9 Top Native Plants for Beginning Gardeners
When you’re just starting out, choose easy-to-grow natives like these adapted to your area
If you’re new to gardening and would like to try your hand at growing native plants, here’s the good news: Establish the right native plant in the right spot in your yard (considering sun, soil type, moisture level and more) and it should thrive with little extra care. After all, unlike many imported garden ornamentals, native plants have adapted to their natural habitats.
We’ve selected the following nine plants to help you get started. None requires special care to grow, and most are commonly available. See one that catches your eye? Head to your local nursery for the species or variety best suited to your garden.
Getting started: How to Find the Right Native Plants for Your Yard
We’ve selected the following nine plants to help you get started. None requires special care to grow, and most are commonly available. See one that catches your eye? Head to your local nursery for the species or variety best suited to your garden.
Getting started: How to Find the Right Native Plants for Your Yard
2. Beebalm
(Monarda spp.)
Native to the eastern U.S., Canada and Mexico
Native beebalms are showy perennials that produce abundant, slightly shaggy-looking flowers in an array of colors all summer long. The blooms are pollinator magnets, bringing in bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.
Three top-performing native beebalms to look for: red-flowering scarlet beebalm (M. didyma), native to eastern North America; lavender-flowering wild bergamot (M. fistulosa), native to much of North America; and spotted beebalm (M. punctata), native to eastern North America, with spotted yellow to light pink flowers.
Plants die back and return year after year. Clumps can be divided in early spring, before growth begins, and replanted in other areas of the yard.
Where it will grow: Hardiness varies by species; typically grows in zones 2 to 9
Water requirement: Moderate to regular; somewhat drought-tolerant once established
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade in hottest summer climates
Mature size: From 1 foot to 5 feet tall and 1 foot to 3 feet wide, depending on species
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(Monarda spp.)
Native to the eastern U.S., Canada and Mexico
Native beebalms are showy perennials that produce abundant, slightly shaggy-looking flowers in an array of colors all summer long. The blooms are pollinator magnets, bringing in bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.
Three top-performing native beebalms to look for: red-flowering scarlet beebalm (M. didyma), native to eastern North America; lavender-flowering wild bergamot (M. fistulosa), native to much of North America; and spotted beebalm (M. punctata), native to eastern North America, with spotted yellow to light pink flowers.
Plants die back and return year after year. Clumps can be divided in early spring, before growth begins, and replanted in other areas of the yard.
Where it will grow: Hardiness varies by species; typically grows in zones 2 to 9
Water requirement: Moderate to regular; somewhat drought-tolerant once established
Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade in hottest summer climates
Mature size: From 1 foot to 5 feet tall and 1 foot to 3 feet wide, depending on species
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Purple coneflower (E. purpurea) is native to eastern North America.
3. Coneflower
(Echinacea spp.)
Native to the eastern and central U.S.
Pretty purple coneflowers are long-blooming native perennials that shine alongside other native plants or garden ornamentals. Planted in full sun, native coneflowers thrive — and bloom from summer to fall — without any special care. They are drought-tolerant once established.
3. Coneflower
(Echinacea spp.)
Native to the eastern and central U.S.
Pretty purple coneflowers are long-blooming native perennials that shine alongside other native plants or garden ornamentals. Planted in full sun, native coneflowers thrive — and bloom from summer to fall — without any special care. They are drought-tolerant once established.
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Pale purple coneflower is native to central North America, from Iowa south to Texas and east to Indiana in the North and Louisiana in the South.
Purple coneflower (E. purpurea) and taller pale purple coneflower (E. pallida) are some of the best native coneflowers for gardens. Both plants attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators throughout a long bloom period and, postbloom, offer seeds for birds.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (zones 3 to 9)
Water requirement: Moderate; drought-tolerant once established
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: Most species grow 1½ to 3 feet tall and 1 foot to 3 feet wide; pale purple coneflower can reach 5 feet tall
Learn more about growing coneflower
Purple coneflower (E. purpurea) and taller pale purple coneflower (E. pallida) are some of the best native coneflowers for gardens. Both plants attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators throughout a long bloom period and, postbloom, offer seeds for birds.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (zones 3 to 9)
Water requirement: Moderate; drought-tolerant once established
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: Most species grow 1½ to 3 feet tall and 1 foot to 3 feet wide; pale purple coneflower can reach 5 feet tall
Learn more about growing coneflower
4. Maximillian Sunflower
(Helianthus maximiliani)
Native to the Great Plains in North America and former tallgrass prairies
Like other sunflowers, Maximillian sunflower is a rewarding and easy-to-grow plant for first-time gardeners. Plants grow from seed and quickly offer cheerful golden blooms from August to October.
The 2- to 3-inch-wide flowers look beautiful in naturalistic-style beds or as cut flowers. Maximillian sunflower also plays an important role in the North American tallgrass-prairie and meadow ecosystems by offering a late-summer to midfall food source for native pollinators and insects.
