Flowering Dogwood
Cornus florida
15–25 ft tall and it flowers in Apr and May — an easy fit for Maryland, hardy in zones 5–9 here.
- Part shade
- Average
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Maryland · Zones 6–8
Native Plants for Maryland
Maryland gardens sit in the Mid-Atlantic — a landscape of Piedmont, coastal plain, and the southern Appalachians. The plants below evolved with that climate (humid, four-season) and are hardy through zones 6–8, so once established they shrug off the local weather without fuss, fertilizer, or much water.
the Mid-Atlanticthe Southeast
Ecoregion: Piedmont & Chesapeake Coastal Plain
Collections for Maryland
Find the right natives for your yard.
Each collection is filtered to what actually grows in Maryland. Pick the goal that fits your conditions.
Pollinators
55 native species
For bees
51 native species
Butterflies
48 native species
Hummingbirds
15 native species
For birds
29 native species
Deer-resistant
41 native species
Full sun
51 native species
For shade
17 native species
Drought-tolerant
30 native species
Clay soil
47 native species
Rain garden
26 native species
Groundcovers
11 native species
Flowering shrubs
15 native species
Grasses
7 native species
Low-maintenance
32 native species
Evergreen
5 native species
Fall color
15 native species
Fragrant
10 native species
Notable natives
Plants to know in Maryland.
A cross-section of the 65 species native to your region — the workhorses worth starting with.
Foxglove Beardtongue
Penstemon digitalis
Native to Maryland and hardy in zones 3–8; it flowers in May and Jun and reaches 2–4 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
American Beautyberry
Callicarpa americana
Native to Maryland and hardy in zones 6–10; it flowers in Jun and Jul and reaches 4–7 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 4–7 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
New England Aster
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
3–5 ft tall and it flowers in Sep and Oct — an easy fit for Maryland, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Oakleaf Hydrangea
Hydrangea quercifolia
A Maryland native at 4–8 ft tall that blooms May through Jul, comfortable in zones 5–9.
- Part shade
- Average
- 4–8 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Aromatic Aster
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
Native to Maryland and hardy in zones 3–8; it blooms Sep through Nov and reaches 1.5–2.5 ft.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Nov
Wild Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
1–2.5 ft tall and it blooms Apr through Jun — an easy fit for Maryland, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Spotted Joe-Pye Weed
Eutrochium maculatum
4–7 ft tall and it blooms Jul through Sep — an easy fit for Maryland, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 4–7 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Swamp Milkweed
Asclepias incarnata
Native to Maryland and hardy in zones 3–9; it flowers in Jul and Aug and reaches 3–4 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
1.5–2 ft tall and it blooms May through Jul — an easy fit for Maryland, hardy in zones 3–9 here.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Dense Blazing Star
Liatris spicata
Native to Maryland and hardy in zones 3–9; it flowers in Jul and Aug and reaches 2–4 ft.
- Full sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Crossvine
Bignonia capreolata
Native to Maryland and hardy in zones 6–9; it flowers in Apr and May and reaches 25–50 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 25–50 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Foamflower
Tiarella cordifolia
6–12 in tall and it flowers in Apr and May — an easy fit for Maryland, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Part shade
- Average
- 6–12 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Culver's Root
Veronicastrum virginicum
3–5 ft tall and it blooms Jun through Aug — an easy fit for Maryland, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
A Maryland native at 15–25 ft tall that flowers in Apr and May, comfortable in zones 3–8.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Golden Alexanders
Zizia aurea
A Maryland native at 1.5–2.5 ft tall that blooms Apr through Jun, comfortable in zones 3–8.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Sourcing
Where to buy Maryland natives
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.