate, red to pink flowers with flared tips

Sun preferences: Sun to partial shade

Soil preferences: Often found in acidic, sandy or rocky soils; drought-tolerant once established

Hazards: Not known

The black huckleberry shrub grows sweet berries around July or later. They’re edible for humans as well as local birds. It also blossoms with dainty, red-to-pink flowers from April to May. These flowers support various kinds of bees, as well as butterflies and syrphid flies. Its leaves turn orange and crimson in the fall.

The shrub’s shallow, spreading root system helps stabilize sandy or rocky slopes. It can also form thickets.

Hillside blueberry (Vaccinium pallidum)

Duration: Perennial

Height: 1.5 to 2 feet

Blooms: White to pink

Sun preferences: Full sun to shade

Soil preferences: Well-drained and acidic with any texture; mesic to dry

Hazards: Not known

We all know and love blueberries, so why not add a blueberry shrub to your yard? They need shade, though, or they’ll stop bearing fruit. Aside from bearing fruit, you can also expect hillside blueberry to show off with brilliant red fall foliage.

Outside of you and your household, wildlife like orioles and box turtles will also love the berries. Furthermore, lowbush blueberry hosts various butterfly species and certain wasps.

Mapleleaf viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium)

Duration: Perennial

Height: 3 to 6 feet

Blooms: Flat-topped clusters of white flowers from white or pink buds

Sun preferences: Part sun to shade

Soil preferences: Moist to dry; unbothered by rocky soils; acidic (pH below 6.0)

Hazards: Not known; most varieties of viburnum are believed to be non-toxic; however, they’re not suitable for humans to eat

This beautiful shrub grows clusters of lovely white flowers from white and pink buds, which attract pollinators like butterflies. In addition, the plant is a host plant for the spring azure butterfly, and its berries are valuable food to birds like the American Robin, Cedar Waxwing, and several others. However, unlike some other Maryland berries, these aren’t suitable for humans to eat. Leave them to your local wildlife, like Maryland’s birds. It’s also a host for the larvae of the spring azure butterfly, and it provides escape cover for birds and small mammals.

In the fall, the plant turns a beautiful fall color that may be anything from pinkish-red to rosy-pink, smoky burgundy, purplish, golden yellow, or bronzy orange. A beauty throughout all the season. Prune it as needed. Otherwise, this plant is low-maintenance and doesn’t usually suffer from pests or diseases.

Inkberry holly (Ilex glabra)

Duration: Perennial

Height: 5 to 8 feet

Flowers: Small, white, and discreet

Sun preferences: Full sun to full shade

Soil preferences: All soil types; pH 4.5 to 6; dry to periodically wet; well-drained, acidic soils

Hazards: Toxic to people and pets

Inkberry holly grows in Coastland Plain’s sandy woodlands, on the edges of swamps and bogs, and on sandy dunes. It has glossy, leathery foliage that’s dark to light green in the summer and fall. This adaptable plant tolerates periodic flooding, droughts, salt exposure, and various soil textures, including clay. It, however, often dies in neutral to alkaline soils.

Inkberry holly looks great in mixed shrub borders, hedges, foundation plantings, bog gardens, rain gardens, and along streams and ponds. The plant is low-maintenance in that it’s usually pest-, disease-, deer-, and rabbit-resistant. Prune it in the spring before new growth.

Maryland native ground covers

You can use ground cover instead of grass where there’s little foot traffic. Not only will that save you time and money on maintenance, but it can also achieve a unique look. Some of them are also great pollinators. Let’s see these examples of ground covers that can adorn your Maryland yard.

Golden star (Chrysogonum virginianum)

Duration: Perennial

Height: Usually 6 to 12 inches; can grow as tall as 18 inches

Blooms: Golden yellow, daisy-like flowers which resemble stars

Sun preferences: Part sun to shade

Soil preferences: Dry to moist but well-drained; acidic; chalk, clay, loam, or sand

Hazards: Toxic to humans and pets

Golden star, also called green and gold, blooms with dainty but showy yellow flowers through the summer. It’s not to be confused with the magnolia gold star. The golden star ground cover often occurs in rocky, open woodlands, such as Prince George’s and Allegany Counties, and below Cumberland. It not only makes a perfect addition to your garden, but like other ground covers, it can replace grass where there isn’t much foot traffic. It’s also ideal for gardens and naturalized areas.