Plant seeds in moist, rich soil in spring. Once established, the plants can handle dry conditions. They can reach 10 feet tall and require staking.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 45 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 42.8 degrees Celsius (zones 2 to 8)
Water requirement: Low to moderate
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 3 to 10 feet tall and 2 to 4 feet wide
Learn more about growing Maximillian sunflower
(Helianthus maximiliani)
Native to the Great Plains in North America and former tallgrass prairies
Like other sunflowers, Maximillian sunflower is a rewarding and easy-to-grow plant for first-time gardeners. Plants grow from seed and quickly offer cheerful golden blooms from August to October.
The 2- to 3-inch-wide flowers look beautiful in naturalistic-style beds or as cut flowers. Maximillian sunflower also plays an important role in the North American tallgrass-prairie and meadow ecosystems by offering a late-summer to midfall food source for native pollinators and insects.
Plant seeds in moist, rich soil in spring. Once established, the plants can handle dry conditions. They can reach 10 feet tall and require staking.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 45 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 42.8 degrees Celsius (zones 2 to 8)
Water requirement: Low to moderate
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 3 to 10 feet tall and 2 to 4 feet wide
Learn more about growing Maximillian sunflower
5. Western Sword Fern
(Polystichum munitum)
Native to western North America from Alaska to California and east to the Rocky Mountains
A rock star of western North American shade gardens, western sword fern is known for its graceful, bright green fronds that can reach up to 5 feet tall. If you plant this fern in an area with its preferred conditions, it will thrive with almost no care.
Cut plants back once a year in early spring to encourage plenty of lush new growth, and then stand back to admire the oversize, Jurassic Park-style foliage that appears a few weeks later.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (zones 3 to 10)
Water requirement: Moderate; little to no supplemental water when grown in shade in the Pacific Northwest
Light requirement: Partial to full shade
Mature size: 3 to 5 feet tall
Learn more about growing western sword fern
(Polystichum munitum)
Native to western North America from Alaska to California and east to the Rocky Mountains
A rock star of western North American shade gardens, western sword fern is known for its graceful, bright green fronds that can reach up to 5 feet tall. If you plant this fern in an area with its preferred conditions, it will thrive with almost no care.
Cut plants back once a year in early spring to encourage plenty of lush new growth, and then stand back to admire the oversize, Jurassic Park-style foliage that appears a few weeks later.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (zones 3 to 10)
Water requirement: Moderate; little to no supplemental water when grown in shade in the Pacific Northwest
Light requirement: Partial to full shade
Mature size: 3 to 5 feet tall
Learn more about growing western sword fern
Broadleaf stonecrop grows in the foreground of this rocky garden, with other drought-tolerant plants filling out the back.
6. Broadleaf Stonecrop
(Sedum spathulifolium)
Native to western North America from British Columbia to Southern California
Stonecrops, as a whole, are easy-to-grow succulents and a great choice for beginning gardeners. They thrive in quick-draining soils and rocky crevices, and on slopes. West Coast native broadleaf stonecrop is a pretty variety that features plump silver leaves. Pollinator-attracting yellow-chartreuse flowers appear in late spring.
Prolonged soggy soil is really the only way to kill a stonecrop; be sure to start with sandy soil and avoid overwatering plants grown in containers.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 5 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 20.6 degrees Celsius (Zone 6)
Water requirement: Low
Light requirement: Partial to full sun
Mature size: The foliage reaches about 2 inches tall; approximately 4 to 5 inches tall with flowers
Learn more about growing broadleaf stonecrop
6. Broadleaf Stonecrop
(Sedum spathulifolium)
Native to western North America from British Columbia to Southern California
Stonecrops, as a whole, are easy-to-grow succulents and a great choice for beginning gardeners. They thrive in quick-draining soils and rocky crevices, and on slopes. West Coast native broadleaf stonecrop is a pretty variety that features plump silver leaves. Pollinator-attracting yellow-chartreuse flowers appear in late spring.
Prolonged soggy soil is really the only way to kill a stonecrop; be sure to start with sandy soil and avoid overwatering plants grown in containers.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 5 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 20.6 degrees Celsius (Zone 6)
Water requirement: Low
Light requirement: Partial to full sun
Mature size: The foliage reaches about 2 inches tall; approximately 4 to 5 inches tall with flowers
Learn more about growing broadleaf stonecrop
7. Cleveland Sage
(Salvia clevelandii)
Native to Southern California and northern Baja California, Mexico
Grow this dry-garden favorite in a sunny spot with quick-draining soil and be rewarded by months of lavender-blue blooms held on dramatic 3- to 4-foot-tall bloom spikes. Like the flowers of most salvias, Cleveland sage’s are rich in nectar and provide a steady food source for visiting pollinators from spring through summer. The flowers and leaves have a sweet, herbal fragrance.
Try Cleveland sage in containers, massed in borders or along garden pathways.
