The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is an unconventional, variegated fusion of lush farmlands, wild mountains, folk culture, industry hubs, and American history– from the Liberty Bell to Hershey’s bars. An early titan of industry, PA has suffered more environmental injuries than most U.S. states. By the end of the 19th century, its land was deforested, waterways polluted, and wildlife populations were decimated; deer and turkey were nearly gone from the state, elk and beavers had been extirpated, and the passenger pigeon was on the brink of extinction. Fortunately, the 20th century saw significant progress in conservation, restoration, and environmental protection.
Today– from the Appalachian Forests and Allegheny Plateaus to Piedmont– the Keystone State hosts a bountiful diversity of species that includes some 3,000 plants, 2,500 aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates, and over 800 fish and other vertebrates. The tentative revival of biodiversity in Penn’s Woods is in jeopardy, however–sprawling urban centers and crisscrossing roads and pipelines are fragmenting forests, while pollution from cities, farms, and suburban lawns are leaching into the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Dams and culverts are altering natural hydrology, and climate change and invasive species threaten our native flora and fauna.
All throughout the state, people are working hard to preserve and restore the ecosystems that sustain us. Anyone with plantable space in Pennsylvania has a unique opportunity to contribute to these efforts; gardening with native plants filters pollution from the air, mitigates stormwater runoff, reduces chemical fertilizer and pesticide use, and provides critical food and shelter for vulnerable wildlife. Native plants are also easier to grow and cheaper to maintain, providing year-round beauty while benefiting the ecosystem at the same time. Here are some of the best native wildflowers to add a bit of the real Pennsylvania to your garden!
1) New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
New England Aster can be found brightening fallow fields, hillside meadows, and mesic prairies throughout the Commonwealth from August through November with its jewel-toned, daisy-like flowers. One of the showiest (and earliest) asters of the season, Symphyotrichum novae-angliae is distinguishable by its broad compound blooms– these rosy-purple discs (1.5 – 2 inches across) are composed of numerous ray florets with hues ranging from amethyst to lapis blue (rarely white) encircling cheerful yellow-orange centers. Stout stems with hairy, clasping leaves rise 2 – 6 ft tall.
This species’ dense, deer-resistant foliage provides critical cover for migrating songbirds, as well as prime forage– the genus Symphyotrichum hosts 100 species of Lepidoptera in Eastern Temperate Forests, including the pearl crescent (Phyciodes tharos) and checkerspot butterflies. Look for warblers flitting secretively through the leaves of this pollinator magnet in search of vital insect protein. At least 33 species of specialist bees and their generalist cousins rely on American asters for pollen, and monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) and ruby-throated hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) depend on their rich nectar to fuel the journey southward.
The New England aster tends to get leggy and floppy late in the season (especially in rich garden soils), but tall specimens may be staked or pinched back every few weeks in the early summer to promote shorter, bushier plants with more flowers– once around Memorial Day (about ½ to ⅔ total length) and again near July 4th (just a trim) should do the trick. This low-maintenance, versatile species is ideal for bird or pollinator plantings, rain gardens, bioswales, and wildflower meadows; plant it in full sun to partial shade. This plant prefers well-drained, moist soils, but tolerates clay and drought once established.
Many cultivars are available in nurseries, but local ecotype plants will perform best and provide the most value to wildlife. Horticultural selections that reseed themselves in a garden setting may not bloom true. Other PA-native asters to consider include white-blooming heath aster (Symphyotrichum ericoides var. ericoides), aromatic aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium), and smooth blue aster (Symphyotrichum laeve).
2) Moss phlox (Phlox subulata)
Masses of vivid pink, purple, or (rarely) white star-shaped flowers form a thick carpet of blooms that looks breathtaking spilling over rock walls or draped across boulders. Moss phlox (known variously as creeping phlox, mountain phlox, or moss pink) blooms from March to May, attracting bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds with its loose cymes of fragrant, tubular flowers.
This mat-forming perennial reaches only 6 – 8 inches in height, with needle-like foliage that is evergreen and resembles blankets of moss (the specific epithet subulata is Latin for ‘awl-shaped’ in reference to the leaves). It spreads vigorously to a width of 24 inches, even in the poorest soils.
Moss phlox is native to rocky ledges, slopes, and clearings throughout much of the state. It is a sun-loving species that is perfectly suited for erosion control, rock gardens, edging, the fronts of borders, and ground covers. It needs good drainage and performs best in humusy soil with medium moisture, but tolerates heat and drought better than most other Phlox species. To maintain shape and encourage denser growth, cut back the stems by ½ after flowering– happy plants might even have a light rebloom after pruning. For shadier sites, consider creeping phlox (Phlox stolonifera) or wild sweet william (Phlox divaricata).
3) Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
A pollinator buffet is served up in common milkweed’s deliciously aromatic, globe-shaped mauve flower clusters– its domed umbels are starred by numerous tiny blooms that are a rich nectar source for bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects– over 450 insects are known to feed on some portion of the plant. Its broad, fresh green leaves have reddish veins and are borne on stout erect stems that reach 3 – 5 ft tall.
The foliage of this herbaceous perennial sustains the majority of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) east of the Rocky Mountains, and females seem to prefer it over most other Asclepias species (with the notable exception of A. incarnata) when it comes to oviposition. The tiny pearl-like eggs of the imperiled monarch may be found on the pale undersides of common milkweed’s leaves or hidden amongst its rose-purple florets, which bloom from June to August. Spiky, horn-shaped seed pods split open in fall to release airborne seeds attached to silken parachutes. Common milkweed is adept at colonizing disturbed sites and may be found on roadsides, woodland edges, and in old fields throughout the state.
This plant thrives in full sun and dry to medium, well-drained soils. This low-maintenance, deer-resistant milkweed is a must-have for butterfly gardens or pocket prairies. Plant it at the back of a sunny border to hide foliage chewed by caterpillars. Other milkweeds to consider for PA gardens include butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa), swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), or whorled milkweed (Asclepias verticillata).
4) Rough-stemmed goldenrod (Solidago rugosa)
Spectacular cascading panicles of brilliant yellow-gold blooms make rough-stemmed or wrinkleleaf goldenrod stand out from midsummer well into fall– it grows throughout the state in open woods, meadows, and riparian corridors. Arching, tinsel-like floral plumes and feather-veined, deeply toothed leaves borne on roughly pubescent stalks 2 – 6 ft high add magnificent color and texture to home landscapes.
Rough-stemmed goldenrod is a keystone plant in the Keystone State, supporting 104 species of Lepidoptera and 42 pollen-specialist bees with its flowers and foliage– it’s a requisite for butterfly or rain gardens, pocket prairies, and naturalized borders. Its abundant, nutrient-rich nectar is immensely attractive to bees and butterflies, particularly late in the season when not much else is blooming. Solidago plantings are important refueling stations for migrating monarchs, queen bumblebees preparing to overwinter, and other weary pollinators.
Rough-stemmed goldenrod is highly variable, with 5 recognized subspecies or varieties (all occurring in Pennsylvania)– most prefer medium to wet, well-drained soils in full sun or dappled shade. S. rugosa isn’t fussy and adapts well to a variety of sites. ‘Fireworks’ is a popular compact cultivar from a coastal plains population in North Carolina. PA gardeners seeking smaller or more shade-tolerant plants might also consider the slender, wand-like Solidago caesia (wreath goldenrod).
5) Showy tick trefoil (Desmodium canadense)
No Pennsylvania landscape is complete without at least one native legume in the mix, and showy tick trefoil satisfies that requirement with an electrifying rose-purple, papilionaceous style. Desmodium canadense has a symbiotic association with nitrogen-fixing bacteria that convert atmospheric nitrogen into a usable form, increasing the nutrient’s availability in the soil– this makes showy tick trefoil an amiable neighbor to nearby plants, and a helpful friend to farmers and gardeners.
Showy tick trefoil is also a valuable wildlife plant, ranking as one of the most important species in the diet of northern bobwhite, ruffed grouse, and wild turkey. Hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies are fond of its nodding racemes of vibrant magenta blossoms, and deer and other mammals love to browse its velvety trifoliate leaves. Flowers bloom in summer (typically July – August) and give way to distinctive jointed fruits called loments. These break into flat seed pods covered with fine, hooked hairs that cling to passersby (hence the name ‘tick trefoil’), aiding distribution.
Desmodium canadense can be found almost entirely throughout PA in moist open woods, meadows, and on riverbanks. It grows 2 – 6 ft high and performs best in full sun to partial shade. It adapts easily to most well-drained soils and is tolerant of both clay and drought. Showy tick trefoil can be aggressive in optimal conditions, so give it plenty of room. Other PA-native legumes suitable for home landscapes include wild senna (Senna hebecarpa) and partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata), an annual.