This perennial grows best in light shade with well-drained soil. It’s adaptable and tolerates stressors like heat, cold, flood, and drought. In mild winters, the plant can be semi-evergreen. It actually thrives without much care, so make sure not to overfertilize it.

Moss phlox (Phlox subulata)

Duration: Perennial

Height: 6 inches

Blooms: Rose, pink, or (rarely) white flowers

Sun preference: Full sun

Soil preference: any soil type; dry; pH 5.7 to 7.5; spreads quickly even in the poorest soils

Hazards: Not known

Moss phlox, also called moss-pink or creeping phlox, naturally grows on rocky crevices, slopes, sandy sites, and open clearings. This evergreen to semi-evergreen ground cover is not only used to replace grass but also blooms with various shades of pink, rose, or (rarely) white flowers in April through May. They form a dense, bright carpet.

Some cultivars offer additional colors such as magenta, lavender blue, and pink with white stripes. It makes a beautiful edging plant or a retaining wall and can accompany a rock garden or a border front. For the plant to bloom a second time, try to shear it back after flowering.

Additionally, the plant is also a pollinator; it provides nectar for bees, skippers, and butterflies. It’s not typically prone to damage by deer or rabbits and is drought-tolerant once established.

Sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis)

Duration: Perennial

Height: 2 feet
Blooms: None, but grows beautiful, large fronds
Sun preferences: Full shade to full sun with ample moisture
Soil preferences: Adaptable but prefers moist soil; pH neutral to slightly acid
Hazards: Toxic to some animals; avoid consumption

Sensitive fern provides a lush, light green ground cover with its large, fertile fronds that bloom from summer to winter. So, although the foliage fronds disappear with the first frost (hence the plant’s name), the plant remains beautiful. You can also cut the fronds and use them for dried flower arrangements.

Sensitive fern thrives in cool, moist, shaded sites the most. It’s perfect for rain gardens and pond areas, as it thrives in wet environments and isn’t drought-tolerant. It’s a suitable companion to some other moisture-loving plants. However, be careful about planting the fern with less invasive plants because it may overtake it. If you do, make sure you have a plan for protection.

On a bright note, the plant needs little maintenance because the ferns will overtake many weeds. It doesn’t usually struggle with pests or diseases and is rabbit-resistant. Aside from its interesting foliage and low maintenance, it also has the benefit of attracting birds.

Lady fern (Athyrium asplenioides)

Duration: Perennial
Height: 1 to 3 feet
Blooms: Small, fertile pinnules occur at the tips of the fronds
Sun preferences: Prefers full to partial shade; somewhat tolerant of sunlight if soil moisture remains high
Soil preferences: Rich, moist soil
Hazards: Toxic

Lady fern provides beautiful light green foliage, which can contrast with a shady garden. It bears small, fertile pinnules at the end of spring. This beauty grows naturally in moist woods, swamps, and thickets in Maryland.

Lady fern is easy to grow, and in optimal conditions, it may even become aggressive. Its fronds begin emerging in the spring and continue growing less intensely in the summer and in the fall. You can use it as a house plant or to beautify your garden. Some wildlife creatures may use the plant for cover, and insects may eat it. The plant is typically deer- and rabbit-resistant.

Wild ginger (Asarum canadense)

Duration: Perennial
Height: Foliage 4 to 8 inches high; up to 12 inches under ideal conditions
Blooms: Brown to deep maroon flowers with three petals

Sun preferences:  Heavy shade

Soil preferences: prefers woodland conditions of slightly acidic, moist but well-drained soils

Hazards: Contains poisonous compounds

Wild ginger provides a dense ground cover with flask-shaped, brown to deep maroon flowers, which grow hidden under the foliage in late spring. It has large, velvety, heart-shaped leaves. It’s a great ground cover for shady areas.

The plant loves shade and moist, well-drained soils. It’s low-maintenance, but it may wither in late summer if you don’t keep its soil moist. Its seeds ripen four to six weeks after the first flowers. They appear in the lower portion. If you store the seeds, germination will be reduced.

The plant benefits from leaf mulch in the spring and in the fall. You can divide the clumps in the spring or early autumn. Wild ginger is usually disease- and pest-free but may suffer from slugs and snails.

Maryland native grasses

Native grasses pair well with other plants and provide an ornamental touch to any Maryland garden. Some provide a pop of color, while others add texture. Check out five of them below.

