Plant List: Native Choices for the Berkshires
By choosing native plants, you encourage a healthy and diverse ecosystem that supports insects, birds, amphibians, fish, reptiles and mammals as well as more plants and fungi.
Plants listed here are native to the designated regions and are available at Ward’s regularly or can be ordered. Find trees and shrubs first followed by perennials.
To learn more about these selections, please highlight the plant name, copy and paste into the search field of our plant finder.
Download a printable PDF of this list.
Trees & Shrubs Locally Native to Berkshire & Taconic Ranges
- Abies balsamea
- Acer rubrum
- Acer saccharinum
- Acer saccharum
- Amelanchier canadensis
- Amelanchier laevis
- Andromeda polifolia
- Aronia prunifolia
- Azalea roseum
- Betula lenta
- Betula papyrifera
- Carpinus caroliniana
- Cephalanthus occidentalis
- Clethra alnifolia
- Comptonia peregrina
- Cornus alternifolia
- Cornus florida
- Cornus sericea
- Cornus racemosa
- Corylus americana
- Diervilla lonicera
- Fraxinus americana
- Fraxinus pennsylvanica
- Hamamelis virginiana
- Ilex verticillata
- Juniperus communis
- Kalmia angustifolia
- Kalmia latifolia
- Larix laricina
- Lindera benzoin
- Liriodendron tulipifera
- Morus rubra
- Nyssa sylvatica
- Ostrya virginica
- Parthenocissus quinquefolia
- Pieris floribunda
- Pinus strobus
- Platanus occidentalis
- Populus tremuloides
- Prunus americana
- Prunus serotinia
- Quercus alba
- Quercus coccinea
- Quercus ‘Muehlenbergii’
- Quercus rubra (Borealis)
- Rhododendron canadensis
- Rhododendron maximum
- Rhus glabra
- Rosa virginiana
- Rubus odoratus
- Salix discolor
- Sambucus canadensis
- Sambucus racemosa ‘Pubens’
- Sassafras albidum
- Spiraea latifolia
- Symphocarpus albus
- Thuja occidentalis
- Tilia Americana
- Tsuga canadensis
- Ulmus americana
- Vaccinium angustifolium
- Vaccinium corymbosum
- Viburnum cassinoides
- Viburnum dentatum
- Viburnum trilobum
- Vitis labrusca
Additional Trees & Shrubs Native to Massachusetts
- Azalea ‘Nudiflorm’
- Azalea viscosum
- Betula nigra
- Chamaecyparis thyoides
- Ilex glabra
- Magnolia virginiana
- Myrica pensylvanica
- Prunus maritima
- Quercus palustris
Additional Trees & Shrubs Native to the Northeast U.S.
- Hydrangea arborescens
- Juniperus horizontalis
- Lonicera sempervirens
- Physocarpus opulufolius
- Picea glauca
- Rhus aromatica
- Viburnum Prunifolium
Additional Trees & Shrubs Native to the Eastern U.S.
- Aesculus octandra
- Aesculus parviflora
- Azalea calendulaceum
- Calycanthus floridus
- Campsis radicans
- Chionanthus virginicus
- Cladastris kentuckea
- Fothergilla gardenii
- Fothergilla major
- Halesia tetraptera
- Hamamelis vernalis
- Itea virginica
Perennials Locally Native to Berkshire & Taconic Ranges
In alphabetical order by Common Name
- Allegheny Foam Flower– Tiarella cordifolia
- Americana Trout Lily– Erythronium americanum
- Bearberry– Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
- Bermuda Blue Eyed Grass– Sisyrinchium bermuidiana
- Black Cohosh/ Branched Bugbane– Cimicifuga racemosa
- Bloodroot wildflower– Sanguinaria canadensis
- Bunchberry– Cornus canadensis
- Butterfly Weed– Asceplias incarnata
- Butterfly Weed– Asclepias turberosa
- Canadian Columbine– Aquilegia canadensis
- Canadian Ginger– Asarum canadense
- Cardinal Flower– Lobelia cardinalis
- Christmas Fern — Fern – Polystichum acrostichoides
- Cinnamon Fern — Fern – Osmunda cinnamonea
- Common Bluets Quaker Ladies– Houstonia caerulea
- Crested Fern– Fern – Dryopteris cristata
- Dutchman’s Breeches– Dicentra cucullaria
- Ebony Spleenwort– Fern – Asplenium trichomanes
- False Solomon’s Seal– Smilacina racemosa
- Fringed Gentian– Gentianopsis crinita
- Gentian, Bottle Gentian– Gentiana andrewsii
- Hairy Dwarf Beard Tongue– Penstemon hirsutus pygmaeus
- Hayscented Fern– Fern – Dennstaedtia punctilobula
- Jack-in-the-Pulpit– Arisaema triphyllum
- Lady Fern– Fern – Athyrium filix-femina
- Lady’s Tresses Orchid– Spiranthus cernum odorata
- Ladyslipper Orchid– Cypripedium pubescens
- Large Flowered Bellwort– Uvularia grandiflora
- Leatherwood Fern– Fern – Dryopteris marginalis
- Little Bluestem grass– Schizachyrium scoparium
