Native Plants and Shrubs

Four Seasons Nursery has a wide selection of native plants. Native plants have an advantage over introduced species as they are resistant to drought, insects, and disease and work perfectly for a natural garden. Call us for more information about our selection of native plants. Below is just a sample of what we offer:

• Bluebells – A woodland wildflower that produces clusters of light blue trumpet-shaped flowers in early spring.

• Butterfly weed – Grows in fields and along roadsides with bright orange flowers and will attract butterflies. The root was chewed by Indians as a cure for pleurisy, giving it the name Pleurisy Root.

• Cardinal flower – Grows in wet, swampy areas and along streams. Brilliant red tubular-shaped flowers from July – September.

• Dwarf blue iris – Grows in wooded uplands and produces a single violet-blue flower in early spring.

• Elder – A shrub that is commonly found in hedgerows and along streams in mostly sunny areas. Flowers have been used in fritters and to make teas and champagne while berries are used in pies, jelly, and wine.

• Foamflower – A woodland wildflower with small white flowers growing in a terminal cluster in early spring.
  

• Garden phlox - Grows in open, partly sunny areas. Produces clusters of pink flowers from July – September.

• Phlox - A wildflower of rich woods and fields with a loose cluster of slightly fragrant, light blue-colored flowers.

• St. John's wort - Likes moist, partly shady conditions. Produces clusters of small yellow flowers that can be made into tea.

• Solomon's seal – A member of the lily family found in moist woods with greenish-white flowers hanging from the leaf axils. The root was used medicinally among the Native Americans.

• Spiderwort – Grows along forest edges in partly sunny conditions. Has bluish 3-petaled flowers in the spring.

• Sweetflag – Solid green and variegated - grows in wet sunny areas and is a member of the arum family, producing a spadix of greenish flowers on the side of the stem. Rootstalks have been used traditionally for a number of ailments, including indigestion, fevers, and colds.

• Wax myrtle – Coastal shrub found in moist woodlands and along the edges of swamps and upland hardwood forests. Leaves are used as a seasoning and the berries are used to make bayberry candles and soaps.

• Yellow jessamine - A climbing vine that grows naturally at the edges of the forest. Produces bright yellow tubular flowers in early spring. Vines have been used in basket making and other craft items.

• Bayscapes – Saline or salt spray tolerant.

• Rush - The corkscrew rush is a very versatile plant. It thrives equally well in well-drained soil, slightly boggy, or marsh areas. Perennial corkscrew rush makes an excellent plant for use near a water feature, in container gardens, or even as an indoor specimen. The other name for corkscrew rush, Juncus effuses “Spiralis”, refers to the spiral habit of this grass-like plant.
  

• Crossvine – (Creeper) A climbing, woody vine reaching 50 ft. long with showy, orange-red, trumpet-shaped flowers 2 inches long and 1 1/2 inches across which hang in clusters of 2 to 5. They are sometimes seen high in a tree.

• Coral and trumpet honeysuckle - Twining woody vine, usually climbing on other vegetation but sometimes trailing along the ground; older stems have papery brown exfoliating bark.

• Cinnamon fern - Grows in swamps, bogs, and moist woodland.

• Royal fern - One of the largest ferns in non-tropical North America. The spore-producing inflorescence at the top of the plant resembles groups of flowers.

• Turtlehead - One of the largest ferns in non-tropical North America. The spore-producing inflorescence at the top of the plant resembles groups of flowers.

• Coneflower - Coneflower is a native North American perennial sporting daisy-like flowers with raised centers. The flowers, plants, and roots of some types are used in herbal remedies.

• Joe Pye weed - A North American genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the sunflower family.

• White snakeroot - This is a poisonous perennial herb in the family, Asteraceae.

• White and pink cranesbill - A long-time garden favorite known for their dainty jewel-toned flowers and excellent mounding habit. Cranesbill thrives in full sun – is in the geranium family.

• Pachysandra - This is a favorite ground cover plant in hard-to-plant areas such as under trees, or in shady areas with poor or acidic soil. Unlike other plants, pachysandra ground cover does not mind competing for its nutrients, and growing pachysandra plants is easy if you have an abundance of shade in your landscape.

• Goldenrod - This is a genus of about 100 to 120 species of flowering plants in the aster family. Most are herbaceous perennial species found in open areas such as a meadow.

• Spiderwort - Grow in average, medium moisture, well-drained soil in part shade to full shade. Prefers moist, acidic soils. Tolerant of poor soils. Divide clumps when they become overcrowded. Foliage declines after flowering and should then be cut back almost to the ground to encourage new growth and a possible fall bloom. Can self-seed and spread in ideal growing conditions.

• Beautyberry - This is one shrub that's really earned its common name. In fall, the plant becomes a showstopper thanks to its clusters of small violet-purple fruits.