6) American bellflower (Campanula americana)
American bellflower is an annual or biennial wildflower native to mesic woodlands, shady streams, and thickets in the EMP (Eastern Mountains and Piedmont) portion of Pennsylvania. Its delicate, periwinkle-blue flowers are arranged in showy racemes– each flat, star-shaped bloom has a 5-lobed corolla, a white ring at its throat, and a protruding style. Rough, lance-shaped green leaves are borne on erect stems that reach 2 – 6 ft tall.
This plant blooms from June to September and is a lodestone for hummingbirds and insect pollinators. Flowers may persist through November if continually deadheaded. Though it is short-lived, it readily reseeds itself without becoming a nuisance. American bellflower thrives in partial shade in rich, moist soils. It’s a charming addition to woodland or pollinator gardens. Consider also the bluebell bellflower or witch’s thimble (Campanula rotundifolia).
7) Cutleaf coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata)
A tall, long-flowering perennial with iconic, birdie-shaped blooms, cutleaf coneflower (also called green-headed coneflower or wild goldenglow) grows in low, rich woods, alluvial thickets, and wet meadows throughout the Commonwealth. Rudbeckia laciniata is a keystone plant that supports 29 species of pollen-specialist bees in Eastern Temperate Forests. Its languid lemon-yellow flowers, which consist of green tea-colored central cones surrounded by 6 – 12 ray florets, are like ice cream parlors for insect pollinators from June through November– every bee and butterfly in the neighborhood will want to stop by to sample a cone! Goldfinches are also drawn to the sunny blooms and are fond of mature seed heads (you might observe them dining on the nectar-filled rays as well). Leaving spent flowers standing over winter adds interest (they’re stunning when frosted with ice) and makes a feast for hungry songbirds.
Cutleaf coneflower grows 3 – 10 ft tall and spreads by underground rhizomes, so it will need some space– plant it in full sun or dappled shade, in average to moist, well-drained soil. It tolerates seasonal inundation but might need staking in dry or shady sites. It’s excellent as a backdrop for shorter plants, or mixed into pocket prairies or wildflower meadows. Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) and brown-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia triloba) are also great native Rudbeckia species for PA gardens.
8) Dwarf larkspur (Delphinium tricorne)
A spring ephemeral native to moist woods in southwest and south-central Pennsylvania, dwarf larkspur boasts iridescent blue-violet flower spikes with hues so rich and deep that they sometimes blend into the dark backdrop of leaf litter on the forest floor! Individual blooms have 5 petal-like sepals and 4 petals, with the uppermost sepals forming backward-projecting spurs that make the flowers look like tiny pointed fairy hats. They are visited by long-tongued bees, hummingbirds, sphinx moths, and butterflies.
The racemes are 6 – 8 inches long and are composed of 6 – 24 loosely clustered blossoms. Blooming March to May or April to June, these indigo inflorescences rise above basal rosettes of finely cut, palmately lobed leaves (characteristic of the Ranunculaceae or buttercup family) that reach 12 – 30 inches high at maturity. The genus name comes from the Greek delphis, which means dolphin– with a bit of imagination, the flower buds have a porpoise-like shape. The specific epithet refers to the three-horned fruit follicles.
Dwarf larkspur performs best in dappled shade, but tolerates full sun in cooler climes– it likes fertile, moist, well-drained soils. It’s a delightful addition to woodland gardens or beds and borders, and is lovely massed in drifts. This plant is toxic to pets, livestock, and people if ingested– deer and rabbits will leave it alone, too.
9) Narrow-leaved sundrops (Oenothera fruticosa)
One of the most charming members of the evening primrose (Onagraceae) family, narrow-leaved sundrops is a day-flowering upright perennial with bright yellow, saucer-shaped blooms. Its slender, woolly stems reach 2 – 3 ft high from a reddish-purple basal rosette and are clothed in narrow, lanceolate leaves. Each blossom is about 2 inches across and lasts only for a short while, but new blooms quickly replace spent ones. This species flowers profusely over a long period– from April to September in some places– and is a top host plant for pollen-specialist bees in Eastern Temperate Forests. Hummingbirds are fond of the nectar, and songbirds eat the seed capsules.
In Pennsylvania, Oenothera fruticosa occurs in dry woods, meadows, and on roadsides almost throughout the whole state. It performs best with full sun in moist, well-drained fertile loams. It is tolerant of brackish and lime soils, drought, and light shade. Narrow-leaved sundrops is lovely in pocket prairies, meadows, beds, borders, and as groundcover. It spreads quickly in optimal conditions but is rarely aggressive. Consider also the lemon-scented common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis).
