And with good reason! A strong argument could be made that in the residential landscape, not nearly enough of our prized native trees, shrubs and perennials are being used. Now, don’t get me wrong, many of my favorite plants aren’t necessarily native and many work well in the NH landscape. However, if you are interested in designing more towards the goal of sustainability and the ever popular “low maintenance” landscape (wish I had a nickel for every customer that asked for that), here’s a list of 10 plants native to New England that are sure to impress even the pickiest plant snob!
The Serviceberry is a deciduous plant, most typically purchased and installed as a multi-stem specimen. It can also be purchased as nursery stock as a single stem tree, but that seems to be far less common. The Serviceberry is a great four season plant with interest all year long. Early in the spring, small white flowers adorn the plant before it leafs out. Smooth, dark green foliage through the summer turns from red to gold in the fall, and once all the leaves have fallen, the plant can be admired for its attractive smooth grey bark in the winter. The lower branches are often pruned at the bottom to showcase the bark, and it is typically grown as a multi-stemmed shrub or small tree. The serviceberry does well either strategically placed as a specimen plant or in a small grouping.
The Eastern Redbud is a beautiful tree which would make a great specimen in most any landscape. It is a small ornamental tree usually purchased as single stem tree form nursery stock. The Eastern Redbud is most widely recognized for its lavender-pink flowers in the spring. But that’s not where the ornamental features of the Redbud end.
The tree possesses a superb vase-like shape to the crown which becomes slightly more rounded with age. It also has an uncommon cordate or heart shaped leaf which is an interesting change from the somewhat ordinary and expected leaf shapes of the maple, oak or birch. An interesting hybrid choice would be the ‘Forest Pansy’ which has rose-purple foliage.
The Pagoda Dogwood is used as a small ornamental tree, reaching a mature height of around 25’. The Pagoda Dogwood’s Latin named is said to derive from either its alternate leaf pattern or it’s horizontally tiered branching habit. Either explanation makes sense, especially since most other Dogwood species have an opposite leaf pattern. The Pagoda Dogwood differs from the more common Kousa or Florida Dogwood in that it has flat clusters of small white flowers rather than the bract style flowers, and therefore is sometimes considered a little less showy. Another ornamental feature of the tree is the bluish-black fruit clusters that ripen in late summer, also providing an excellent food source for birds. The horizontal branching pattern is also worthy of note, with wide spreading shelving branches that come off the main truck almost horizontally.
The Pagoda Dogwood will tolerate some degree of moisture to its soil and is also a decent choice for an ornamental tree in a partial shade environment.
The Sugar Maple is such a stately tree with a rich history in NH. Because the tree is so common, I was tempted to leave it off the list. But because of its most valuable ornamental feature, which of course is its striking fall color, I just couldn’t. You may not know that we’re a little lucky here in NH. Many of the warmer climates see the leaves change to a golden yellow and don’t enjoy the dazzling orange and red tones that we take for granted. The Sugar Maple is most commonly known for its sap that is harvested late each winter and boiled down to make maple syrup. Can’t quite explain why, but it seems to me that NH Sugar Maples produce sap superior to that of any other state! A very disease and pest free tree, the Sugar Maple is a good choice as a shade tree, as long as the tree is not subjected to pollution and the root system is not restricted.
Summersweet is an upright deciduous shrub, reaching 5’-8’ in height. It is multi-stemmed with a suckering habit good for colonizing, screening, and mass planting. However, I often choose to install Summersweet close to the home in the residential landscape, and here’s why: Fragrance. One of the most undervalued properties in the landscape. When you add great fragrance to the beauty of the plants in the garden, it’s almost as though you’ve introduced that secret ingredient that makes the dish perfect.
Not only is Summersweet wonderfully fragrant, but it is so when it’s bottlebrush flowers appear in late summer. Why is that relevant? Because so many flowering plants do so in spring, it can sometimes be challenging to balance the landscape with flowers throughout the season. Summersweet is a great addition to provide that late summer color and fragrance when the lilacs, magnolias, viburnums and others have passed. I recommend planting the Summersweet in groups of at least three in an area where the fragrance can be appreciated. While the native Summersweet has white flowers, there are cultivars such as ‘Ruby Spice’ that provide pink flowers. ‘Hummingbird’ is also a great choice when you need a plant that is slightly more compact. Although the hummingbird cultivar name is derived from the name of the pond at which it was planted at Callaway Gardens in Georgia, it will most definitely attract those interesting and exciting super-sonic wing-flapping friends of the same name to your garden.
Well, so far we’ve already named a few plant species that produce fruit, but not until this selection has there been anything tasty enough to pick! Generally, the Highbush Blueberry will do well in NH, as it is most happy in an acidic, sandy soil. Ornamentally, the Highbush Blueberry will produce a large quantity of white to pinkish flowers in May just before the leaves completely unfold. While the summer foliage may be somewhat mundane, yellow, orange and red toned leaf color in the fall can be borderline stunning.
