Native Plant List for New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont
Last updated: March 2, 2026
Native Plants for New Hampshire, Maine & Vermont
New England’s northern tier offers some of the most rewarding native plant gardening in the country. From the rocky coast of Maine to Vermont’s mountain valleys, these three states share a climate that supports an incredible range of woodland wildflowers, tough native shrubs, and elegant ferns that have thrived here for thousands of years.
Whether you’re planting a shady woodland garden, a sunny pollinator meadow, or a low-maintenance foundation border, the species below will reward you with seasonal color, wildlife value, and the kind of resilience that only locally adapted plants can deliver. These are plants that belong here — they don’t need coddling, they support native bees and birds, and they look beautiful doing it.
How to Use This List
We’ve organized these plants into tables by type — trees, shrubs, perennials, ferns, and grasses. Each entry includes light and moisture preferences so you can match plants to your specific site conditions. Most of these species are hardy in USDA Zones 3–6, which covers the majority of NH, ME, and VT.
Looking for where to buy? Visit our Native Plant Nursery Directory to find a nursery near you that specializes in locally sourced native plants.
See Also:
- New England Native Flowering Shrubs for Your Yard
- Native Plants of Maine for Landscaping
- Connecticut Native Plants for Landscaping
- Best Privacy Trees for New England
Native Trees
New Hampshire, Maine & Vermont Trees
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sun | Soil Moisture | Heights | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balsam Fir | Abies balsamea | F-P | A | 75' | Open growth in hot dry locations, evergreen |
| Red Maple | Acer rubrum | F-P | A | 60' | Excellent fall color; tolerates wet spring soil |
| Sugar Maple | Acer saccharum | F-P | A | 75' | Excellent fall color, beautiful large shade tree |
| Mountain Maple | Acer spicatum | F-P | A | 30' | Useful in naturalizing |
| Yellow Birch | Betula alleghaniensis | F-P | A | 100' | Does best in cool soils, beatuiful bark |
| Paper Birch | Betula papyrifera | F | A | 70' | White bark year-round, tolerates poor, dry soil |
| Gray Birch | Betula populifolia | F | A | 40' | Does well in poor soils; good for naturalizing |
| American Hornbeam | Carpinus caroliniana | F | A | 30' | Use for naturalizing; tolerates periodic flooding |
| Pagoda Dogwood | Cornus alternifolia | F-P | A | 25' | Moist soil is important, white flowers in June |
| (Champlain) Hawthorne | Crataegus submollis | F | A | 30' | Red fruits in fall attract birds |
| White Ash | Fraxinus americana | F | A | 80' | Good fall color; tolerates alkaline soil |
| Green Ash | Fraxinus pennsylvanica | F-P | A | 60' | Grows fast; tolerates salt, drought, alkaline soil |
| Tamarack | Larix laricina | F | W-A | 80' | Good for moist-wet sites & well drained sites |
| Black Gum | Nyssa sylavatica | F- P | A | 50' | Excellent yellow-orange fall leaf color |
| American hophornbeam | Ostrya virginiana | F-P | A-D | 40' | Slow to establish after transplanting |
| White Spruce | Picea glauca | F-P | A | 60' | Good specimen or windbreak; evergreen |
| Black Spruce | Picea mariana | F-P | A | 40' | Tolerates wet sites; evergreen |
| Jack Pine | Pinus banksiana | F | D | 50' | Useful for windbreaks in sandy soil; evergreen |
| Red Pine | Pinus resinosa | F | D | 80' | Good windbreak; tolerates dry soils well |
