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Hosta spp.

Hosta is a flowering perennial mainly grown for its attractive foliage. The Hosta genus includes many species and varieties with different combinations of leaf shapes, colors, and patterns. Bell-shaped flowers in a variety of colors bloom in late spring to summer on top of stalks extending above the foliage. This plant prefers moist, well-drained, organically rich soil. Use Hosta in shady beds and borders or in woodland gardens. Protect Hosta from deer browse, as it can be one of their favorite plants!

Scaevola aemula

Fanflower is a sprawling, tender perennial grown as an annual in New Jersey. Bluish-purple, fan-shaped flowers with yellow “throats” bloom on trailing stems non-stop throughout the spring and summer. Fanflower thrives in the heat of summer. This plant tolerates dry, sandy soils and salt spray, making it a good choice for seashore gardens. Use Fanflower in beds, containers, and hanging baskets, or as an annual groundcover.

Catharanthus roseus

Madagascar Periwinkle is a tender perennial grown as an annual in New Jersey. It has attractive, glossy leaves and rose-pink, phlox-like flowers, which bloom from June to frost. Cultivars offer additional color choices, including red, purple, and white. This plant thrives in summer heat, and is drought-tolerant once established. It grows best in well-drained soil. Minimize overhead watering to avoid root rot. Use Madagascar Periwinkle in beds and borders, as an edging plant, or as an annual groundcover. It can also be used in containers.

Pentas lanceolata

Egyptian Starcluster is a flowering tropical plant grown as an annual in New Jersey. It has lush, green foliage and large, rounded clusters of star-shaped flowers, which are available in a variety of colors (pink, lavender, red, and white). This plant flowers prolifically from summer to frost. The nectar attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. Egyptian Starcluster grows best in organically rich soils. Plant it in beds, borders, and containers, or use it indoors as a houseplant. If desired, outdoor plants can be moved indoors for overwintering.

Monarda fistulosa

Wild Bergamot is a highly adaptable, wildlife-friendly perennial. Its showy, tubular, white, pink, or purple flowers form round, wispy clusters atop tall stems, July through September. The foliage is fragrant, offering additional interest in the garden. Wild Bergamot is valued by hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees, which benefit from the nectar. The genus Monarda is prone to powdery mildew, but this species, Monarda fistulosa, offers some resistance. Use Wild Bergamot in borders, meadows, and naturalized areas in your yard.

Lobelia siphilitica

Great Blue Lobelia features purple-blue, tubular flowers, which bloom July-September in whorled clusters atop tall, erect stems. This plant’s nectar is a food source for bees and hummingbirds; it has special value for native bees and bumblebees. It prefers part-shade, but will tolerate full sun in cooler climates. Its native habitat includes swamps and moist, low areas. Use Great Blue Lobelia in the back of borders to add depth to your garden. Plant it in rain gardens, wildlife gardens, woodland gardens, and moist areas of your yard.

Coreopsis rosea

Pink Tickseed is a multi-stemmed, clumping perennial with dense, green foliage. Small, pink-purple, daisy-like flowers with yellow centers are scattered within the vegetation. It blooms all summer, June-September. The native habitat of Pink Tickseed consists of wet, sandy soils. It needs consistent moisture and does not tolerate clay soils. It may self-seed to form a dense groundcover. Use Pink Tickseed in borders, along walkways, in your native plant garden, and in moist meadows.

Eutrochium fistulosum

Joe-Pye Weed is a tall, sturdy perennial with dark green leaves. Clusters of tiny, fragrant, pinkish-rose-colored flowers bloom July-September. The nectar is highly valued by butterflies and honeybees. The flowers are followed by seed heads (which persist into winter), providing an important food source for sparrows, as well as providing seasonal interest. Joe-Pye Weed is a host plant for butterfly and moth larvae (caterpillars), including Three-lined Flower Moth (Schinia trifascia), Eupatorium Borer Moth (Papaipema eupatorii), and Clymene Moth (Haploa clymene). It prefers moist, fertile soils, and is intolerant of dry conditions. Use Joe-Pye Weed in masses in the back of borders to offer depth to your garden. It is best planted in groups in meadows, native plant gardens, butterfly gardens, rain gardens, or naturalized areas. It is valued by native Americans for its medicinal properties.

Spartina patens

Saltmeadow Cordgrass is a warm-season perennial grass. The slender, wiry plants grow in thick mats. The action of wind and water can bend the stems, giving a whorled appearance to this hay-like grass. Purplish, wind-pollinated flowers appear on spikelets, June-August. This plant grows on salty, brackish, and freshwater marshes, tidal flats, and dunes. It tolerates flooding, and spreads aggressively through rhizomes (underground stems). Although it is native to salty areas, it grows larger in fresh water habitats. Saltmeadow Cordgrass is highly adaptable to a range of soil conditions. It provides food and cover for aquatic and terrestrial wildlife. You can use Saltmeadow Cordgrass as shoreline protection to control erosion, for dune stabilization, and tidal marsh restoration. There are many cultivars available commercially to suit your needs and preferences.

Zinnia spp.

The Zinnia genus contains many species with flowers ranging in sizes and colors, including red, yellow, pink, orange, and purple. Zinnia is one of the easiest annuals to grow. Each brightly colored, daisy-like flower blooms on a single, erect stem. The flowers bloom from June to frost and attract many pollinators, including hummingbirds and butterflies. They also make excellent fresh-cut flowers. This annual will re-seed itself for next season. It is susceptible to powdery mildew; minimize overhead watering and wetting leaves to avoid this disease. Use Zinnia in mixed borders, beds, butterfly gardens, and for colorful accents around your yard. Smaller varieties can be used for edging and in containers.