Score Four: Students, Schools, Streams, and The Bay
Rebecca Wolf and Nguyen Le
Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin
June 2017
Native Plants
 Native Plants
 Definition: A native plant is any plant that historically grew in the
region.
 Benefits:
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Need less fertilizer.
Need less pesticides.
Have much deeper roots than turf grasses:
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Improves soil porosity.
Helps prevent erosion.
Absorbs more runoff.
Provide habitat for native insects, birds, and other wildlife.
Root Systems of Native Plants
Plant Selection
 Each plant prefers or tolerates a range of soil, sunlight, moisture,
temperature and other conditions, as well as a variety of other factors
including disturbance by natural events, animals or human activities.
 Select plants native to your region of your state
 Select plants based on current site conditions
 Light conditions
 Soil moisture conditions
 Soil type
 Consider a plant’s:
 Height and spread
 Fall color
 Fruit
 Wildlife benefit
 Maintenance level
Plant Selection
 Other things to consider:
 Select plants based on your
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project goals.
Try to recreate a natural habitat.
Use plants together as they grow
in the wild.
Think about including ferns and
grasses to your selection.
Group trees, shrubs and
perennials to create layers of
vegetation.
Select plants that fruit or bloom
during different times of the year
to provide food for wildlife year
round.
Think about maintenance of these
plants.
Types of Plants To Consider
Ferns
Example: Onoclea sensibilis, Sensitive Fern
 Height: 1 – 3.5’
 Light:
 Moisture: M W
 Soil pH: ?
 Soil type: C L S
Types of Plants To Consider
Grasses
Example: Panicum virgatum, Switchgrass
 Height:3 – 6’
 Light:
 Moisture: D M W
 Soil pH: 4.5 - 8
 Soil type: C L S
Types of Plants To Consider
Herbaceous Plants
Example: Asclepias tuberosa, Butterfly Milkweed
 Height: 1 – 3’
 Light:
 Moisture: D M
 Soil pH: 4.8 – 6.8
 Soil type: L S
 Wildlife: Butterflies, insects
Types of Plants To Consider
Shrubs
Example: Vaccinium angustifolium, Lowbush Blueberry
 Height: 1 – 2’
 Light:
 Moisture: D M
 Soil pH: 4 – 6
 Soil type: C L S
 Flowers: May – Jun, White
 Fruit: Jul – Aug, blue to black, berry
 Fall color: Red
 Wildlife: Butterflies, Birds, Insects
Types of Plants To Consider
Trees
Example: Cercis canadensis, Eastern Redbud
 Height: 20 – 35’
 Spread: 20 – 35’
 Light:
 Moisture: D M
 Soil pH: 4.5 – 7.5
 Soil type:
L S
 Flowers: Apr - May, Pink to lavender
 Fruit: Jul – Dec, black, pod
 Fall color: Golden yellow
 Wildlife: Butterflies, Birds
Native Plant Nurseries
 Check local native plant nurseries for lists of available
plants as a starting point for research.
 A list of native plant nurseries within the Chesapeake Bay
Watershed can be found here:
https://www.fws.gov/chesapeakebay/BayScapes/bsresourc
es/bs-nurseries.html
Some Plants Commonly Found in Nurseries in MD
Ferns
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Osmunda cinnamomea, cinnamon fern
Osmunda regalis, royal fern
Grasses
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Panicum virgatum, switchgrass
Herbaceous Plants
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Asclepias incarnata, swamp milkweed
Asclepias tuberosa, butterfly milkweed
Chelone glabra, white turtlehead
Liatris spicata, blazingstar
Lobelia cardinalis, cardinal flower
Rudbeckia hirta, blackeyed Susan
Solidago odora, sweet goldenrod
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae, New England aster
Shrubs
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Ilex verticillata, winterberry
Lindera benzoin, spicebush
Viburnum dentatum, arrowwood
Trees
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Diospyros virginiana, persimmon
Magnolia virginiana, sweetbay magnolia
Native Plant Guides
 Use native plant guides and websites to research the
available plants at your local nurseries.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Native Plant Guides
 For the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
 Download the PDF
https://www.nps.gov/plants/pubs/chesapea
ke/pdf/chesapeakenatives.pdf
 Online Version
www.nativeplantcenter.net
 For Maryland Only
 Mountain region
http://www.nps.gov/plants/pubs/nativesM
D/pdf/MD-Mountain.pdf
 Piedmont
http://www.nps.gov/plants/pubs/nativesM
D/pdf/MD-Piedmont.pdf
 Coastal Plain
The PDF is an 83 page guide that contains
color photos of over 400 plant species native to
the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
http://www.nps.gov/plants/pubs/nativesM
D/pdf/MD-CoastalPlain.pdf
Other Resources
 Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/plantfinder/plantfindersearch.aspx
 Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/