Where it will grow: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (zones 8 to 11)
Water requirement: Moderate to low, once established
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 3 to 5 feet tall and 5 to 8 feet wide
Learn more about growing Cleveland sage
(Salvia clevelandii)
Native to Southern California and northern Baja California, Mexico
Grow this dry-garden favorite in a sunny spot with quick-draining soil and be rewarded by months of lavender-blue blooms held on dramatic 3- to 4-foot-tall bloom spikes. Like the flowers of most salvias, Cleveland sage’s are rich in nectar and provide a steady food source for visiting pollinators from spring through summer. The flowers and leaves have a sweet, herbal fragrance.
Try Cleveland sage in containers, massed in borders or along garden pathways.
Where it will grow: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (zones 8 to 11)
Water requirement: Moderate to low, once established
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 3 to 5 feet tall and 5 to 8 feet wide
Learn more about growing Cleveland sage
8. Black-Eyed Susan
(Rudbeckia hirta)
Native to North America
Black-eyed Susan is a favorite native perennial for good reason. It is easy to grow, attracts butterflies and has dramatic dark-centered flowers that bloom over an exceptionally long period — summer into fall. Once established, black-eyed Susan can survive periods of little to no summer water.
(Rudbeckia hirta)
Native to North America
Black-eyed Susan is a favorite native perennial for good reason. It is easy to grow, attracts butterflies and has dramatic dark-centered flowers that bloom over an exceptionally long period — summer into fall. Once established, black-eyed Susan can survive periods of little to no summer water.
Plant black-eyed Susan with other care-free, sun-loving native flowers or native grasses to mimic its native prairie habitat.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (zones 3 to 9)
Water requirement: Moderate to low, once established
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 2 to 3 feet high and 1 foot to 2 feet wide
Learn more about growing black-eyed Susan
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (zones 3 to 9)
Water requirement: Moderate to low, once established
Light requirement: Full sun
Mature size: 2 to 3 feet high and 1 foot to 2 feet wide
Learn more about growing black-eyed Susan
9. American Elderberry
(Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis, previously S. canadensis)
Native to central and eastern North America
These native shrub-trees offer multiple seasons of benefit: Frothy white flowers attract pollinators in spring and summer, followed by clusters of edible blue-black berries favored by birds.
Consider growing American elderberry if you want a privacy screen or height at the back of a garden bed. It looks beautiful in woodland gardens and naturalistic borders. The plants do have a spreading habit, so site them where this is desired.
If you don’t live in American elderberry’s native range, consider trying one of two other native elderberries: red-fruiting scarlet elder (S. pubens), native to the Northeast, west to Colorado and south to Georgia; or blue elderberry (S. n. ssp. caerulea), native to the western U.S., northwest Mexico and British Colombia.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (zones 3 to 9)
Water requirement: Moderate to regular; can tolerate dry summers and drought
Light requirement: Full sun to light shade
Mature size: 5 to 12 feet tall and wide, depending on conditions
Learn more about growing American elderberry
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(Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis, previously S. canadensis)
Native to central and eastern North America
These native shrub-trees offer multiple seasons of benefit: Frothy white flowers attract pollinators in spring and summer, followed by clusters of edible blue-black berries favored by birds.
Consider growing American elderberry if you want a privacy screen or height at the back of a garden bed. It looks beautiful in woodland gardens and naturalistic borders. The plants do have a spreading habit, so site them where this is desired.
If you don’t live in American elderberry’s native range, consider trying one of two other native elderberries: red-fruiting scarlet elder (S. pubens), native to the Northeast, west to Colorado and south to Georgia; or blue elderberry (S. n. ssp. caerulea), native to the western U.S., northwest Mexico and British Colombia.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (zones 3 to 9)
Water requirement: Moderate to regular; can tolerate dry summers and drought
Light requirement: Full sun to light shade
Mature size: 5 to 12 feet tall and wide, depending on conditions
Learn more about growing American elderberry
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10 Tips for Beginning Gardeners
See more plants native to your region
Find a landscape designer near you
Shop for gardening tools
(Carex spp.)
Native to many regions in North America, Europe, Asia, New Zealand and more; choose a species native to your region for the best benefits
Grass-like carex species, a diverse group of sedges, can be used for erosion control, as a drought-tolerant lawn alternative or like an ornamental grass. Native carex also acts as a host plant for the caterpillars of the skipper butterfly and Appalachian brown butterfly.
A few top native species to try, depending on your region: C. tumulicola and C. pansa in California, C. texensis in the Southwest, C. muskingumensis in the Midwest and C. albicans in eastern North America. Leave masses of carex tall and tufty for a wavy, meadow-like look, or mow it to 3 to 4 inches tall one to three times a year for a more traditional lawn look.
Carex species, for the most part, are easy to care for and are great plants for beginning gardeners — particularly if you choose one native to your region and plant it an area with the conditions that help it thrive. Sedges establish easily in gardens, adapt to various climates and are generally pest-free.
Where it will grow: Hardiness varies by species; typically grows in USDA zones 4 to 10 (find your zone)
Water requirement: Low to regular, depending on species
Light requirement: Partial shade to full sun, depending on species
Mature size: From 1 foot to 3 feet tall and wide, depending on species
Learn more about growing carex