10) Pearly everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea)
Mounds of downy, silver-green foliage iced with bunches of white button-like flowers make pearly everlasting a delightful addition to wildflower gardens, beds and borders, meadows, and pocket prairies– like baby’s breath in a bouquet, it makes a wonderful foil for colorful perennials (and is an excellent cut flower for dried floral arrangements as well). Its flowers are merry yellow discs surrounded by papery translucent bracts that give the corymbs a fluffy appearance. Blooms persist from June through October.
Anaphalis margaritacea is a larval host for the American lady (Vanessa virginiensis), the painted lady (Vanessa cardui), and several skipper butterflies. Pearly everlasting is attractive to pollinators and other beneficial insects but is deer- and rabbit-resistant. It grows to about 3 ft tall and likes dry soil and sun or dappled shade. It grows throughout PA on roadsides, forest edges, and in fallow fields. This low-maintenance, drought-tolerant perennial is also used in folk medicine as a salve to treat burns.
11) Fire pink (Silene virginica)
Fire pink boasts blazing red blooms that are irresistible to its primary pollinator, the ruby-throated hummingbird. Its fulgent flowers are composed of 5 notched petals whorled into a star shape, meeting in the center to form a tubular calyx. Its seeds are eaten by a number of songbirds, including juncos, pine siskins, horned larks, and water pipits. Like many members of the genus Silene, this species has stems and leaves that are covered in sticky hairs that act as a natural flypaper, trapping small insects (hence its other common name, scarlet catchfly).
Fire pink is a short-lived perennial with long, narrow lanceolate leaves and delicate stems that reach 1 – 2 ft high. It is an uncommon plant, occasionally found in upland woods, slopes, and streambanks in the western part of the state. Fire pink’s red-hot blooms last from April through August, making it a glowing addition to pollinator gardens, woodland gardens, and beds and borders with afternoon shade. It likes partial sun and dry to moist, poor nutrient soils. Good drainage is a must. It may reseed itself in optimal conditions, especially if the ground is lightly disturbed at the end of the growing season.
12) Round-lobed hepatica (Anemone americana)
A tiny, charismatic perennial herb with sky blue, white, or periwinkle flowers that close up at night and on rainy days, round-lobed hepatica or American liverleaf is one of Pennsylvania’s earliest-blooming spring ephemerals. Although most Anemone and Hepatica flowers produce no available nectar (the classification of these genera is in flux, and A. americana is also known as Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa), various solitary bees and other insects visit this species’ bowl-shaped blossoms for their abundant pollen. The plant conserves and protects its precious granules by folding up its petal-like sepals when pollinators are not flying. Fertilized flowers give way to tiny achenes with fleshy elaiosomes attached; these are eagerly collected by ants, who effectively plant the seeds after discarding them in nutrient-rich middens.
Aside from its marvelous reproductive adaptations, round-lobed hepatica is admired for its lovely vivid flowers and its beautiful leathery, three-lobed leaves that remain evergreen through the spring. The foliage takes on a mottled, greenish-purple hue late in the season, and is a good winter browse for wildlife. This species grows in rich woodlands, and is common throughout Pennsylvania– it likes partly shady spots and dry to moist, humusy, well-drained soil. It reaches just 6 – 9 inches tall at maturity. For best results, plant it en masse in rock or woodland gardens, where it will form an enchanting, delicate flower carpet.
13) Slender mountain mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium)
The fine, feathery silver-green foliage and purple-tinged white flowers of slender or narrow-leaved mountain mint are pleasantly aromatic, with a cool minty fragrance that makes this plant attractive to pollinators and people alike. The leaves are suitable for herbal teas and can be used to flavor ice cream and cheesecakes. Deer, rabbits, groundhogs, and voles leave it alone– it’s not their ‘cup of tea’– but bees and butterflies abound from June to September, when this species is in bloom. Numerous songbirds eat the seeds.
Slender mountain mint grows 2 – 4 ft tall in full sun to partial shade. It thrives in a variety of well-drained soils, dry or mesic. It is present throughout Pennsylvania, growing in upland prairies, open woods, and pine barrens. Plant it in meadows, habitat gardens, or on woodland edges, where it will provide excellent texture and contrast. Rubbing the leaves on your skin will repel mosquitos. Consider also Virginia mountain mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum), hoary mountain mint (Pycnanthemum incanum), or short-toothed mountain mint (Pycnanthemum muticum). The pollinators are waiting!
