Oakleaf Hydrangea
Hydrangea quercifolia
4–8 ft tall and it blooms May through Jul — an easy fit for New York, hardy in zones 5–9 here.
- Part shade
- Average
- 4–8 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
New York · Zones 3–7
Native Plants for New York
New York gardens sit in the Northeast — a landscape of northern hardwood forest, granite hills, and cool wet meadows. The plants below evolved with that climate (humid continental) and are hardy through zones 3–7, so once established they shrug off the local weather without fuss, fertilizer, or much water.
the Northeastthe Mid-Atlanticthe Midwest
Ecoregion: Adirondacks, Finger Lakes & Hudson Valley
Collections for New York
Find the right natives for your yard.
Each collection is filtered to what actually grows in New York. Pick the goal that fits your conditions.
Pollinators
61 native species
For bees
58 native species
Butterflies
51 native species
Hummingbirds
16 native species
For birds
33 native species
Deer-resistant
47 native species
Full sun
58 native species
For shade
16 native species
Drought-tolerant
37 native species
Clay soil
49 native species
Rain garden
26 native species
Groundcovers
13 native species
Flowering shrubs
14 native species
Grasses
8 native species
Low-maintenance
33 native species
Evergreen
6 native species
Fall color
15 native species
Fragrant
11 native species
Notable natives
Plants to know in New York.
A cross-section of the 72 species native to your region — the workhorses worth starting with.
American Beautyberry
Callicarpa americana
A New York native at 4–7 ft tall that flowers in Jun and Jul, comfortable in zones 6–10.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 4–7 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Foxglove Beardtongue
Penstemon digitalis
Native to New York 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
Showy Goldenrod
Solidago speciosa
2–4 ft tall and it flowers in Sep and Oct — an easy fit for New York, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Virginia Bluebells
Mertensia virginica
A New York native at 1–2 ft tall that blooms Mar through May, comfortable in zones 3–8.
- Part shade
- Average–wet
- 1–2 ft
- Blooms Mar–May
Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
1.5–3 ft tall and it blooms Jun through Sep — an easy fit for New York, hardy in zones 3–9 here.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
15–25 ft tall and it flowers in Apr and May — an easy fit for New York, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Maximilian Sunflower
Helianthus maximiliani
Native to New York and hardy in zones 3–9; it blooms Aug through Oct and reaches 5–8 ft.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 5–8 ft
- Blooms Aug–Oct
Wild Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
A New York native at 1–2.5 ft tall that blooms Apr through Jun, comfortable in zones 3–8.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
A New York native at 2–4 ft tall that blooms Jul through Sep, comfortable in zones 3–9.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Winterberry
Ilex verticillata
A New York native at 5–10 ft tall that flowers in Jun and Jul, comfortable in zones 3–9.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Golden Alexanders
Zizia aurea
A New York 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
Woodland Phlox
Phlox divaricata
10–15 in tall and it flowers in Apr and May — an easy fit for New York, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Part shade
- Average
- 10–15 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Aromatic Aster
Symphyotrichum oblongifolium
1.5–2.5 ft tall and it blooms Sep through Nov — an easy fit for New York, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Nov
Trumpet Honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens
8–15 ft tall and it blooms Apr through Sep — an easy fit for New York, hardy in zones 4–9 here.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 8–15 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep
Scarlet Beebalm
Monarda didyma
2.5–4 ft tall and it flowers in Jul and Aug — an easy fit for New York, hardy in zones 4–9 here.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2.5–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Sourcing
Where to buy New York 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.