If your yard isn’t exactly channeling the beauty of the Green Mountain State, the solution is simple: go native. There are many Vermont native plants for landscaping that attract pollinators and thrive with minimal care, like buttonbush, goldenrod, or wild blue phlox.
These species are adapted to our cold winters and crazy weather, which means they require far less water and care than non-native plants – even when mud season hits. Below you’ll find some of the best native Vermont plants for your landscape, whether you want a butterfly garden, a shady retreat, or a splash of color.
Vermont native trees
Black cherry (Prunus serotina)
If you have an open spot where you’d like to throw some shade, black cherry is an excellent option. This native tree offers beautiful white blossoms in spring, followed by tasty cherries that attract birds like the woodpecker.
Careful, though: It can get quite large and messy, and the fallen cherries leave stains behind. Plant it away from patios, decks, and driveways to avoid cleanup headaches.
- Plant type: Deciduous tree
- Native range: Statewide
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9
- Growing conditions: Full sun to partial shade; prefers well-drained, moist, rich soils but can tolerate sandy and clay soils
- Bloom time: Late spring
- Fragrance: Mildly fragrant flowers
- Fruit: Dark purple, sweet, edible cherries
- Mature height: 50 to 80 feet
- Water needs: Medium
- Maintenance: Low; minimal pruning required
Red maple (Acer rubrum)
Red maple is a common sight throughout Vermont, excluding the higher elevations of the Northeast Kingdom. In the fall, its leaves turn a bright red that lights up your yard like a sunset over Lake Champlain. It can grow up to 60 feet tall, so it’s great for providing shade or as a striking focal point.
- Plant type: Deciduous tree
- Native range: Most of Vermont, except for Washington and Caledonia counties
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9
- Growing conditions: Full sun to partial shade; prefers moist, slightly acidic soils
- Bloom time: Early spring
- Fragrance: Mild
- Fruit: Red samaras (winged seeds)
- Mature height: 40 to 60 feet
- Water needs: Medium to high
- Maintenance: Low
American black elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis)
If you’re looking for a hardy, low-maintenance small tree that adds beauty and wildlife to your yard, consider the American black elderberry. It blooms fragrant white flowers in early to mid-summer, attracting all sorts of pollinators, including some native Vermont species like the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail.
These blossoms later give way to deep purple berries that are edible when cooked. The raw leaves, stems, and unripe berries are poisonous, so be careful.
- Plant type: Small tree or shrub
- Native range: Throughout Vermont, except for the Champlain Valley region (Washington, Addison, Orange, Franklin, and Caledonia counties)
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9
- Growing conditions: Full sun to partial shade; tolerates both wet and dry conditions but does best in rich, moist soils
- Bloom time: June through July
- Fragrance: Sweet scent
- Fruit: Dark purple drupes
- Mature height: 5 to 12 feet
- Water needs: Medium to high
- Maintenance: Moderate
Northern red oak (Quercus rubra)
While native to much of Vermont, the northern red oak thrives in the warmer southern regions of the state, where it can often be spotted towering over other trees in mixed hardwood forests. It offers plenty of shade and serves as a fantastic habitat for local wildlife. Plus, its acorns are a favorite snack for squirrels and deer.
- Plant type: Deciduous tree
- Native range: Most of Vermont, except Franklin, Essex, Washington, and Caledonia counties
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9
- Growing conditions: Prefers full sun but can tolerate partial shade; well-drained, acidic, sandy to loamy soils
- Bloom time: March to May
- Fragrance: Not particularly fragrant
- Fruit: Acorns
- Mature height: 50 to 75 feet
- Water needs: Medium
- Maintenance: Low, but watch for pests like oak wilty
Vermont native shrubs
Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago)
Nannyberry is a versatile shrub that shines as a single eye-catching plant or a dense hedge for privacy. Its thick, arching branches are a favorite spot for birds and little animals to hide. In spring, it blooms with beautiful white flowers that give way to clusters of blue-black berries in autumn. If you want to encourage a fuller shape, prune it in early spring before new growth starts.
