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Penstemon digitalis

Foxglove Beardtongue is a wildlife-friendly native of New Jersey. Clusters of tubular, white flowers on long stalks bloom April-June. The flower nectar is a food source for butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees.

Pelargonium x hortorum

Zonal Geranium is grown as an annual in New Jersey. The distinctive foliage of this plant has a zone of darker green circling the leaf centers. Clusters of colorful flowers on long stalks bloom throughout the summer and early fall; varieties are available in shades of pink, red, purple, orange, and white. Deadhead the spent flowers to promote new blooms. This plant prefers well-drained soil and good air circulation. Use Zonal Geranium in hanging baskets, window boxes, and in borders around your yard.

Oenothera fruticosa

Narrowleaf Evening Primrose is a wildlife-friendly perennial featuring four-petaled, yellow flowers, which bloom April-July on erect stems. Despite its common name, the flowers are open during the day. Its nectar provides food for hummingbirds, butterflies, and native bees. The flowers are followed by attractive seed pods that add ornamental interest to your garden. Use Narrowleaf Evening Primrose in borders, rock gardens, and wild gardens around your yard.

Nicotiana alata

Jasmine Tobacco is a tender perennial, which is grown and used as an annual in New Jersey. Its fragrant, tubular-shaped flowers in shades of red, white, green, and yellow bloom June to frost. This wildlife-friendly plant will attract a variety of pollinators to your yard, including hummingbirds and butterflies. Plant it in a mass to create borders, use it in your rock garden, or plant it in mixed containers to add color to your patio or yard.

Monarda punctata

Spotted Beebalm features yellow-purple, bicolor, tubular flowers, which bloom June-July. The nectar is a valued food source for butterflies, native bees, bumblebees, and honeybees, and will attract many pollinators to your garden. Aromatic, toothed leaves offer an interesting display on its squared, stiff stem. Monardas are susceptible to powdery mildew; however, Spotted Beebalm offers some resistance to this nuisance. Use it in your perennial border, mixed bed, herb garden, and meadow for a wildlife-friendly addition to your yard.

Monarda didyma

Scarlet Beebalm features scarlet red flowers, which bloom June-August on top of stiff, erect stems. Cultivars offer flowers in many colors, including shades of pink, purple, and coral. The nectar is a valued food source for hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees — it will attract many pollinators to your garden! Deadheading the spent flowers will prolong bloom time. Scarlet Beebalm leaves contain oils that give off a pleasant herbal scent. This plant spreads quickly through re-seeding, so your small patch will grow into a large area in just a few seasons. Scarlet Beebalm is susceptible to powdery mildew; look for resistant cultivars, such as Jacob Cline. Use it in your perennial border, butterfly garden, meadow, and in naturalized areas of your yard.

Mirabilis jalapa

Four o’clocks are tuberous perennials grown as annuals in New Jersey. Their fragrant, tubular-shaped flowers bloom June to frost. The flower buds open from late afternoon (four o’clock — as per their common name) until the next morning, then close during the day. Colors vary, including red, yellow, and pink, and the nectar is attractive to hummingbirds and moths. This plant adds nighttime color to gardens around outdoor living spaces. Use Four o’clocks in mixed borders, as an annual hedge, or in your patio containers.

Mertensia virginica

Virginia Bluebells provide early spring delight as clusters of pink buds emerge, blooming as blue-purple, trumpet-shaped flowers March through April. By midsummer, the foliage dies back as the plant goes dormant. Use it in your shade garden, woodland borders, or as a spring groundcover. Overplant with ferns or perennials that will fill in the empty space once the plants recede. A related species is Mertensia maritima (Sea Lungwort), which tolerates salt and can be used in coastal landscapes.

Lupinus perennis

Sundial Lupine features blue, pea-like flowers on elongated stems that bloom April-July. Attractive, dark green, compound-palmate leaves orient themselves to the sun. This wildlife-friendly perennial is a valuable nectar and pollen source for hummingbirds and native bees. Its dried seeds are enjoyed by birds. Sundial Lupine is a host plant to butterfly and moth larvae (caterpillars), including Frosted Elfin (Callophrys irus), Elf (Microtia elva), Wild Indigo Duskywing (Erynnis baptisiae), and Persius Duskywing (Erynnis persius). Sundial Lupine is the only known host for larvae of the Karner Blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa sub. samuelis), which is nearly extinct over much of its range. Plant Sundial Lupine in perennial borders, meadows, edges of woodlands, and in sandy, naturalized areas of your yard that offer full sun. They are susceptible to powdery mildew.

Lonicera sempervirens

Trumpet Honeysuckle is a twining, wildlife-friendly deciduous vine, which will attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees to your garden! Its red-pink-orange, trumpet-shaped flowers bloom May-June and offer hummingbirds and nectar-loving pollinators an energy-rich food source. The berries are an attractive food source for many species of birds, including finches and robins. The foliage is host to butterfly and moth larvae (caterpillars), including Spring Azure (Celastrina ladon) and Snowberry Clearwing (Hemaris diffinis). Wait until after flowering to prune. Trumpet Honeysuckle can be trained on your trellis, arbor, pergola, or along a fence around your yard.