Table of Contents

Keystone Plants

Aesthetic Layers

Medicinal & Edible

Wetland Indicator Status

Hedgerow Shrubs

Keystone Plants

The National Wildlife Federation has a useful guide to regional keystone plants, like this one for Eastern Temperate Forests.  Keystone plants are those which support the widest variety and quantity of native insects. Some or all of these should be included in every landscape design where they are suitable because they have a disproportionately positive impact on insect populations, especially the caterpillars that make up the base of the avian food chain. 

Aside from many trees which each support dozens if not hundreds of species, the keystone perennials and shrubs include:

• Vaccinium (Blueberry)
• Salix (Willow)
• Solidago (Goldenrod)
• Symphyatrichum (Aster)
• Helianthus (Sunflower)
• Rudbeckia (Black-eyed Susan)
• Verbesina (Wingstem)

Aesthetic Plants

These are categorized by their role in a landscape design, based on Planting in a Post-Wild World by T. Rainier and C. West.

Structural

These plants have a distinct silhouette which often remains through the winter. They are usually long-lived and relatively slow-spreading without human intervention.

• Eutrochium purpureum (Joe Pye)
• Silphium perfoliatum (Cup Plant)
• Helianthus angustifolius (Swamp Sunflower)
• Medium and Tall Grasses (Bluestem, Switchgrass, Muhly)
• Eryngium yuccifolium (Rattlesnake Master)
• Liatris
• Amsonia

Seasonal Theme

These plants have a dramatic but often fairly short blooming season. Consider their foliage texture in designs as this has a more lasting impact. May of the keystone plants fall in this category as well as:

• Salvia guaranitica
• Vines (Campsis, Lonicera sempervirens, Bignonia, Gelsemium, Wisteria frutescens)
• Asclepia (milkweeds)
• Vernonia
• Monarda (Bee balm)
• Yarrow
• Leucanthemun (Daisy)
• Guara
• Scutellaria
• Spegelia marilandica

Dynamic Filler

These are usually annuals and biennials that roam around finding gaps in the perennial canopy. 

• Salvia coccinea
• Echinacea
• Lobelia cardinalis
• Eastern Red Columbine
• Annual grasses (virginia rye,)
• Physostegia virginiana (Obedient Plant)

Groundcover

Perhaps the most underrated layer, groundcover plants are great at covering the earth early in the season before their taller peers wake up. 

• Erigeron pulchellus
• Salvia lyrata
• Tiarella cordfolia
• Heuchera americana
• Phlox submentosa
• Callirrhoe involucrata
• Antennaria plantaginifolia
• Packera aurea
• Parthenocissus (Virginia Creeper)
• Juncus tennuis
• Carex spp.
• Geranium maculatum (Cranesbill)

Edible & Medicinal

Native Edible & Medicinals

• Castanea americana (American Chestnut )
• Juglans nigra (Black Walnut)
• Amelanchier spp. (Serviceberry)
• Asimina triloba (Pawpaw)
• Diospyros americana (American Persimmon)
• Prunus americana (American Plum)
• Corylus americana (American Hazelnut)
• Sassafrass albidum
• Passionflower (Passiflora .)
• Vitis rotudifolia (Muscadine & Scuppernong Grape)
• Vaccinium (Blueberry)
• Apios americana (Groundnut) & A. priceana
• Veronicastrun virginicum (Culver's Root)
• Zanthoxylum americanum (Toothachetree)

Other Edibles & Medicinals

• Fruit trees and berry bushes of all kinds (Fig, persimmon, peach, pear, plum, pecan, walnut)
• Vegetables; jerusalem artichoke, 
• Herbs; rosemary, thyme, oregano, mint
• Medicinals;

Plant Communities by Wetland Indicator Status

This shows plants that can handle conditions that are either, mostly wet, mostly dry, or that vary between wet and dry. I'll trust you to figure out which category is which. Find a full list here.

Fac Upland

These plants are found on slopes and rocky shallow soils. They suffer in standing water and generally grow a bit shorter than average. 

• Achillea millefolia (Yarrow)
• Andropogon ternarius (Splitbeard Bluestem)
• Aralia racemosa (Spikenard)
• Asarum canadense (Wild Ginger)
• Baptisia australis
• Betoula dactyloides (Buffalo Grass)
• Callicarpa americana (Beautyberry)
• Chamaecrista nictans
• Claytonia caroliniana
• Cornus florida
• Corylus americana (American Hazelnut)
• Danthonia sericea (Silky  Wild Oat Grass)
• Dennstaedtia punctibobula (Hay-scented Fern)
• Eragrostis spectabilis (Purple Love Grass)
• Geranium maculatum (Cranesbill)
• Geum canadense (White Avens)
• Lonicera sempervirens (Coral honeysuckle)
• Mitchella repens (Partridge-berry)
• Phlox paniculata (Fall Phlox)
• Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas Fern)
• Rhus copallinum (Winged Sumac)
• Rosa carolina (Carolina Rose)
• Salvia lyrata
• Scutellaria ovata (Heart-leaf Skullcap)
• Sedum ternatum (Woodland Stonecrop)
• Solidago spp.
• Symphoricarpos orbiculatus (Coral-berry)
• Thalictrum dioicum (Early Meadow-Rue)
• Vaccinium angustifolium (Rabitt-eye Blueberry) 
• Vernonia angustifolia (Tall Ironweed)
• Veronicastrun virginicum (Culver's Root)

Facultative

These plants are highly adaptable and serve an important role in the transition zones between two microclimates. 