- Plant type: Deciduous shrub
- Native range: Throughout Vermont, except Orleans and Windham counties
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-8
- Growing conditions: Full sun to partial shade; wet, well-drained, clay, loam, and sandy soils
- Bloom time: May to June
- Fragrance: Non-fragrant
- Fruit: Blue-black drupes
- Mature height: 10 to 18 feet
- Water needs: Medium
- Maintenance: Low
Buttonbush is perfect for planting near ponds, streams, or rain gardens since it loves wet soil and can even grow in standing water. That’s why it does best in cities with high annual rainfall, like Burlington, Montpelier, or Brattleboro. However, if you live in drier areas, like Rutland or Bennington, you can still grow buttonbush successfully — just make sure to water it regularly, about once a week during dry spells.
It has a spreading, irregular shape that makes it look a bit like a small tree. In mid-summer, you’ll see its white flowers blooming in round clusters that resemble little pincushions. These flowers attract many pollinators, including bumblebees and butterflies like titan phinx. Once they’re pollinated, they turn into reddish-brown nutlets that provide food for a wide range of birds, including wood ducks and shorebirds.
- Plant type: Deciduous shrub
- Native range: Warmer southern regions of Vermont, including parts of the Champlain Valley and areas south of the Green Mountains
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-9
- Growing conditions: Full sun to partial shade; thrives in medium to wet soils, including clay and loam
- Bloom time: June to September
- Fragrance: Sweet floral scent
- Fruit: Nutlets
- Mature height: 5 to 12 feet
- Water needs: High
- Maintenance: Low
Common winterberry (Ilex verticillata)
Want to brighten up your winter landscape? Try planting winterberry near your front porch or along a garden path. This shrub grows thick and has shiny green leaves in summer, so some might mistake it for holly. However, unlike holly, winterberry loses its leaves in the fall, allowing its bright red berries to take center stage during the winter months.
These berries stick around long after the leaves drop in fall, even during mud season when other plants are struggling. Plus, they’re a great food source for birds like the American Robins and the Eastern Bluebird.
- Plant type: Deciduous shrub
- Native range: Statewide, except for Orange, Washington, Lamoille, and Caledonia regions
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9
- Growing conditions: Full sun to partial shade; thrives in moist, acidic soils
- Bloom time: April to June
- Fragrance: Non-fragrant
- Fruit: Bright red drupes
- Mature height: 6 to 10 feet
- Water needs: High
- Maintenance: Low
Silky dogwood (Cornus amomum)
With its lovely clusters of creamy white flowers in spring and striking blue berries in late summer, silky dogwood is a beautiful addition to any sunny spot in your yard. It’s pretty low-maintenance, requiring minimal pruning and watering once established. To keep silky dogwood’s roots cool during Vermont’s hot summers, spread a 2-4 inch layer of mulch around the base.
- Plant type: Deciduous shrub
- Native range: Most of Vermont but not to Washington, Lamoille, Essex, and Orleans counties
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-8
- Growing conditions: Full sun, but tolerates partial shade; prefers well-drained, moist soils
- Bloom time: May to June
- Fragrance: Non-fragrant
- Fruit: Blue drupes
- Mature height: 6 to 12 feet
- Water needs: High
- Maintenance: Low
Vermont native flowers
Joe pye weed (Eutrochium purpureum)
Joe-Pye weed is a summertime staple in our Green Mountain State gardens — from the Champlain Valley to the Northeast Kingdom. This wildflower features beautiful pink-purple flowers that bloom in large clusters from mid- to late summer.
It can grow up to 7 feet tall, so it’s best suited for the back of flower beds or grouped with other taller plants. However, it spreads quickly through its underground roots and by self-seeding, so it’s not a good option for small yards or tight landscapes.
- Plant type: Perennial wildflower
- Native range: Throughout Vermont, but not to Windham, Washington, Lamoille, Franklin, Orleans, and Essex
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9
- Growing conditions: Prefers full sun to partial shade and consistently moist, well-drained soils
- Bloom time: July to September
- Fragrance: Slight vanilla scent
- Mature height: 4 to 7 feet
- Water needs: Medium to high
- Maintenance: Low
Aster (Symphyotrichum spp.)
Asters bloom purple, pink, blue, or white star-shaped flowers late in the season, providing a much-needed splash of color as summer fades into fall. They can be used in borders, meadows, or even as part of a pollinator garden, and they pair beautifully with other fall bloomers like goldenrod.
