Smooth Hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens
Flowers, then berries for the birds, on a long-lived native shrub, spreading 3–5 ft and happy in clay and loam soil; it blooms Jun through Aug.
- Part shade
- Average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
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- Flowering shrubs
New Hampshire · Zones 3–6
Native Flowering Shrubs in New Hampshire
Native shrubs that flower for pollinators, fruit for birds, and give the garden its year-round backbone and structure. Every species here is genuinely native to New Hampshire and the wider flora of the Northeast and hardy through zones 3–6 — proven performers for New Hampshire's cool, humid continental climate across White Mountains & northern hardwoods, not a generic list. Local standouts include Smooth Hydrangea and Buttonbush. Shrubs are the bones of a garden — they hold their shape through winter, screen what you would rather not see, and pack flowers, berries, and fall color into a single long-lived plant. Give them room to reach full size rather than shearing them into boxes, plant in fall for the best root establishment, and choose species suited to your light and moisture so they thrive on near-zero care.
The plants
12 native species for New Hampshire
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 3–6 · see this collection in other states.
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Flowers, then berries for the birds, on a long-lived native shrub, 5–10 ft tall and cold-hardy to zone 5, and it blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
The kind of native shrub a border is built around, for clay and loam ground and spreading 10–20 ft, flowering as it flowers in Apr and May.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
A woody native that holds its shape through winter and flowers in season, creamy white flowers and happy in clay and loam soil; it flowers in May and Jun.
- Sun to shade
- Average–wet
- 6–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Winterberry
Ilex verticillata
The kind of native shrub a border is built around, happy in clay and loam soil and spreading 5–8 ft — it flowers in Jun and Jul.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Spicebush
Lindera benzoin
A four-season shrub — bloom, fruit, and winter form — chartreuse-gold flowers and hardy in zones 4–9 — it flowers in Mar and Apr.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 6–12 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
American Elderberry
Sambucus canadensis
A flowering native shrub for the garden's backbone, creamy umbels flowers and spreading 6–12 ft; it flowers in Jun and Jul.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 6–12 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromatica
Long-lived woody structure with flowers for pollinators and fruit for birds, 5–10 ft wide and hardy in zones 3–9, flowering as it flowers in Mar and Apr.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–6 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
New Jersey Tea
Ceanothus americanus
A shrub that gives the border its bones, happy in sand, rocky, and loam soil and frothy white flowers, and it blooms May through Jul.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–3.5 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Ninebark
Physocarpus opulifolius
Structure year-round and flowers in season — a native shrub, white to pink flowers and good through zone 7; it flowers in May and Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Inkberry Holly
Ilex glabra
A woody native that holds its shape through winter and flowers in season, good through zone 9 and spreading 4–8 ft, and it flowers in May and Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 4–8 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Red-Twig Dogwood
Cornus sericea
A flowering native shrub for the garden's backbone, happy in clay and loam soil and 6–9 ft tall, flowering as it flowers in May and Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 6–9 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Sourcing
Where to find these in New Hampshire
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.