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Populus deltoides

Eastern Cottonwood is a large, fast-growing deciduous tree. It is dioecious; catkins bloom on separate male or female trees in March-April before leaves emerge. The female trees have fruit capsules packed with numerous, tufted seeds with silky white hairs, giving the appearance of cotton. Seeds provide a valued food source for birds. The “cotton” provides birds with nesting material. Eastern Cottonwood can be a messy tree, as it drops leaves, flowers, fruits, twigs, and branches. Although it is not typically used as an ornamental tree, you can plant it in rural areas along streams, where it may be difficult to grow other trees.

Polystichum acrostichoides

Christmas Fern is a clumping evergreen fern. It displays leathery, lance-shaped fronds. Emerging fiddleheads are silver in the spring. Christmas Fern does not spread; instead, the clump will increase in size as the plant ages. Christmas Fern has been known to attract ruffed grouse. Use it as a groundcover or in borders. It adds winter interest to your yard.

Polygonatum biflorum

Smooth Solomon’s Seal features small, bell-shaped, greenish-white flowers, which bloom April-May. The flowers occur under arching stems and are followed by blue-black berries in the fall. The showy, smooth leaves turn yellow in fall. Smooth Solomon’s Seal can be planted in naturalized areas of your yard, shade gardens, woodlands, or in a shady part of your perennial border.

Platanus occidentalis

American Sycamore is a very large, deciduous tree, achieving massive height and girth. It is monoecious; male and female flowers appear on separate trees. Fertilized female flowers give way to spherical, airy balls of seeds, which disintegrate as they are weathered. Sycamore features large, lobed, dark green leaves and irregularly exfoliating (peeling) bark, revealing an attractive pattern of jigsawed colors. Sycamore is tolerant of urban conditions and highly valued as a native tree. It is susceptible to anthracnose (a fungal plant disease), which causes temporary defoliation, but the leaves grow back quickly. Plant it as a specimen in your large yard, or as a street tree in your neighborhood.

Pinus virginiana

Virginia Pine is a wildlife-friendly, small to medium, short-needled evergreen conifer. It prefers sandy soils, but does well in heavy clay, where it is difficult to grow other pines. The cones contain sharp-tipped scales, which house seeds eaten by birds and wildlife. Virginia Pine is a host plant for butterfly larvae (caterpillars) of the Eastern Pine Elfin (Callophrys niphon). Plant Virginia Pine along woodland edges or borders in your yard for added winter interest.

Pinus taeda

Loblolly Pine is a large, long-needled evergreen conifer, taller than it is wide. It features spreading branches and a full crown. Its lower branches drop off with age, leaving an open, rounded crown. It is among the fastest growing southern pines. Select a sunny area in your yard because Loblolly Pine has no shade tolerance.

Pinus strobus

Eastern White Pine is a large, long-needled evergreen conifer, taller than it is wide. Bundles of five needles are soft to the touch and appear bluish-green. Eastern White Pine is long-lived. It provides shelter and roosting space for birds. Plant this handsome specimen in your large yard for ornamental value. It can also be pruned and shaped for hedges.

Pinus rigida

Pitch Pine is a wildlife-friendly, New Jersey native, and is the dominant pine tree of the New Jersey Pine Barrens. This medium-sized, evergreen conifer features an irregular form. Bundles of three, yellowish-green, stiff needles sprout from branches, and sometimes from the trunk. The bark is thick and layered, offering extreme fire-tolerance. It will re-sprout after a fire or from the stump. Twigs, leaves, and seeds offer a valuable food source for wildlife. Pitch Pine prefers nutrient-poor, dry, sandy soils, and will grow where other trees cannot. It takes about five years to establish, then grows quickly. Plant Pitch Pine in woodland borders around your yard.

Pinus parviflora

Japanese White Pine is a small to medium, evergreen conifer. The needles occur in bundles of five. Each blue-green needle has a white stripe from tip-to-tip, offering easy identification. Japanese White Pine can be used in small spaces in your yard, as a specimen, or in small groupings.

Pinus echinata

Shortleaf Pine is a medium-sized, wildlife-friendly evergreen conifer with a pyramidal crown. Blue-green needles occur in bundles of two, and prickly cones are produced when the tree reaches maturity at around 20 years old. Shortleaf Pine features attractive, reddish-brown bark, which offers ornamental value. This tree provides cover and nesting sites for birds, which also eat the seeds. It is an important host plant for larvae (caterpillars) of the Elf butterfly (Microtia elva). Shortleaf Pine can be used as an effective screen when young; the tree tends to lose bottom branches with age. Plant Shortleaf Pine in naturalized areas of your yard. This pine species may be difficult to find commercially. Tell your local garden center or nursery about your interest in this plant.