- Plant type: Perennial wildflower
- Native range: Statewide
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-8
- Growing conditions: Full sun to partial shade; does best in well-drained sandy and loamy soils
- Bloom time: August to October
- Fragrance: Light floral scent
- Mature height: 1 to 6 feet
- Water needs: Medium; prefers regular moisture but can tolerate some drought
- Maintenance: Low
Goldenrod (Solidago spp.)
Goldenrod has bright yellow flower clusters that lights up the fields and meadows all across Vermont, especially during late summer and early fall. Despite its bad reputation, it isn’t the culprit behind seasonal allergies — that’s usually ragweed. In fact, it’s a magnet for many important pollinators, including bumblebees and mining bees.
- Plant type: Perennial wildflower
- Native range: Statewide
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9
- Growing conditions: Full sun; prefers well-drained, rich soils but can tolerate poor soils and dry conditions
- Bloom time: August to October
- Fragrance: Slightly sweet fragrance
- Mature height: 2 to 4 feet
- Water needs: Medium
- Maintenance: Low
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
Use black-eyed Susans in cottage gardens or as part of a naturalized planting. These daisy-like flowers work beautifully in mixed borders or wildflower gardens, where their bright yellow petals can complement other Vermont native plants like asters and goldenrods. Plus, they attract lots of pollinators, including honey bees, bumblebees, monarch butterflies, and various flies.
If you have pets, remember that while black-eyed Susan isn’t poisonous, it can cause skin irritation and stomach aches.
- Plant type: Perennial wildflower
- Native range: All of Vermont, except Caledonia county
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9
- Growing conditions: Full sun to partial shade; does well in clay, loamy, and sandy soils
- Bloom time: June to September
- Fragrance: Light scent
- Mature height: 2 to 3 feet
- Water needs: Medium; drought-tolerant once established
- Maintenance: Low; minimal pruning needed, but deadheading can encourage longer blooming
Vermont native groundcovers
Virginia strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)
If you want a low-growing native groundcover that also produces delicious fruit, Virginia strawberry is your best bet. This plant produces white flowers in spring, followed by sweet, small strawberries in early to mid-summer. It spreads easily through runners, which are stems that grow along the ground and root at the nodes to form new plants. This allows Virginia strawberry to quickly fill in bare patches or help prevent soil erosion on slopes.
- Plant type: Perennial herb
- Native range: Statewide
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-9
- Growing conditions: Full sun to partial shade; does well in most soil types.
- Bloom time: April to June
- Fragrance: Lightly fragrant
- Fruit: Small strawberries
- Mature height: 4 to 7 inches
- Water needs: Medium
- Maintenance: Low, but it can spread aggressively, so keep an eye on it
Common blue violet (Viola sororia)
Blue violets form dense mats of heart-shaped leaves topped with purple flowers in spring. Like wild blue phox, they’re perfect for adding a pop of color to shady areas in your yard where grass struggles to grow. Avoid planting them too close to your lawn, as they can spread aggressively and become invasive.
- Plant type: Perennial herb
- Native range: Statewide
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-8
- Growing conditions: Partial to full shade; prefers rich, moist soils but can tolerate dry conditions
- Bloom time: April to June
- Fragrance: Mild floral scent
- Mature height: 6 to 10 inches
- Water needs: Medium
- Maintenance: Low
Canadian anemone (Anemone canadensis)
Let Canadian anemone spread naturally in meadows or along your property edges to attract native bees (e.g., carpenter and sweat bees) with its in spring and early summer. Just keep in mind that it can be aggressive in rich soil, so give it plenty of space or use edging to keep it contained.
- Plant type: Perennial forb
- Native range: Most of western and southern Vermont, and Essex County
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-8
- Growing conditions: Full sun to partial shade; thrives in moist sandy, clay, and loamy soils
- Bloom time: May to July
- Fragrance: Non-fragrant
- Fruit: Achenes (seed-like fruits)
- Mature height: 12 to 24 inches
- Water needs: Medium to high
- Maintenance: Low
Vermont native grasses
Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)
Big bluestem is a tough warm-season grass that thrives mostly in the southern and western parts of Vermont, especially in areas like the Connecticut River Valley. It can grow between 4 to 6 feet tall, with blue-green stems that change to shades of maroon and copper in the fall. It tolerates heavy foot traffic and can resist damage thanks to its self-repair ability.
