This page is under construction. We are working on creating better resources for our Wild Ones members and the general public. In the interim, we have provided a short list of recommended natives to garden with. This is not complete, as there are more than 2,000 native plant species in Western Pennsylvania. This list includes easy-to-find and easy-to-grow native flowering native plants for beginners. Please see our recommended resources for more information on other species, as well as grasses, shrubs and trees.
20 Native Flowering Plants for Beginners (in no particular order)
Dense Blazing Star (Liatris spicata)
Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta or Rudbeckia fulgida)
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica)
New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
Aromatic Aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolium)
Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica)
Wild indigo (Baptisia australis)
Wrinkleleaf Goldenrod (Solidago rugosa)
Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus)
Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia)
Scarlet Beebalm (Monarda didyma)
Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium fistulosum)
Wild Bergamot/Beebalm (Monarda fistulosa)
New York Ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis)
Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum)
Resources and Information We Recommend:
Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania’s: List of Western PA Natives
National Wildlife Federation: Pennsylvania Native Plants
Penn State Extension: Pennsylvania Native Plants for the Perennial Garden
Another good resource is DCNR: Landscaping with Native Plants
When in doubt, use BONAP to determine if a plant is native.