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Nierembergia spp.

Cupflower is a tender perennial, which is grown and used as an annual in New Jersey. This genus offers several species to choose from, and many cultivars are available offering various shades of blue and purple. Perky, cup-shaped flowers bloom May to frost. Cupflower prefers consistently moist soil, and is not able to tolerate heat and humidity. Use mulch in your garden beds to keep the soil moist, and find a protected place along borders in your yard. Try planting Cupflower in your rock garden, mixed containers, and hanging baskets for a full season of enjoyment of this long-blooming plant.

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.

Muhlenbergia lindheimeri

Lindheimer’s Muhly is a clump-forming, perennial grass. Its light-green to blue-green leaves surround delicate, lacy, white flower heads, which bloom May-November. Avoid cutting back the plants, since the leaves provide nesting material for birds through the winter. Use Lindheimer’s Muhly as a specimen in your yard, in groups for a screen, or next to foundations for wildlife-friendly appeal.

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.

Magnolia virginiana

Sweetbay is a wildlife-friendly magnolia, native to New Jersey. This small, semi-evergreen, flowering tree offers creamy-white, waxy flowers, May-June. Cone-like fruits with red seeds mature in fall and are valued as a food source by wildlife. Sweetbay is a host plant for larvae (caterpillars) of the beautiful Sweetbay Silkmoth (Callosamia securifera). It prefers moist, acidic, organic soils, but will tolerate wet, boggy areas, heavy clay, and sandy loam. Use Sweetbay as a specimen tree in your yard, along borders, around foundations, along woodland edges, or in your rain garden.

Magnolia grandiflora

Southern Magnolia is a flowering, broadleaf, semi-evergreen (deciduous in colder climates) tree with a full, pyramidal shape. Its fragrant, large, creamy-white flowers bloom April-June, offering a stunning display. Southern Magnolia must be protected from winter winds, and is sensitive to frost. Plant it as a specimen, or as a shade tree in your yard or neighborhood park; select an appropriate place to ensure optimum growth. It is intolerant of urban conditions.

Magnolia acuminata

Cucumber-tree is a medium-large, flowering deciduous tree, offering a full, rounded form. Upon maturity, small, slightly fragrant, tulip-like greenish-yellow flowers bloom April-May, usually towards the crown of the tree. Flowers are followed by cucumber-like, showy red fruits in late summer. The seeds are a food source for birds and small mammals. Use Cucumber-tree as an ornamental shade tree in your yard or neighborhood park.

Lyonia mariana

Staggerbush is a deciduous shrub featuring white, bell-shaped flowers, which bloom May-June. The flowers are pollinated by native bees. The seed capsules mature in September and persist through winter, offering additional interest in your garden. The leaves are toxic to livestock, and should not be ingested. A native of the Pine Barrens, Staggerbush can be used as an ornamental plant in the woodland edges and naturalized areas around your yard.