Halesia carolina 20-40' × 15-30'. Small tree or large multi-stemmed shrub. Edible flowers and fruit. Beautiful addition to woodland gardens! Native to Appalachia. Z4.
Rubus odoratus 3-6' x 6-12' Relative of the cultivated raspberry, with fragrant flowers and nutritious fruit. Thornless, long-blooming, attractive to pollinators. Excellent addition to wildlife hedges. Z4.
Diervilla lonicera 2-4' x 2-5'. Clusters of yellow tubular flowers attract pollinators. Lustrous green leaves emerge with a hint of bronze. Good for erosion control. Z3.
Hydrangea quercifolia 4-6' x 6-8' Spreading multi-stemmed shrub with oak-like leaves and spiked white flowers. Dried flowers turn pink to bronze. Cultivar selected for strong flower stems that won't flop over. Z5.
Magnolia virginiana 10-20' x same. Fragrant creamy white 2”3" waxy blossoms in mid-spring sometimes rebloom in mid-summer. Pink fruits adorn the tree in fall. Tolerates clay and air pollution. Z5.
Philadelphus lewisii 4-5' x 3-4' Medium-sized loosely arching ornamental blooming shrub. A “blizzard” of sweet citrusy fragrance from white blossoms in late spring. Z3.
Ceanothus americanus Small compact shrub fixes nitrogen and attracts pollinators. Leaves historically used as tea and medicine. Grows in poor soils. Native to N. America. Z4.
Cercis canadensis 25-30' × same. Small vase-shaped ornamental tree. Clusters of brilliant edible purplish-pink pea-like flowers fill the entire tree in spring. Z4/5.
Amelanchier laevis 15-25'. Leaves of this understory tree unfold purplish-orange bronzed color in spring. Pendulous white blossoms. Berries ripen midsummer. Z2.
Lindera benzoin 6-12' x 8-12'. Large rounded multi-stemmed fragrant native shrub suited to moist or wet areas. Soft-yellow flowers. Glossy red edible berries. Z5.
Spiraea tomentosa 2-4' x same. Adorable little plant. Rosy pink steeples emerge as terminal spikes about 4–6" tall. Easy to grow. A must for every butterfly garden. Z3.
Rhus aromatica 5-6' x 6-8'. Leaves emit a pleasing aroma when crushed. Phenomenal fall colors. Adaptable and easy to transplant. Useful in erosion control. Native to eastern U.S. Z3.
Clethra alnifolia 4-5' x same. Red buds and beautiful spires of heavenly scented deep-pink flowers appear for 6 weeks in midsummer. Erect oval habit. Z3.
Ilex verticillata Bright-red berries stand out through the winter, providing late-spring forage for birds. A staple of the Maine landscape. Unsexed seedlings, plant several for berries. Z4.
Gaultheria procumbens 6-10". Aromatic evergreen native groundcover. Glossy dark green leaves. Bell-shaped white flowers in June. Vivid red berries. Self-pollinating. Z3.
Hamamelis virginiana 8-20' x same. Small fall-flowering tree or large shrub. Brilliant golden-yellow fall color. Quirky yellow flowers in November. Z3.
Diospyros virginiana 35-60' x 20-35'. Medium-sized native tree produces edible orange fruit used in pies, jams and jelly. May not always ripen north of Boston. Plant two or more for fruit. Z4/5.
Prunus americana 15-20' Not a hybrid, but it may be the best pollinator for hybrid plums. Very decent red, yellow and orange 1" plums, suitable for fresh eating, canning and freezing. Z3.
Prunus nigra Late summer, yellow flesh. Yellow flesh is sweet and juicy, good for eating right off the tree, in jams, chutney, tarts or infused in vodka! Tree is upright, spreading and a prolific annual bearer. Very cold hardy. Z3.
Rosa carolina 2-4' x 5-10'. Single light pink 5-petaled flowers emerge May-June. Small red hips in fall. Found along streams, roads and open woods throughout New England. Full sun to partial shade. Native. Z2.
Salvia azurea 3-5' tall. North American native with delicate spires of sky-blue tubular double-lipped flowers and sweetly scented foliage. Incredible in mixed bouquets. Blooms from August to October. Z4.
Amelanchier stolonifera 3-5' x same. Berries are small but very flavorful—perfect combo of sweet and tangy. Would do well in a rock garden, hedge or thicket. Native. Z4.
Amelanchier stolonifera × A. alnifolia 5-8' x 5'. Medium-large berries are mildly sweet with no trace of acid. Hefty fruits are proving crack-resistant. Very uniform ripening pattern. Z3.
Ulmus americana 60' x 35-40'. New selection from a lone survivor wild specimen surrounded by other trees that had succumbed to the fatal disease. Further studies at U Minn confirmed its excellent resistance. Z3.
Catalpa speciosa 40-60'. Dense foliage of heart-shaped leaves provides excellent shade. Incredibly fragrant jasmine-scented white blossoms. Grows rapidly. Attracts pollinators. Native to central U.S. Z4.
Ostrya virginiana 20-40' x 15-20'. Small native upland understory tree is tougher than nails. Shaggy bark. Seeds mature in papery cones resembling hops. Z3.
Acer saccharum 50-100'. Largest of our native maples. Colorful fall foliage. Valued for shade, syrup and lumber. Boil sap to make real maple syrup. Z3.
Quercus macrocarpa 70-80' x same. Hardiest of the white oaks with a deeply grooved massive trunk and a wide-spreading crown. Dark green foliage. Large fringed acorns. Z3.
Quercus rubra 60-75' x 45'. The most common oak in northern New England. Magnificent open rounded crown. Fast growing. Tolerant of different conditions. Z4.
Quercus bicolor 50-60' x same. Massive rounded shade tree with short deeply ridged trunk and fan of branches. Yellow to reddish-purple fall foliage. Native. Z3.
Maclura pomifera 35-60' x same. Long-lived native shade tree. Strong orange rot-resistant wood. Great for fences or hedges. Strange grapefruit-sized fruits inedible for humans. Seed collected in Maine. Z4.
Liquidambar styraciflua 60-80' x 40-60'. Delightful star-shaped leaves and hard round prickly gumball-like “fruit”. Colorful fall display. Native from CT into Mexico. Z5.
Platanus occidentalis 75-100' x same. Extraordinary native shade tree. Trunks and stems are strikingly mottled. Remarkable against the winter sky. Z4/5.
Liriodendron tulipifera 60-90' x 30-50'. Also called Tulip Poplar. Highly ornamental shade tree. Large tulip-like flowers attract hummingbirds. Native to eastern U.S. Z4/5.
Nyssa sylvatica 40-85' x 20-30'. Medium-sized deciduous tree produces fruits that feed migrating birds. Vibrant fall colors. Can live up to 650 years! Z4.
Verbena hastata 5-7' tall. Elegant tall branching spikes of vibrant blue-purple flowers. Attractive to pollinators. Used as a nervous-system tonic and mild sedative. Full sun. Native to North America. Z3.
