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Liriodendron tulipifera

Tuliptree is a large, fast-growing, flowering, wildlife-friendly deciduous tree. Yellow-and-orange bicolor flowers blooming May-June are valued by bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Flowers lead to ornamental, cone-shaped fruits bearing numerous winged seeds. Large, tulip-shaped leaves give this tree its common name. It is favored by wildlife for nest sites, cover, and food. Tuliptree is a host plant for butterfly and moth larvae (caterpillars), including Tuliptree Silkmoth (Callosamia angulifera) and Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus). Use it as a specimen tree or shade tree for your large yard or landscape.

Liquidambar styraciflua

Sweet Gum is a large, low-maintenance, wildlife-friendly deciduous tree. It is monoecious; yellow-green male and female flowers bloom separately on the same tree, April-May. Female flowers are followed by “gum balls” — hard, spherical, pointy seed pods, which house seeds that are an attractive food source for birds and wildlife. The seed pods may be considered unsightly litter by some, but the benefits to wildlife far outweigh this minor nuisance. Sweet Gum trees also provide nesting sites and cover for birds and wildlife. Select its placement carefully, as it is intolerant of alkaline soils and shade. Use it as a specimen tree or shade tree in your yard. It can also be used as a stately street tree; however, clean-up of the gumballs must be managed.

Lantana camara

Lantana is a tough, long-blooming plant, which thrives in summer heat. Round clusters of multi-colored flowers bloom non-stop from July to frost. Lantana tolerates salt spray, making it a good choice for seaside gardens. Use Lantana as bedding plants or in containers. Its leaves have an unpleasant odor if crushed, so avoid planting in areas of the yard where people might step on it.

Juglans nigra

Black Walnut is a large deciduous tree with fragrant leaves and furrowed bark. It produces round, edible nuts in the fall; nuts can be messy when they fall to the ground. Black Walnut is the preferred host of luna and regal moths. Its roots produce chemicals called juglones, which deter growth of certain other plants; avoid planting it near fruit trees, flower beds, and vegetable gardens. Black Walnut wood is highly prized for furniture. Use it as a shade tree.

Juglans cinerea

Butternut is a medium-large, deciduous tree similar to Black Walnut, but it is usually a smaller, more cold-tolerant tree. This tree has sweet, edible, oval-shaped nuts. The roots produce chemicals called juglones, which are toxic to certain other plants; avoid planting it near fruit trees, flower beds, and vegetable gardens. Butternut is susceptible to canker, a fungal disease that is devastating this species in the wild. Use it as a shade tree.

Hemerocallis spp.

Daylily is an easy-care perennial with attractive, arching, blade-like leaves. Varieties are available in a wide range of flower colors, mainly shades of yellow, orange, and red. Its large, lily-shaped flowers bloom continuously from midsummer to fall. Use in the perennial flower border, massed in beds, or as a groundcover.

Helianthus annuus

Common Sunflower has large flower heads with dark centers and bright yellow rays. The flower heads, which turn to face the sun, bloom on tall, hairy stems July-August. Birds love to feast on the seeds, and the nectar is a valuable food source for native bees. Use the taller varieties, which may need staking, in the back of borders, and dwarf varieties in beds or the front of borders.

Helenium autumnale

Common Sneezeweed has daisy-like flowers with distinctive, fan-shaped rays and prominent, raised centers. The flowers bloom from late summer until frost in colors ranging from yellow to reddish-brown to orange. The tall plants add vertical texture to gardens, but may need to be staked. Pinch back plants in early June for bushier growth with more blooms. The common name is based on the former use of its dried leaves to make snuff, which was inhaled to cause sneezing. Sneezeweed has special value for native bees. Use Sneezeweed in the back of borders or beds, wildflower gardens, and naturalized areas.

Gomphrena globosa

Common Globe Amaranth is a compact, heat-tolerant annual. Its clover-like flower heads in shades of purple, red, pink, and white bloom on sturdy, thick stems from June to frost. Globe Amaranth makes an excellent fresh-cut or dried flower. Use it in beds, borders, rock gardens, or containers.

Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis

Thornless Honeylocust is a large, fast-growing, urban-tolerant deciduous tree. Its small leaflets and open crown cast a light shade that permits shade-tolerant grasses and perennials to grow underneath, making it a good choice for filtered shade. The seed pods are a food source for birds and other wildlife. Protect the bark of young trees, since white-tailed deer and rabbits may eat the soft bark in winter. Use Thornless Honeylocust as a street tree, on slopes for erosion control, or for windbreaks.