Blue sedge (Carex glaucodea)

Duration: Perennial
Height: Up to 6 inches
Blooms: Discreet yellow blooms
Sun preferences: Full shade to full sun, only in full sun where moisture is adequate.
Soil preferences: Grows in moderately moist to wet soils with any texture
Hazards: Not known except that ingestion may cause digestive upset

The evergreen blue sedge is a perfect adornment for your Maryland yard, especially in winter when it adds a pop of color. You can use it around stepping stones or in a rain garden. It’s also great for garden borders. If you like to keep your yard looking tidy, you may want to trim it at the end of winter. You can also divide the clumps in the spring or in the early fall.  Otherwise, this plant is low-maintenance.

The blue sedge is an important host for butterflies. Its seeds are a great source of food for birds. So, not only does it look great, but it’s also beneficial to local wildlife. It blooms with discreet, yellow flowers in the spring until the summer.

Wool rush (Scirpus cyperinus)

Duration: Perennial

Height: Foliage 2.5 to 3 feet; flowering stems to 5 feet

Blooms: Initially white-green in the summer, cinnamon-brown mass once seeds ripen

Sun preferences: Full sun to light shade

Soil preferences: Moist to wet soils of any texture; acidic to neutral; shallow water

Toxicity: Not known

Wool rush provides an appealing and unusual contrast next to other plants. They love moisture and naturally grow in wet meadows and swamps, so they’re perfect for rain gardens, ponds, shallow water, and other wet areas. You can also combine them with other moisture-loving plants like black-eyed Susans or cardinal flowers. 

The plant is beautiful year-round, even in the winter. 

Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)

Duration: Perennial

Height: 1.5 to 3 feet

Blooms: Silky seeds which emerge in fall

Sun preference: Full sun

Soil preference: Dry, poor soil of any texture

Hazards: Not known

This clumping ornamental grass looks great paired with hard structures and large plantings. In the fall, silvery seeds emerge from the grass, and it turns a beautiful brown.

Little bluestem is easy to grow. It’s best planted in big groups. If you like, you can trim it back in late spring. Be cautious because this plant reseeds easily. It’s not the best choice for small gardens. Although it tolerates various soils, it doesn’t grow in wetlands or sub-irrigated sites. However, it’s drought-tolerant and great for xeriscaping.

Songbirds and bobwhite quail feast on the seeds of the little bluestem. During the winter, the grass can provide a small shelter for birds like song sparrows and white-throated sparrows when a storm hits. The grass is also a host for skippers and other insects.  The plant is highly deer-resistant.

Yellow Indianagrass (Sorghasturum nutans)

Duration: Perennial

Height: 4 to 8 feet

Blooms: Attractive, discreet, bright-yellow flowers

Sun preferences: Full sun

Soil preferences: Moist to dry soils, acid to alkaline, even slightly saline; all soil textures

Warm-season grass that forms clumps and grows seedheads, making it an ornamental statement piece even in the fall and winter.

The grass is unique among most grasses because, in the summer, it grows yellow flowers. If you want to use it as ornamental grass, cut off the previous season’s grass before planting new foliage in late spring. Like little bluestem, yellow Indianagrass is also best planted en masse or in a wildflower meadow.

Ground-nesting birds, such as mourning doves, songbirds, and the bobwhite quail, love this grass. Furthermore, the grass is a host for various insects, like the salt and pepper skipper. It’s highly resistant to deer, and it rarely struggles with pests or diseases. It also tolerates drought. 

Furthermore, yellow Indianagrass is low-maintenance, but you should remove dead foliage and old flowering stems in the spring. Propagate the plant by sowing seeds in pots in a cold frame or by division in the spring.

Other Maryland gardening resources

Aside from choosing beautiful natives, there’s more work for you to do on your Maryland lawn and yard. Here are some resources to help:

• The Best Grass Seed for Maryland Lawns 
• Month-to-Month Maryland Lawn Care Schedule
• When to Plant Grass Seed in Maryland
• The Best Lawn Fertilizers for Maryland
• What Maryland’s Fertilizer Law Means for Your Lawn
• Common Weeds in Maryland and How to Get Rid of Them

Hire a pro

There are so many beautiful plants to choose from. Blossoming trees, delicious berry shrubs, low-maintenance ground covers, striking grasses—you name it! However, not all these natives are easy to plant, maintain, or pair with other plants. But don’t worry; Lawn Love’s pros can help turn your outdoor space into an oasis.

Click, call, or download the Lawn Love app to get an instant quote.

Main Image Credit: peganum | Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0