Of course, the berries are generally the most prized asset of the plant, and it doesn’t take more than 3-5 plants in the landscape to provide a sufficient amount of fruit for a few pies, some jam, and a handful to pop in your mouth every now and again. If the fruit is of value to you, it may be necessary to fend off the birds with some protective screening during the fruiting period, as they enjoy the berries just as much as we do. Also, it’s best to plant more than one cultivar to improve pollination. As a final note, the Highbush Blueberry is a very popular plant with the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. So if you’re trying to push along a landscape project through the state permitting process (shoreland), toss a few into the plan for vegetation and erosion control purposes and rack up a few brownie points!
This is one of my favorite evergreen trees. Most notably famous for its use as a
Christmas tree, the Balsam fir is not only native to NH, but it is one of those that is fairly easy to find in the woods and forests of NH. As a matter of fact, I have several groves of native, immature trees throughout my property. I find the Balsam Fir particularly attractive as a Christmas tree simply because the needles are so soft as compared to a spruce selection. Spruce tends to take the joy out of hanging ornaments when you’re getting pricked every 5 seconds. The Balsam fir is a good selection for a screen or as a single specimen. Just be sure you’ve given it plenty of room to grow, as it can approach 70’ in height and 25’ in width. I also enjoy the deep, rich dark green color associated with the Balsam. A personal story confirms the Balsam Fir’s popularity as a Christmas tree: Over the course of two years, I had a total of three Balsam Firs measuring 8’-10’ in height criminally harvested in late November from the privacy screen along the roadside of a prior home. Needless to say, the discovery of such a violation was disheartening, discouraging, upsetting and most of all made me madder than hell. No doubt in my mind after the first occurrence, had I ever caught the perpetrators in action I would have ran them over and asked questions later.
The Canadian Hemlock is another great native NH evergreen which is as prevalent as any in the state with the exception of the Eastern White Pine. I personally prefer the hemlock as I believe its form to be superior in grace, form and beauty. It has a natural pendulous or “weeping” and pyramidal form that it maintains from youth through maturity. In my opinion, the Canadian Hemlock is best used as a specimen, in a grouping, or screening where it can be allowed to grow true to its form. In this state, it requires little pruning. However, it also makes a good evergreen hedge. I would caution however, to prune by carefully removing individual branches rather than shearing. It will provide a much more natural look and allow light to penetrate the plant. Worthy of note is the pest woolly adelgid that has lessened the use of hemlocks recently. There are however systemic treatments available to keep the pest under control and enjoy the use of this native plant in the landscape.
The Mountain Laurel is a broadleaf evergreen shrub, meaning it holds onto its leaves all year long. It is often confused with the related and more popular rhododendron. Although I have never seen a native Mountain Laurel in NH, there are said to be stands and groves of the plant in southern portions of the state. The plant is most prominent in the Carolinas, Virginia, and southern Appalachians. The Mountain Laurel is well formed and dense as a young plant, often becoming more open and gangly with age.
However, this openness allows the interesting form of the trunks and limbs to be displayed. Hands down, the most prized ornamental feature of the plant is its large late spring flowers. A white range of flower color is available through several available cultivars. The plant generally performs best in partial shade, and when planted will benefit with soil amendments of pine bark or peat.
I can’t help but be somewhat amused when someone requests a “natural” garden, followed by a request for Hosta. Of course Hosta, are native to Northeast Asia and therefore it’s pretty debatable if they indeed fit into a natural setting in NH. Somehow though, (most likely because of their wonderful foliage) they’ve become so overwhelmingly popular it seems as they are a staple for not only the shade garden, but the “natural” landscape well. Don’t get me wrong, I love Hosta as much as the next gardener. However, to me a severely underused shade plant in the NH landscape is the fern. There are many different species of the fern native to NH, all of which do well in a shaded environment and some even able to deal with partial sun. The fern of course is a fairly understated plant, without flowers. That in itself is likely why it doesn’t receive the accolades it deserves. The fern is probably best used in woodland edges, shade gardens, wet areas, or as a groundcover. Dennstaedtia punctiloba (hay-scented fern) is a great selection when massing and groundcover is long term goal of the plant. When properly located the fern can be a very attractive addition to a well designed garden.
So, if you’re looking for a ‘low-maintenance’ or sustainable landscape, it behooves you to consider native plants. The selections listed above and many others will generally perform better than non-natives and have lesser fertilization, irrigation and pest control requirements. Not only that, you’ll be able to bring the beauty of our natural landscape into your yard and encourage habitat for feathered and furry friends.
As much as I love the 10 plants on this list, there are several more plants deserving of this list. I'm sure you have some favorites too -- I encourage you to share them with me, whether they are native or not. eel free to post a comment as I always enjoy talking plants!
