Learn which native plants to include in your home gardens. Whether the garden is in the sun or shade, this presentation lists which grasses, shrubs, perennials, and trees to select.

1. A Fairfax County, VA, publication
Department of Public Works and Environmental Services
Working for You!
NATIVE PLANTS FOR HOME GARDENS
STORMWATER PLANNING DIVISION
January 2019

2. Sunny Upland Gardens:
Ground Covers/Grasses
• Creek sedge, Carex amphibola
• Pink Hairgrass, Muhlenbergia capillaris
• Moss Phlox, Phlox subulata
• Little Bluestem, Schizachyrium scoparium
Perennials
• Butterflyweed, Asclepias tuberosa
• False Indigo, Baptisia australis
• Blue Mistflower, Conoclinium coelestinum
• Blazing Star, Liatris spicata
• Blackeyed Susan, Rudbeckia fulgida
• New England Aster, Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
DPWES Stormwater Planning Division
Native Plants for Home Gardens
2
Little Bluestem
Plant NOVA Natives
Moss phlox
Plant NOVA Natives
Beardtongue
Plant NOVA Natives
Blackeyed Susan
DPWES-STW
Blazing Star
Plant NOVA Natives
New England Aster
Butterflyweed
Plant NOVA Natives
False Indigo
Plant NOVA Natives
Creek Sedge
NorthCreek Nursery
New England Aster
Plant NOVA Natives
Pink Hairgrass
Plant NOVA Natives
Blue Mistflower
NorthCreek Nursery

3. DPWES Stormwater Planning Division
Native Plants for Home Gardens
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Shade Gardens:
Ground Covers/Grasses
• Plantain-leaved Sedge, Carex plantaginea
• River Oats, Chasmanthium latifolia
• Marginal Wood Fern, Dryopteris marginalis
• Christmas Fern, Polystichum acrostichoides
Perennials
• Wild Columbine, Aquilegia canadensis
• Wild Geranium, Geranium maculatum
• Woodland Phlox, Phlox divaricata
• Golden Groundsel, Packera aurea
• Heartleaf Aster, Symphyotrichum cordifolium
• Foamflower, Tiarella cordifolia
Heartleaf Aster
inaturalist-kenkneidel
River Oats
inaturalist-calinsdad
Woodland Phlox
Plant NOVA Natives
Christmas Fern
Plant NOVA Natives
Plantainleaf Sedge
Plant NOVA Natives
Golden Groundsel
Plant NOVA Natives
Wild Geranium
Plant NOVA Natives
Foamflower
Plant NOVA Natives
Wild Columbine
Plant NOVA Natives Marginal Wood Fern
Plant NOVA Natives

4. DPWES Stormwater Planning Division
Native Plants for Home Gardens
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Shrubs
Sunny:
• Red-osier Dogwood, Cornus stolonifera
• Inkberry, Ilex glabra ‘Densa’ or ‘Shamrock’
• Virginia Sweetspire ‘Henry’s Garnet,’ Itea virginica
• Nine Bark, Physocarphus opulifolius
Shady:
• Smooth Hydrangea, Hydrangea arborescens
• Winterberry, Ilex verticillata
• Mountain Dog-hobble, Leucothoe fontanesiana
• Possum-haw, Viburnum nudum ‘Winterthur’
Possum-haw inaturalist-bradymsu23
Mountain Dog-hobble
inaturalist-aiwendil
Ninebark PlantNOVANatives
Sweetspire PlantNOVANatives
Red-osier Dogwood
Inaturalist-taitsougstad
Inkberry inaturalist-shorton
Winterberry PlantNOVANatives
Smooth Hydrangea
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5. DPWES Stormwater Planning Division
Native Plants for Home Gardens
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Understory/Smaller Trees
Lowland:
• Serviceberry, Amelanchier canadensis
• River birch, Betula nigra
• White Fringetree, Chionanthus virginiana
• Sweetbay magnolia, Magnolia virginiana
Upland:
• Redbud, Cercis canadensis
• Flowering Dogwood, Cornus florida
• Witchhazel, Hamamelis virginiana
• American Holly, Ilex opaca
Serviceberry
Plant NOVA Natives
Sweetbay Magnolia
Earth Sangha
River Birchinaturalist-coatlicue
White Fringetree
Plant NOVA Natives
Redbud Plant NOVA Natives
Flowering Dogwood
Inaturalist-crgwriter
Witch Hazel Plant NOVA Natives
American Hollyinaturalist-mitchelljs

