Have you stopped to consider what kind of plants you have in your New Jersey garden? While large home improvement stores may sell all kinds of plants, they rarely have ones native to New Jersey. If you want to boost your garden’s ecosystem, consider adding native New Jersey plants to your backyard.
Adding native plants to your garden can help your garden in several ways. Native plants are better at conserving water and boosting soil health. They also support local wildlife and reduce the need for fertilizers and pesticides.
There are plenty of great native New Jersey plants that will offer perennial or year-round support to your garden. And Neighborhood Compost is all about creating a natural, sustainable ecosystem with supportive native plant life.
Here are some native New Jersey plants you should consider adding to your garden this spring.
Wood Anemone
Type: Perennial
Light: Partial shade
Soil: Humus
Fun Fact: Part of the Buttercup family
The wood anemone blooms several single white and pin flowers, and they go into full bloom between April and June. In the wild, they typically are found in wooded or forested areas, so they will do best in partial or full shade. If you’re in need of ground cover, these flowers enjoy moist, rich soil.
Great Blue Lobelia
Type: Perennial
Light: Partial to full sun
Soil: Moist
Fun Fact: Attracts butterflies
Great blue lobelia is a beautiful, colorful plant that offers variety to your garden since they blossom on an upright spike. These flowers have a deep blue color and bloom in late summer to early fall. They do best in full sun or partial shade, and they prefer medium to moist soil. They tend to attract butterflies, bees and hummingbirds.
Black-Eyed Susan
Type: Annual
Light: Full sun
Soil: Well-draining moist to dry
Fun Fact: Pioneer plants, meaning they will grow in areas damaged by natural disasters
The Black-eyed Susan is a well-known flower with signature yellow petals with a black or brown center. They’re surprisingly hearty and, in the right conditions, will grow up to 2 feet tall. You’ll usually see these bloom from June through October.
Purple Coneflower
Type: Perennial
Light: Full to partial sun
Soil: Loamy
Fun Fact: You can dry flowers to make an immune-boosting tea
Purple coneflowers are another great plant to use to add some color to your New Jersey garden. They have purple and pink blooms that can grow up to 3 feet tall. You’ll see them in the early summer. Purple coneflowers attract bees and butterflies, making your garden a great place to support local pollinators.
Trumpet Creeper
Type: Perennial
Light: Partial shade to full sun
Soil: Wet, dry, sand, loam, or clay
Fun Fact: It’s technically an invasive weed, so plant with care
The trumpet creeper is a vining plant that’s a very hearty addition to any garden. It blooms and will spread between 5-10 feet as it grows. This flowering vine can handle pretty much all of the harsher weather conditions of New Jersey.
Maryland Golden Aster
Type: Short-season perennial
Light: Partial shade to full sun
Soil: Moist to medium, sandy
Fun Fact: Comes from the Greek word “chrysos” which means gold
The Maryland golden aster is great to plant in the spring or early summer for a later arrival of blooms. It’s a perennial that shows off its bright yellow flowers between August and October. It only grows about a foot off the ground, so it’s best to use it for ground cover. It thrives in sandy soil as well as traditional garden soil.
To sum up, there are so many native New Jersey plants that will make incredible additions to your garden. Be sure to check out locally-owned nurseries and garden stores to find them, as these often source plants from local farms. You’ll be glad you took the time to support a local business and support the flora in your own backyard.
And if you need some extra fertile soil for your garden, be sure to check out Neighborhood Compost! All our compost pickup subscriptions include occasional opportunities to get rich soil additives from our New Jersey farm. Contact us today to sign up!