| White Pine | Pinus strobus | F | A-D | 80' | Handsome specimen; not tolerant of salt |
| Bigtooth Aspen | Populus grandidentata | F | A-D | 70' | Fast growing; short lived; good yellow fall color |
| Quaking Aspen | Populus trembuloides | F | A | 50' | Fast growing, short lived; good yellow fall color |
| Pin Cherry | Prunus pensylvanica | F | A | 35' | Adaptable; fast growing; tolerates poor soil |
| Black Cherry | Prunus serotina | F | A | 60' | White flowers (spring); wildlife food source |
| White Oak | Quercus alba | F | A | 80' | Large tree; transplant when young |
| Red Oak | Quercus rubra | F | A | 75' | Transplants readily; good fall red leaf color |
| Black Willow | Salix nigra | F | W-A | 35' | Tolerates wet soils; twigs can cause lawn litter |
| American Mountainash | Sorbus americana | F | A | 30' | Fruits good in wildlife landscape |
| White Cedar | Thuja occidentalis | F-P | A | 60' | Useful hedge plant; tolerates alkaline soil |
| Basswood | Tilia americana | F-P | A | 80' | Tolerates alkaline soil; use in urban landscape |
| Eastern Hemlock | Tsuga canadensis | F-S | A | 70' | Does not tolerate drought or windy sites |
Native Shrubs
New Hampshire, Maine & Vermont Shrubs
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sun | Soil Moisture | Heights | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downy Serviceberry | Amelanchier arborea | F-P | A | 25' | Edible/wildlife landscapes; orange fall color |
| Shadblow Serviceberry | Amelanchier canadensis | F-P | A | 20' | Edible/wildlife landscapes; yellow/gold fall color |
| Alleghany Serviceberry | Amelanchier laevis | F-P | A | 25' | Edible/wildlife landscapes; spring leaves bronze |
| Bog Rosemary | Andromeda polifolia | F-P | W | 1' | Evergreen leaves; requires moist acidic soil |
| Black Chokeberry | Aronia melanocarpa | F-P | W-A | 6' | Tolerates wet or dry soils; wine-red fall color |
| Buttonbush | Cephalanthus occidentalis | F | W | 6' | Good for wetland plantings |
| Sweetfern | Comptonia peregrina | F-P | A-D | 3' | Aromatic foliage; good in dry and sandy soil |
| Gray Dogwood | Cornus racemosa | F-S | A | 15' | Suckering; white fall fruits eaten by many birds |
| Redosier Dogwood | Cornus sericea | F | W-A | 6' | Red stems attractive in winter; tolerates wet soil |
| American Filbert | Corylus americana | F-P | A | 15' | Wildlife eats fruit; tolerates alkaline soil |
| Leatherwood | Dirca palustris | S | A | 4' | Yellow fall color; thrives in moist, shady sites |
| Common Witchhazel | Hamamelis virginiana | F-P | A | 15' | Avoid drought; yellow flowers/leaves in fall |
| Winterberry | Ilex verticillata | F-P | W-A | 10' | Bright red fruits persist into midwinter |
| Common Juniper | Juniperus communis | F | A-D | 3' | Takes drought, wind, sterile or alkaline soils |
| Lambkill | Kalmia angustifolia | F-P | A | 3' | Adaptable to many soils; best in acidic soil |
| Labrador Tea | Ledum groenlandicum | F-P | W-A | 3' | Transplants well; good for moist-to-wet sites |
| Sweetgale | Myrica gale | F | A-D | 4' | Bushy plant; dark green, aromatic foliage |
| Northern Bayberry | Myrica pensylvanica | F-P | A-D | 6' | Good for massing; useful in poor soil sites |
| Bush Cinquefoil | Potentilla fruticosa | F | A-D | 4' | Summer-flowering shrub; tolerates alkaline soil |
| Beach Plum | Prunus maritma | F | A | 6' | Good for edible landscape; salt-tolerant |
| Chokecherry | Prunus virginiana | F | A | 30' | White flowers in spring; wildlife food source |