- Liver Leaf Hepatica– Hepatica nobilus
- Marsh Marigold– Caltha palustris
- Mayapple– Podophyllum peltatum
- Meadow Anemone– Anemone canadensis
- Meadow Lily– Lilium canadense
- Miterwort– Mitella dyphylla
- Corrugated Jack-in-the-Pulpit– Arisaema stewardsonii
- Narrow-leaf Blue Eyed Grass– Sisyrinchium angustifolium
- Nodding Trillium– Trillium cernuum
- Northern Blue Flag Iris– Iris versicolor
- Northern Maidenhair Fern– Fern – Adiantum pedatum
- Ostrich Fern — Fern – Matteuccia struthiopteris
- Painted Trillium– Trillium undulatum
- Partridge Berry– Mitchella repens
- Path-Rush– Grass – Juncus tenuis
- Rattlesnake Orchid– Goodyera pubescens
- Rose Twisted Stalk– Streptopus roseus
- Round Lobe Hepatica– Hepatica americana
- Royal Fern– Fern – Osmunda regalis
- Rue-Anemone– Anemonella thalictroides
- Sensitive Fern — Fern – Onoclea sensibilis
- Showy Lady Slipper– Cypripedium reginae
- Snakeroot — Cimicifuga racemosa
- Squirrel Corn– Dicentra canadensis
- Thimbleberry– Rubus odoratus
- Trailing Arbutus– Epigaea repens
- Water Avens– Geum rivale
- White Baneberry– Actaea pachypoda
- White Turtlehead– Chelone glabra
- Wild Lupine– Lupinus perennis
- Wintergreen– Gaultheria procumbens
- Yellow Star Grass– Hypoxis hirsuta
Additional Perennials Native to Massachusetts
In alphabetical order by Common Name
- Bird’s Foot Violet– Viola pedata
- Blue Bells of Scotland– Campanula rotundifolia
- Hair Grass– Grass – Muhlenbergia capillaris
- Prairie Dropseed– Grass – Sporobolus heterolepsis
- Prickly Pear Cactus– Opuntia humifusa
- Spiderwort– Tradescantia ohiensis
Additional Perennials Native to New England
In alphabetical order by Common Name
- Labrador Violet– Viola labradorica
- Lily-of-the-Valley– Convallaria majalis
- Red Turks Cap Lily– Lilium superbum rubra
- Spike Gayfeather– Liatris spicata
- Spreading Globe Flower– Trollius laxus
- Striped Pipsissewa– Chimaphila maculata
- Three Lobed Cone Flower– Rudbeckia triloba
- Yellow Turks Cap Lily– Lilium superbum lutea
Additional Perennials Native to Eastern U.S.
In alphabetical order by Common Name
- Allegheny Spurge– Pachysandra procumbens
- Arkansas Amsonia– Amsonia hubrichtii
- Arrow-leaf Ginger– Asarum ariefolium
- Barbara’s Buttons– Marshallia grandiflora
- Beard Tongue– Penstemon smalii
- Blue False Indigo– Baptisia australis
- Blue Star-Native– Amsonia tabernaemontana
- Blue Vervain– Verbena hastata
- Bowman’s Root– Gillenia trifoliata
- Celandine Poppy– Stylophorum diphyllum
- Creeping Jacobs Ladder– Polemonium reptans
- Culver’s Root– Veronicastrum virginicum
- Cup Plant– Silphium perfolatum
- Dwarf Crested Iris– Iris cristata
- Dwarf Larkspur — Delphinium tricorne
- Fire Pinks– Silene virginica
- Fringed Bleeding Heart– Dicentra eximia
- Gay Feather– Liatris microcephala
- Ginseng– Panax quinquefolium
- Goatsbeard– Aruncus dioicus
- Great White Trillium– Trillium grandiflorum
- Hardy Ageratum — Eupatorium coelestinum
- Indian Pink– Spigelia marilandica
- Large Bluets– Houstonia purpurea
- Mexican Hat– Ratibida pinnata
- Mottled Wild Ginger– Asarum shuttleworthii
- Narrow Leafed Sunflower– Helianthus angustifolius
- Oconee Bells– Shortia galacifolia
- Pink Coreopsis– Coreopsis tripteris
- Prairie Bird’s Foot Violet– Viola pedatifida
- Prairie Trillium– Trillium recurvatum
- Prarie Blazing Star– Liatris pycnostachya
- Purple Cone Flower– Echinacea purpurea
- Red Toad Trillium– Trillium sessile
- Rose Turtlehead– Chelone obliqua
- Rough Gay Feather– Liatris aspera
- Scaly Blazing Star– Liatris squarrosa
- Shooting Star– Dodecantheon meadia
- Showy Orchid– Orchis spectabile
- Small Wood Sunflower– Helianthus microcephalus
- Snow Trillium — Trillium nivale
- Southern Lupine– Thermopsis caroliniana
- Stonecrop– Sedum nevii
- Sundrops/Evening primrose– Oenothera fruticosa
- Tall Larkspur– Delphinium exultatum
- Trillium Flexipes– Trillium flexipes
- Twin Leaf– Jeffersonia diphylla
- Virginia Bluebells– Mertensia virginica
- Wandflower– Galax aphylla
- White Trout Lily– Erythronium albidum
- White Wild Indigo– Baptisia alba
- Yellow Toadshade Trillium– Trillium luteum
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