6. DPWES Stormwater Planning Division
Native Plants for Home Gardens
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Canopy Trees:
Lowland:
• Common Persimmon, Diospyros virginiana
• Sweet Gum, Liquidambar styraciflua
• Black Gum, Nyssa sylvatica
• Pin Oak, Quercus palustris
• Willow Oak, Quercus phellos
Upland:
• Mockernut Hickory, Carya tomentosa
• Southern Magnolia, Magnolia grandiflora
• Eastern Red Cedar, Juniperus virginiana
• White Oak, Quercus alba
• Southern Red Oak, Quercus falcata
Pin Oak
Inaturalist-coatlicue
Persimmon
Inaturalist-kenkneidel
Sweet Gum
Inaturalist-schoenitz
White Oak
inaturalist-kenkneidel
Southern Red Oak
inaturalist-cjohnsontsu
Mockernut Hickory
inaturalist-huntalexander
Southern Magnolia-
inaturalis-kemper
Black Gum
inaturalist-kenkneidel
Willow Oak
inaturalist-mefisher
Eastern Red Cedar
inaturalist-kenkneidel

7. DPWES Stormwater Planning Division
Native Plants for Home Gardens
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Other Resources:
Conservation Assistance Programs:
CAP and VCAP Matching Funds
Do you have a drainage and erosion problem? Are you interested in
improving water quality in local watersheds and the Chesapeake Bay?
Funding may be available for you to pursue these types of
environmental projects at your home, HOA, or place of worship. See
details below to see if you qualify for either the Conservation
Assistance Program or the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program.
Learn more about the program that applies to you at
conservationdistrict@fairfaxcounty.gov
or call (703) – 324 – 1460 TTY 711.
• Site Visits & Technical Expertise
• Grants for Home Improvement
• Annual Spring Garden Tours
Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District
https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/soil-water-conservation/
Phone: 703-324-1460 TTY 711

8. DPWES Stormwater Planning Division
Native Plants for Home Gardens
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Other Resources:
• “App” with Detailed Plant Info
• Audubon At Home Ambassadors
• Matching Grants
• “Facebook” with Useful Articles & Links

9. DPWES Stormwater Planning Division
Native Plants for Home Gardens
Native Plant Sales/Source
Other Resources:
Native Plant Gardens
• Native Plant Gardens & Tours
• Lectures & Newsletters
• Native Plant Sales
8
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/green-spring

10. DPWES Stormwater Planning Division
Native Plants for Home Gardens
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Other Resources:
Earth Sangha – Wild Plant Nursery
http://www.earthsangha.org/wpn/
Phone: 703-859-2951
• Native Plant Source/Sales
• Detailed Plant Information
• Volunteer Planting Events

11. DPWES Stormwater Planning Division
Native Plants for Home Gardens
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Other Resources:
• “12 Easy Native Plants” Sheets
• Conservation/Eco-gardening Guidelines
DEP Montgomery County, MD
https://https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/water/rainscapes/

12. Additional Information
For additional information, please contact
DPWES Stormwater Planning Division 12
Suzy Foster, Landscape Architect III
703-324-5625, TTY 711
Suzanne.Foster@FairfaxCounty.gov
12000 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax, VA 22035
To request this document in an alternate format call 703-324-5800
www.fairfaxcounty.gov/publicworks