| Rhodora | Rhododendron canadense | F-P | W-A | 3' | Magenta flowers in spring; best in acidic soil |
| Staghorn Sumac | Rhus typhina | P | A-D | 25' | Suckering; good mass plant for dry slopes |
| Meadow Rose | Rosa blanda | F | A | 5' | Single light pink flowers; suckering plant |
| Carolina Rose | Rosa carolina | F | A | 5' | Pink single flowers midsummer |
| Virginia Rose | Rosa virginiana | F | A | 5' | Good in dry & seaside landscape; good barrier |
| American Elder | Sambucus canadensis | F | A | 12' | Edible landscapes; tolerates alkaline soil |
| Scarlet Elder | Sambucus pubens | F | A | 20' | Flowers in July; red fruit mid-summer |
| Canadian Yew | Taxus canadensis | P-S | A | 6' | Hardiest yew; good for shady landscape |
| Highbush Blueberry | Vaccinum corymbosum | F | A | 8' | Edible/wildlife landscapes; best in acidic soil |
| Mapleleaf Viburnum | Viburnum acerifolium | P-S | A | 6' | Good for mass plantings in shady sites |
| Hobblebush | Viburnum alnifolium | P-S | A | 8' | Open shrub; good for naturalized landscape |
| Arrowwood Viburnum | Viburnum dentatum | F-P | A | 15' | Durable; good hedge; tolerates alkaline soil |
| Nannyberry | Viburnum lentago | F-P | A | 15' | Good for wildlife and naturalized landscapes |
| Highbush Cranberry | V. opulus var. trilobum | F-P | A | 12' | Use for screening; good for wildlife landscapes |
Native Perennials & Wildflowers
New Hampshire, Maine & Vermont Ground Cover and Vines
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sun | Soil Moisture | Heights | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Running Serviceberry | Amelanchier stolonifera | F-P | A | 2' | Stoloniferous groundcover; forms thickets |
| Bearberry | Arctostaphylos uva-ursi | F-P | A-D | 6" | Best in poor, sandy, acidic soils; salt-tolerant |
| American Bittersweet | Celastrus scandens | F-P | A | -- | Climbing vine; dioecious; tolerates alkaline soil |
| Virginbower | Clematis virginiana | F | A | -- | Climbing vine; best in alkaline soil |
| Bunchberry | Cornus canadensis | P-S | A | 6" | Groundcover; white flowers & red berries (birds) |
| Checkerberry | Gaultheria procumbens | P-S | A | 6" | Evergreen groundcover; leaves reddish in fall |
| Creeping Juniper | Juniperus horizontalis | F | A-D | 1' | Tolerates hot, dry, alkaline soil; evergreen |
| Partridgeberry | Mitchella repens | S | A | 2" | Delicate plant; red fruits persist into winter |
| Woodbine | Parthenocissus quinquefolia | F-S | A-D | -- | Hardy vine; maroon in fall; takes alkaline soil |
| Lowbush Blueberry | Vaccinum angustifolium | F | A | 2' | Edible/wildlife landscapes; acidic soil |
| Cranberry | Vaccinum macrocarpon | F | W-A | 6" | Edible/wildlife landscapes; acidic soil |
| Fox Grape | Vitis labruscas | F | A | -- | Handsome foliage; good vine for arbors |
Native Ferns
New Hampshire, Maine & Vermont Flowering Perennials
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sun | Soil Moisture | Heights | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baneberry | Actaea pachypoda | P-S | A | 24" | Attractive, but poisonous fruit |
| Columbine | Aquilegia canadensis | F-S | A-D | 12" | Early spring flowers |
| Spikenard | Aralia racemosa | P-S | A-D | 36" | Good for back of border |
| Jack-in-the-Pulpit | Arisaema triphyllum | P-S | W-A | 12" | Flower green and brown; bright red fruit |
| Milkweed | Asclepias syriaca | F | D | 36" | Attracts butterflies |
| New England Aster | Aster novae-angliae | F-P | A-D | 24" | Fall flowering; deep purple |
