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Ilex glabra

Inkberry is an evergreen holly with spineless leaves. Tiny, greenish-white flowers bloom in the spring, followed by black berry-like fruits in late fall and winter. The flowers are a source of nectar for bees, producing the flavorful Gallberry honey.

Hudsonia tomentosa

Woolly Beach Heather is a slow-growing, mat-like evergreen for dry, sandy soils. Its scale-like, grayish-green leaves protect the plant from summer heat and drying winds. The roots help to hold loose sand in place, especially on dunes. Small, yellow flowers bloom at the top of the branches from late spring into summer. This plant is both drought- and salt-tolerant. It’s a good choice for beaches, dunes, and dry pinelands. Woolly Beach Heather may be difficult to find commercially. Tell your local garden center or nursery about your interest in this plant.

Hibiscus moscheutos

Rose Mallow is a shrub-like perennial with large, heart-shaped leaves, which are smooth on top and “hairy” underneath. Its large, showy, red, pink, white, or bicolor flowers bloom non-stop from midsummer to frost. This plant prefers moist, organic soil. Use it as a specimen plant or plant in masses. Good choice for low, wet sites and edges of ponds or water features.

Helianthus angustifolius

Swamp Sunflowers have yellow rays and reddish-brown to purple centers; they bloom September-November. Pinch the growth in early June for bushier plants with more blooms in the fall. This plant tolerates wet areas of the yard and bog-like conditions, and is suitable for rain gardens or the edges of water features. Use as a specimen plant or massed in beds.

Ginkgo biloba

Gingko is a deciduous tree with unique, fan-shaped leaves. It is dioecious (separate male and female trees), but only male trees should be planted, since the fruit of female trees is messy and malodorous. Its yellow fall leaves can persist for weeks, then suddenly drop within a day. This cold-hardy tree is usually deep-rooted and resistant to wind and snow damage. It tolerates salt and poor soil and air quality, making it a good choice for urban conditions. Use Gingko as a lawn tree or street tree.

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.

Gaultheria procumbens

Eastern Teaberry is a woody, evergreen groundcover. Its small, white, bell-shaped flowers bloom June-July, followed by small, red, edible berries that have a refreshing wintergreen flavor. Birds feed on the berries, which persist through the winter. The waxy, dark green leaves also smell like wintergreen when crushed. The leaves, which turn reddish in cold weather, are also a winter food source for wildlife. Both the leaves and berries can be used to make an herbal tea. Use Eastern Teaberry as groundcover or in woodland gardens, shade gardens, or naturalized areas.

Gaillardia x grandiflora

Blanket Flower has daisy-like, tri-colored flowers with yellow-orange petals and dark red centers. It has a long bloom time, from June-September, and makes an excellent cut flower. Butterflies benefit from the nectar, and finches eat the dried seeds. Blanket Flower prefers moist soil, but will tolerate some drought. Use in borders, cutting gardens, or mixed container plantings.

Festuca glauca

Blue Fescue is a semi-evergreen ornamental grass with attractive blue-green foliage. It grows in a small, neat, cushion-like clump and does not spread by runners. Divide the plants in early spring every couple of years. Blue Fescue prefers dry, sandy soils and is tolerant of salt spray, making it a good choice for seaside gardens. Use it as an edging plant or in borders. Space plants close together to form a beautiful groundcover.

Eurybia spectabilis

Eastern Showy Aster has bright purple flowers with yellow centers, which bloom August-October. It grows well in dry, sandy soils and is tolerant of salt spray. It spreads by rhizomes (underground stems) to form loose colonies. Use in sunny borders, wildflower gardens, and seashore gardens. Good addition to cut-flower bouquets.