Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
Native to Vermont and hardy in zones 3–9; it blooms Jun through Sep and reaches 2–4 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Vermont · Zones 3–5
Native Plants for Vermont
Vermont gardens sit in the Northeast — a landscape of northern hardwood forest, granite hills, and cool wet meadows. The plants below evolved with that climate (cold, humid continental) and are hardy through zones 3–5, so once established they shrug off the local weather without fuss, fertilizer, or much water.
the Northeast
Ecoregion: Green Mountains & Champlain Valley
Collections for Vermont
Find the right natives for your yard.
Each collection is filtered to what actually grows in Vermont. Pick the goal that fits your conditions.
Pollinators
48 native species
For bees
45 native species
Butterflies
43 native species
Hummingbirds
15 native species
For birds
26 native species
Deer-resistant
36 native species
Full sun
44 native species
For shade
15 native species
Drought-tolerant
24 native species
Clay soil
39 native species
Rain garden
25 native species
Groundcovers
12 native species
Flowering shrubs
12 native species
Grasses
6 native species
Low-maintenance
29 native species
Evergreen
5 native species
Fall color
13 native species
Fragrant
11 native species
Notable natives
Plants to know in Vermont.
A cross-section of the 57 species native to your region — the workhorses worth starting with.
Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
6–10 ft tall and it flowers in May and Jun — an easy fit for Vermont, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Sun to shade
- Average–wet
- 6–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Swamp Milkweed
Asclepias incarnata
A Vermont native at 3–4 ft tall that flowers in Jul and Aug, comfortable in zones 3–9.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Eastern Redbud
Cercis canadensis
Native to Vermont and hardy in zones 4–9; it flowers in Mar and Apr and reaches 20–30 ft.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 20–30 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
2–4 ft tall and it blooms Jul through Sep — an easy fit for Vermont, hardy in zones 3–9 here.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Trumpet Honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens
A Vermont native at 8–15 ft tall that blooms Apr through Sep, comfortable in zones 4–9.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 8–15 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep
Wild Bleeding Heart
Dicentra eximia
12–18 in tall and it blooms Apr through Aug — an easy fit for Vermont, hardy in zones 3–8 here.
- Part shade
- Average
- 12–18 in
- Blooms Apr–Aug
Dense Blazing Star
Liatris spicata
A Vermont native at 2–4 ft tall that flowers in Jul and Aug, comfortable in zones 3–9.
- Full sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Flowering Dogwood
Cornus florida
15–25 ft tall and it flowers in Apr and May — an easy fit for Vermont, hardy in zones 5–9 here.
- Part shade
- Average
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Culver's Root
Veronicastrum virginicum
A Vermont native at 3–5 ft tall that blooms Jun through Aug, comfortable in zones 3–8.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Smooth Hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens
3–5 ft tall and it blooms Jun through Aug — an easy fit for Vermont, hardy in zones 3–9 here.
- Part shade
- Average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Winterberry
Ilex verticillata
A Vermont 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
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
1.5–2.5 ft tall and it blooms Jun through Aug — an easy fit for Vermont, hardy in zones 3–9 here.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Woodland Phlox
Phlox divaricata
Native to Vermont and hardy in zones 3–8; it flowers in Apr and May and reaches 10–15 in.
- Part shade
- Average
- 10–15 in
- Blooms Apr–May
Great Blue Lobelia
Lobelia siphilitica
A Vermont native at 2–3 ft tall that flowers in Aug and Sep, comfortable in zones 4–9.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Short-Toothed Mountain Mint
Pycnanthemum muticum
2–3 ft tall and it blooms Jul through Sep — an easy fit for Vermont, hardy in zones 4–8 here.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Sourcing
Where to buy Vermont 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.