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Gaylussacia baccata

Black Huckleberry is a deciduous shrub with green leaves, which turn orange-crimson in the fall. Its white-pink, bell-shaped flowers bloom May-July, followed by purplish-black edible berries, which can be eaten fresh or baked into pies and muffins. The berries are an important food source for songbirds, turkeys, upland game birds, and other wildlife. The plants tends to colonize. Use Black Huckleberry in wildlife gardens, shrub borders, and foundation plantings.

Eutrochium purpureum

Joe-Pye Weed has large, rounded flower heads with pale pinkish-purple, fragrant flowers blooming July-September. Flowers are followed by attractive seed heads, which last well into winter. Joe-Pye Weed has special value for native bees and attracts many species of butterflies. The tall flowering plants make a striking display when massed in the back of borders, meadows, or wildflower gardens, or along edges of ponds or other water features.

Erica carnea

Winter Heath is an evergreen plant with needle-like leaves and small, bell-shaped flowers, which bloom late winter to early spring. Its long-blooming flowers provide cheery late winter/early spring color to the yard. Cover it in winter with mulch to protect from very cold temperatures. Any pruning should be done immediately after flowering. Winter Heath is a good choice for slopes and rock gardens.

Epimedium spp.

Barrenwort not only tolerates shade, it prefers it! Attractive mounds of medium-green foliage on wiry stems spread through rhizomes (underground stems). Plants bloom in spring in a variey of flower colors (purple, pink, orange, yellow, or white). The leaves turn attractive shades of yellow, red, or bronze in the fall. The shape of the flower resembles a bishop’s hat, inspiring the common name. Plants do best in moist, well-drained soil, but will tolerate drought and competition with tree roots. Excellent choice for any shady garden area, including border-fronts, path edges, woodland gardens, rock gardens, and under trees.

Echinacea purpurea

Purple Coneflower blooms, with their drooping, pinkish-purple rays and prominent centers, resemble badminton birdies. The showy, long-lasting, daisy-like flowers bloom non-stop throughout the summer and make excellent fresh-cut or dried flowers. While not native to all of New Jersey, this species is a native of similar ecoregions in North America. It tolerates a range of conditions, including drought and poor soil. Purple Coneflower is a wildlife-friendly plant, providing nectar for butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds and seeds for birds. It also has multiple medicinal properties, and is commonly used as an herbal remedy. Plant in masses in beds, borders, wildflower gardens, and meadows.

Dianthus plumarius

Grass Pink is a mat-forming, flowering perennial with narrow, grass-like, gray-green leaves. It is covered with fragrant, pink flowers May-July. This plant needs good drainage and air circulation. Use in rock gardens or as an edging plant.

Delosperma spp.

Ice Plant is a long-blooming, succulent plant with excellent drought resistance. Its attractive leaves reflect light in a way that makes them appear to be covered by ice crystals. Ice Plant flowers in a variety of bright colors (shades of pink, purple, and yellow) from June-September. It requires well-drained soils, so water sparingly. Plant it in an area protected from winter winds and cold temperatures. Ice Plant makes an excellent groundcover for south- or west-facing slopes. Also use in rock gardens and as an edging plant.

Cosmos bipinnatus

Cosmos is an easy-care, drought-tolerant annual, which flowers prolifically. Its red, pink, or white daisy-like flowers with yellow centers bloom June to frost. Taller varieties should be staked for support when flowering. Deadhead to prolong blooming, but leave some spent flowers in the fall to provide seeds for the birds. This plant will self-seed, sometimes aggressively. Excellent choice for beds, borders, and cutting gardens.

Consolida ajacis

Rocket Larkspur’s spikes of blue, pink, or white flowers bloom June-August. The flowers are excellent fresh-cut or dried. Remove the spent flowers to encourage more blooms. This plant prefers well-drained soils, so avoid planting in wet locations. Use Rocket Larkspur in beds, borders, or cutting gardens.

Cleome hassleriana

Cleome is an annual plant with palm-shaped, aromatic leaves and showy, fragrant flowers blooming on tall, rigid stems from summer to first frost. Flower colors are combinations of white, pink, and purple. The nectar attracts hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies, and the seeds are a food source for birds. If left on the plants, the seed pods dry and split open, dispersing seeds for next year’s growth. The seed pods can be removed to prevent aggressive self-seeding. Use Cleome in beds, back of borders, foundation plantings, wildlife gardens, and mixed in with shrubs.