New England Aster
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
About as hard to kill as a native gets — spreading 2–3 ft and good through zone 8, and forgives neglect, flowering as it flowers in Sep and Oct.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Delaware · Zone 7
Easy Native Plants in Delaware
Forgiving, hard-to-kill natives for first-time gardeners and anyone who wants a beautiful yard without the upkeep. Every species here is genuinely native to Delaware and the wider flora of the Mid-Atlantic and hardy through zone 7 — proven performers for Delaware's mild, humid climate across Atlantic Coastal Pine Barrens & Piedmont, not a generic list. Local standouts include New England Aster and Eastern Redbud. The easiest natives are the ones already adapted to your local soil and rainfall, so they need no fertilizer, no irrigation after year one, and no winter coddling. Start with these, plant them where their light and moisture needs are genuinely met, mulch the first year, and the maintenance shrinks to a single late-winter cleanup. Right plant, right place does ninety percent of the work.
The plants
32 native species for Delaware
Each one native to your region and hardy in zone 7 · see this collection in other states.
Eastern Redbud
Cercis canadensis
About as hard to kill as a native gets — 20–30 ft tall and 15–25 ft wide, and forgives neglect, flowering as it flowers in Mar and Apr.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 20–30 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
About as hard to kill as a native gets — spreading 12–18 in and for sand, clay, and loam ground, and forgives neglect, and it blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
Plant it and forget it: spreading 6–10 ft and 6–10 ft tall, no fuss, flowering as it flowers in May and Jun.
- Sun to shade
- Average–wet
- 6–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Wild Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
Thrives on neglect once placed right: 1–2.5 ft tall and red & yellow flowers, flowering as it blooms Apr through Jun.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
Plant it and forget it: good through zone 9 and rosy purple flowers, no fuss; it blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
American Beautyberry
Callicarpa americana
Plant it and forget it: good through zone 10 and 4–7 ft wide, no fuss; it flowers in Jun and Jul.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 4–7 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
Thrives on neglect once placed right: happy in sand, clay, rocky, and loam soil and white (wild form) flowers; it blooms May through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–Aug
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
Plant it and forget it: bright gold flowers and 12–18 in wide, no fuss, flowering as it blooms May through Jul.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Foxglove Beardtongue
Penstemon digitalis
Thrives on neglect once placed right: happy in clay, rocky, and loam soil and white flowers, and it flowers in May and Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Smooth Hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens
About as hard to kill as a native gets — good through zone 9 and spreading 3–5 ft, and forgives neglect; it blooms Jun through Aug.
- Part shade
- Average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
A beginner's native — 10–20 ft wide and for clay and loam ground, content with whatever you give it, and it flowers in Apr and May.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Trumpet Honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens
Plant it and forget it: reaching 8–15 ft and coral-red flowers, no fuss; it blooms Apr through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 8–15 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep
Aromatic Aster
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
A beginner's native — spreading 2–3 ft and sky blue flowers, content with whatever you give it, flowering as it blooms Sep through Nov.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Nov
Obedient Plant
Physostegia virginiana
Thrives on neglect once placed right: good through zone 9 and reaching 2–4 ft, flowering as it flowers in Aug and Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Swamp Milkweed
Asclepias incarnata
A beginner's native — happy in clay and loam soil and rose pink flowers, content with whatever you give it — it flowers in Jul and Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Wild Geranium
Geranium maculatum
Thrives on neglect once placed right: spreading 1.5–2 ft and cold-hardy to zone 3 — it blooms Apr through Jun.
- Part shade
- Average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Golden Alexanders
Zizia aurea
About as hard to kill as a native gets — spreading 1–2 ft and chartreuse-gold flowers, and forgives neglect — it blooms Apr through Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Virginia Creeper
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Thrives on neglect once placed right: happy in clay, rocky, and loam soil and inconspicuous green flowers — it flowers in Jun.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 30–50 ft
- Blooms Jun
Wild Ginger
Asarum canadense
About as hard to kill as a native gets — hidden maroon flowers and for loam ground, and forgives neglect, flowering as it flowers in Apr and May.
- Part shade
- Average
- 4–8 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Common Boneset
Eupatorium perfoliatum
Thrives on neglect once placed right: spreading 2–3 ft and for clay and loam ground; it flowers in Aug and Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Ninebark
Physocarpus opulifolius
Plant it and forget it: for clay, rocky, and loam ground and reaching 5–10 ft, no fuss, flowering as it flowers in May and Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Stiff Goldenrod
Solidago rigida
A beginner's native — hardy in zones 3–9 and for clay, rocky, and loam ground, content with whatever you give it, and it blooms Aug through Oct.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Aug–Oct
American Elderberry
Sambucus canadensis
A beginner's native — 6–12 ft wide and good through zone 9, content with whatever you give it; it flowers in Jun and Jul.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 6–12 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
8 more also qualify: Fragrant Sumac, Red-Twig Dogwood, Common Milkweed, Blue Vervain, Inkberry Holly, Christmas Fern, Little Bluestem, Pennsylvania Sedge.
Sourcing
Where to find these in Delaware
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.