- Lifecycle: Perennial
- Grass type: Warm-season
- Native range: Essex area and south and west Vermont, except for Rutland and Franklin regions
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-9
- Growing conditions: Full sun; prefers well-drained, acidic to alkaline soils
- Bloom time: August to November
- Mature height: 4 to 8 feet
- Water needs: Low to medium; drought-tolerant once established
- Maintenance: Low
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)
Switchgrass provides cover and nesting sites for small birds, while its seeds are a food source for deer and rabbits. It’s a drought-tolerant grass that can withstand dry spells by developing deep roots to access moisture in the soil.
- Lifecycle: Perennial
- Grass type: Warm-season
- Native range: Windsor, Addison, and Windham counties
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9
- Growing conditions: Full sun, but can tolerate partial shade; resistant to both wet and dry soils
- Bloom time: August to October
- Mature height: 3 to 6 feet
- Water needs: Medium
- Maintenance: Low
Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans)
Given its extensive root system, you can use Indiangrass to reseed bare patches on slopes and stabilize the soil. It also pairs well with other native warm-season prairie grasses like big bluestem. While generally disease and pest-resistant, monitor for potential issues like rust or stem borers, especially in dense plantings.
- Lifecycle: Perennial
- Grass type: Warm-season
- Native range: Bennington, Windham, Windsor, and Chittenden counties.
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-9
- Growing conditions: Full sun; needs well-drained soils
- Bloom time: August to October
- Mature height: 3 to 5 feet
- Water needs: Low to medium
- Maintenance: Low
Fox sedge (Carex vulpinoidea)
Fox sedge is particularly well-suited for regions with cold winters and seasonal flooding, like the Winooski River Watershed or the Mad River Valley. It needs consistently moist soil and has a low tolerance to drought. Keep an eye out for potential pests like aphids or diseases such as leaf spot.
- Lifecycle: Perennial
- Grass type: Cool-season
- Native range: Statewide
- USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-8
- Growing conditions: Full sun to partial shade; grows best in moist to wet soils
- Bloom time: June to August
- Mature height: 2 to 3 feet
- Water needs: High
- Maintenance: Low
FAQ about Vermont native plants
What are Vermont’s native pollinator plants?
Vermont is home to a wide range of native plants that provide vital food and habitat for pollinators like bees, butterflies, moths, and hummingbirds. Some of the best native pollinator plants in Vermont listed above include:
- Black-eyed Susan
- Aster
- Goldenrod
- Joe pye weed
- American black elderberry
- Buttonbush
- Winterberry
- Silky dogwood
- Wild blue phlox
- Virginia strawberry
- Common blue violet
- Canadian anemone
What are the benefits of adding native plants to your Vermont landscape?
According to the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation, incorporating native plants into your landscape helps maintain biodiversity, control erosion, filter pollutants, and reduce stormwater runoff. But that’s not all — read our article on “Reasons You Should Grow Native Plants” for a full breakdown.
What are the growing zones in Vermont?
Vermont falls mostly within USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 6, with some areas in the northwest corner reaching Zone 4b. You can find a more detailed map in our article “Growing Zones of Vermont.”
What is the best grass seed for Vermont lawns?
The best grass seed for Vermont lawns is typically a mix of cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass and fine fescue. However, other varieties like perennial ryegrass or colonial bentgrass might be a better fit for your yard, depending on your local climate and your yard’s conditions.
For more information on the best grass seed options and when to plant, check out “The Best Grass Seed for Vermont Lawn” and “When to Plant Grass Seed in Vermont.”
When to call a professional
Landscaping your yard with native plants is a great way to support Vermont’s wildlife and create a beautiful, low-maintenance space. But if you’re not sure where to start or you’re worried about maintaining your new plants, reach out to a local pro. Through Lawn Love, you can connect with expert gardeners who can help you choose the right plants for your landscape, properly install them, and provide ongoing care.
More Lawn Care and Landscaping Resources for Vermont
- What is a Native Plant?
- How to Design a Native Plant Garden
- Native Cultivar vs. Straight Species Native Plants
Main Photo Credit: Craig Zerbe | Adobe Stock Free | License