• Aronia melanocarpa (Black Chokeberry) 
• Clethra alnifolia (sweet Pepperbush) 
• Amalanchier arborea (Downy Serviceberry)
• Cornus racemosa (Grey Dogwood)
• Hamamelis virginiana (Witch Hazel)
• Ilex glabra (Inkberry Holly)
• Ilex vomitoria (Yaupon Holly)
• Lindera benzoin (Northern Spicebush)
• Morella cerifera (Southern Bayberry)
• Monarda didyma (Scarlet Bee Balm)
• Echinacea laevigata (Smooth Coneflower)
• Adiantum pedatum (Maidenhair Fern)
• Athyrium asplenoides (Southern Lady Ferns)
• Andropogon gerardii (Big Bluestem)
• Hypericum perforatum (St Johns Wort)
• Bignonia capreolata (Crossvine)
• Carex amphibola (Eastern Narrow Sedge)
• Coreopsis tripteris (Tall Tickseed)
• many Euphorbias
• E. purpureum (Sweet Joe Pye)
• Liatris spicata
• Eryngium yuccifolium (Rattlesnake Master)
• Penstemon digitalis (Foxglove Beardtongue)
• Pycnanthemum virginianum & verticillatum
• Rubus (Blackberry)
• Rudbeckias
• Senna hebacarpa
• Tiarella
• Tradescantia ohiensis

Fac Wet

These plants are found in wetlands and low-lying areas. They are highly productive and generally prefer richer soils. 

• Amorpha fruticosa (False Indigo-Bush)
• Ampelaster carolinianus (Climbing Aster)
• Apios americana (Groundnut)
• Aronia arbutifolia (Red Chokeberry)
• Bidens spp. 
• Boltonia spp. 
• Carex cherokeensis,
• Chelone lyonii
• Chasmanthium nitiudm (Shiny Wood-oats)
• Elymus virginicus
• Eubotrys racemosa (Swamp Doghobble)
• Eutrochium fistulosum (Trumpetweed)
• Hibiscus
• Juncus
• Leucothoe fontanesiana
• Lobelia cardinalis
• Mertensia virginiana (Virginia Bluebells)
• Packera aurea (Golden Groundsel)
• Pycnanthemun flexuosum & P. tenuifolium
• Rhexia lutea (Yello Meadow-Beauty)
• Salix (Willow)
• Scutellaria integrifolia (Helmet-Flower)
• Sisyrinchium angustifolium (Blue-eyed-grass)
• Spirea tomentosa (Steeplebush)
• Symphyotrichum spp. 
• Vaccinium corymbosum (Highbush Blueberry)
• Vernonia novaboracensis (New York Ironweed)
• Viburnum oplulus (Highbush cranberry)
• Wisteria frutescens (American Wisteria)

Woodland Edge

These plants are fine with less than half day sun. They are commonly used in residential lots that are shaded by perimeter trees and buildings. 

• Witch Hazel, Spicebush, Pawpaw
• Wild grape
• Most groundcovers; wild ginger, ferns
• Grasses : Elymus hystrix, Chasmanthium latifolia, Penn Sedge
• Heartleaf aster, Red Columbine, Zig-zag Goldenrod, Mountain mint, Calico Aster

Hedgerow Shrubs & Trees

The best hedgerows have two rows of shrubs with a central row of scattered trees. Once mature, they only need laying once every 7-15 years depending on the species and context.

Front Line (sun)

4-15' tall sun-loving shrubs.

• Beautyberry
• Elderberry
• Inkberry
• Winterberry
• Common Ninebark
• American Hazelnut
  

Center 

10-30' tall understory trees and single-leader shrubs.

• Fruit trees (especially Pawpaw and Serviceberry)
• Honey Locust and Black Locust
• Silverbell
• Fringetree
• Hornbeam
• Dogwood, 

Back Line (shade)

Shade-tolerant shrubs around 6-20' tall. Evergreens fit best in this row.

• Evergreen (Morella, Ilex, Kalmia)
• Viburnums (Arrowwood, Mapleleaf)
• Dogwoods (Pagoda, Silky)
• Witchhazel
• Spicebush
• Fothergilla
• native Azaleas/Rhododendrons (Pinksterbloom, Swamp Azalea)