How to choose native plants for your Baltimore yard:<\/p>
Maryland\u2019s largest city is in a humid subtropical zone, which means you get four seasons with long, hot summers and cool winters. This makes it ideal for a large variety of plants but by the time the heat peaks in July, you\u2019re ready for a breeze off the Chesapeake Bay. <\/p>
When researching native plants, look for species suitable for Baltimore\u2019s U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones<\/a> 7b to 8a — where the lowest temperatures can be a frosty 5 to 10 degrees.<\/p> We\u2019ve listed 14 of the best native plants for Baltimore to give you a little inspiration, but there are many others<\/a> that make great garden additions.<\/p> The smooth blue aster<\/a> is a great fall-blooming wildflower. When other plants are calling it quits late summer, the aster is just getting started. Its soft lavender-blue flowers burst into bloom around August and they linger into October. The daisy-like petals add fall color and an air of whimsy and delight to your landscape. <\/p> There are over 180 different varieties<\/a> of asters, so they\u2019re easy to find at local native plant nurseries. They\u2019re simple to grow but on occasion, they can be affected by root rot or blight. Simple fixes, like planting in well-drained soil or careful watering, helps to avoid these diseases.<\/p> Bees and butterflies love the aster, making it a perfect addition to a wildflower or rock garden.<\/p> This shade-friendly perennial gets its name from its wiry, blueish-purple stems. Bright yellow plumes of golden flowers appear in late summer to fall, adding a burst of color that attracts pollinators. This plant doesn\u2019t need a lot of sun or water \u2013 making it the ideal addition to a low-maintenance garden. The goldenrod is beloved by butterflies but deer resistant. <\/p> The cardinal flower<\/a> gets its name from the scarlet red petals that resemble a Roman Catholic cardinal\u2019s robe. Its bright color attracts the typical pollinator crowd \u2013 birds, butterflies, and hummingbirds \u2013 so your garden will provide a front-row seat for viewing the tiny winged visitors.<\/p> Another benefit to the cardinal flower is that it has a long bloom time, with its crimson spiked flowers lasting from July through September. The downside is that you\u2019ll need to reseed them the following year, and it does require more water than many of the other area native plants. <\/p> The cinnamon fern<\/a> gets its name from its rusty Old Bay-colored fronds that grow in the center of the plant and look like little cinnamon sticks. They\u2019re contrasted by larger, green fronds, making this plant an interesting addition to your garden.<\/p> As everyone knows, ferns tend to be the least likely to be killed off by a novice plant owner, and the cinnamon fern is no exception, as long as it\u2019s planted in the right location. It grows well in shade and prefers soggier spots. If you\u2019re making a rain garden or conservation garden, the cinnamon fern would be a great addition.<\/p> The best garden isn\u2019t only attractive to the eyes, it\u2019s also attractive to the nose. That\u2019s where the shaggy petalled bergamot<\/a> comes to the rescue with its fresh minty fragrance. It\u2019s a member of the mint family but the scent also has been compared to everything from oregano to thyme. If you want to sniff some for yourself, grab a leaf, crush it in your hand and inhale. The leaves are commonly used to make teas, and the flowers are often found in dried floral arrangements.<\/p> No wonder bees love it. Also known as wild bee balm, the lavender blooms bring a cheery pop of color to a rain garden<\/a>, butterfly garden, or wildlife garden because they attract pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. <\/p> Blue sedges<\/a> are blue-green grassy plants that are drought tolerant and low maintenance. They\u2019ll add texture to your garden and they\u2019re great for borders, rock gardens, or around ponds and streams. <\/p> They form clumps so they make an excellent ground cover and thrive when planted in groups. Sedges can even be mowed and used as turf but unlike traditional turf grass, they don\u2019t get weedy. <\/p> Like many native plants, sedges attract birds and butterflies so they\u2019ll keep your garden buzzing from May to late summer when flowers are blooming. It\u2019s an attractive evergreen, so it will provide winter interest for your garden.<\/p> As you can probably guess by the name, the butterfly milkweed<\/a> is a favorite of butterflies. The intricate clusters of orange blooms that burst to life in the summer draw butterflies like the monarch in addition to pollinating insects who see it as a happy home.<\/p> Butterfly milkweed blooms last for months, cheering up your garden from May through September. And it\u2019s pretty self-sufficient. The butterfly weed thrives in sunny, dry soil, so it doesn\u2019t need watering. It can be spotted throughout Maryland including the coastal, mountain, and piedmont areas.<\/p> Southern arrowwood<\/a> plants are popular because they\u2019re easy to grow. They\u2019re rugged, adaptable, and resilient. They work great for a garden or hedge, and they\u2019re not picky about soil quality. What\u2019s not to love?<\/p> The arrowwood\u2019s white flat-topped flowers appear in spring, followed by blue berries that are attractive to a variety of birds. They do attract beetles, but they can be kept at bay with a little horticultural oil.<\/p> The orange coneflower<\/a>, also known as a black-eyed Susan<\/a>, is Maryland\u2019s state flower. It looks like it leaped from wallpaper in a 1960s brick ranch house. Its bold yellow-orange petals and black globular cone exude a vintage feel that will brighten even the most overcast day.<\/p> It\u2019s a popular meeting place for butterflies and birds who are attracted to the nectar and seeds when it blooms from July to September.<\/p> It\u2019s also a great plant for erosion control if you\u2019ve got a bank that doesn\u2019t want to stay put. On the flip side, it\u2019s also a super spreader, so you might want to curtail it if it starts growing out of control.<\/p> The turtlehead<\/a> gets its name from the perky white flowers that resemble the head of a turtle. The blooms have soft pale pink tones that peak from late summer to mid-fall. They might be mistaken for snapdragons, a former cousin.<\/p> If you want your garden to be a hotspot for bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies, the turtlehead is a great pick. The Baltimore checkerspot butterfly is a big fan and will enjoy visiting this plant. Turtlehead cuttings can make a pretty arrangement for a vase indoors.<\/p> The turtlehead plant was used for medicinal purposes by early American Indian tribes. The list of ailments it has been said to cure includes jaundice, malaria, fever, and yikes \u2013 worms.<\/p> This popular deciduous tree will brighten your yard with spectacular spring blooms of pink and purple that last for two to three weeks. In the fall, its heart-shaped leaves turn yellow and continue adding continuous color to the landscape.<\/p> A cool feature of this tree is that it isn\u2019t bothered by soil types or pH, making it the perfect tree for an urban garden where pollution is higher.<\/p> 1. Smooth blue aster (symphyotrichum laeve<\/em>)<\/h2>
![\"four](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/rsz_1024px-smooth_blue_aster_symphyotrichum_laeve_washington_island_wisconsin.jpg\")
2. Blue-stemmed goldenrod (solidago caesia<\/em>)<\/h2>
![\"small](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/rsz_pixnio-18980-800x518-1.jpg\")
Blue-stemmed goldenrod<\/a> does like to be planted in groupings, so you\u2019ll need to plant a few at a time. The leaves remain green throughout the season, so it provides year-round interest.<\/p> 3. Cardinal flower (lobelia cardinalis)<\/h2>
![\"bright](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/rsz_3531893936_27d3175fdd_c.jpg\")
4. Cinnamon fern (osmundastrum cinnamomeum<\/em>)<\/h2>
![\"frond](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/rsz_1024px-cinnamon_fern.jpg\")
5. Bergamot (monarda fistulosa<\/em>)<\/h2>
![\"field](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/rsz_4787373980_944080568d_c.jpg\")
6. Blue sedge (carex glaucodea<\/em>)<\/h2>
![\"ornamental](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/rsz_1024px-carex_glaucodea_fruits.jpg\")
7. Butterfly milkweed (asclepias tuberosa<\/em>)<\/h2>
![\"red](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/rsz_43670156015_57ec548c74_c.jpg\")
8. Southern arrowwood (viburnum dentatum<\/em>)<\/h2>
![\"clusters](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/rsz_1024px-viburnum_dentatum_1zz.jpg\")
9. Orange coneflower (rudbeckia fulgida<\/em>)<\/h2>
![\"close-up](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/rsz_orange-coneflower-close-up.jpg\")
10. Turtlehead (chelone glabra<\/em>)<\/h2>
![\"close-up](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/rsz_chelone_glabra_-_white_turtlehead.jpg\")
11. Eastern redbud (cercis canadensis<\/em>)<\/h2>
![\"small](\"https:\/\/lawnlove.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/rsz_cercis_canadensis_-_eastern_redbud_2.jpg\")