| New York Aster | Aster novi-belgii | F-P | A-D | 24" | Fall flowering; purple |
| Marsh Marigold | Caltha palustris | F-P | W-A | 12" | Showy yellow flowers in early spring |
| Harebell | Campanula rotundifolia | F-P | A-D | 12" | Delicate blue-purple flowers |
| Blue Cohosh | Caulophyllum thalictroides | P-S | A-D | 36" | Blue fruits; back of border |
| Turtlehead | Chelone glabra | P-S | W-A | 24" | Interesting white flowers in midsummer |
| Bluebead Lily | Clintonia borealis | P-S | A | 12" | Yellow ball-shaped flowers, poison fruit |
| Trout-lily | Eupatorium americanum | P-S | A | 6" | Flowers early-spring |
| Joe-pye Weed | Eupatorium maculatum | F | W-A | 48" | Purple flowers in fall; attracts butterflies |
| Boneset | Eupatorium perfoliatum | F | W-A | 24" | Green flowers; good for drying |
| Blue Flag | Iris versicolor | F-P | W-A | 24" | Elegant form; blue-purple flowers |
| Indian Cucumber-root | Medeola virginica | P-S | A | 12" | Interesting magenta floral bracts |
| Obedient Plant | Physostegia virginiana | F-S | A-D | 24" | flowers pink; leaves dark green; cut flowers |
| Solomon's Seal | Polygonatum pubescens | P-S | A | 18" | Arching stems w/ white flowers (spring) |
| Silvery Cinquefoil | Potentilla anserina | F | D | 6" | Yellow flowers, silvery leaves |
| Bloodroot | Sanguinaria canadensis | P-S | A | 12" | Showy white flowers in early spring |
| Foam Flower | Tiarella cordifolia | P | A | 6" | Delicate white flowers in early spring |
| Wild-oats | Uvularia sessilifolia | P-S | A | 6" | Cream, bell-shaped flowers in early spring |
| Sweet White Violet | Viola blanda | P-S | A | 2" | Small white flowers, ground cover, self-sows |
| Marsh Blue Violet | Viola cucullata | P-S | A | 6" | Blue flowers, spreading; self-sows |
| Labrador Violet | Viola labradorica | F-P | A-D | 6" | Magenta flowers; reddish foliage; self-sows |
| Downy Yellow Violet | Viola pubescens | P-S | A-D | 6" | Yellow flowers |
| Round-leaved Violet | Viola rotundifolia | P | A-D | 3" | Yellow flowers, leaves large, round & leathery |
Native Grasses & Sedges
New Hampshire, Maine & Vermont Perennial Ferns
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sun | Soil Moisture | Heights | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maidenhair Fern | Adiantum pedatum | P-S | A | 18" | Delicate black stem, fronds almost circular |
| Lady Fern | Athyrium filix-femina | P-S | W-A | 18" | Lacey Fronds; reddish in spring |
| Hay-scented Fern | Dennstaedtia punctilobula | F-P | A-D | 12" | Fragrant lacey fronds; tolerates hot, dry sites |
| Spinulose Wood Fern | Dryopteris carthusiana | P-S | A | 24" | Lacey fronds; reddish in spring |
| Marginal Wood Fern | Dryopteris marginalis | F-P | A-D | 24" | Fronds blue-green; tolerates rocky sites |
| Ostrich Fern | Mattuccia struthiopteris | P-S | A | 36" | Beautiful fronds; fiddleheads edible |
| Sensitive Fern | Onoclea sensibilis | F-P | W-A | 12" | Easy to grow; spreads |
| Cinnamon Fern | Osmunda cinnamomea | P-S | W-A | 36" | Attractive cinnamon color fertile frond (spring) |
| Interrupted Fern | Osmunda claytoniana | F-S | W-D | 36" | Spreads well; luxurient spring growth |
| Royal Fern | Osmunda regalis | F-S | W-A | 36" | Vase-shaped; sterile fronds finely dissected |
| Long Beech Fern | Phegopteris connectilis | P-S | A | 6" | Smaller size fern, low growing, spreads well |
| Christmas Fern | Polystichum acrostichoides | P-S | A | 12" | Leathery, evergreen fronds |
Resources
| Sun Exposure | Soil Moisture | Drought Tolerance |
|---|---|---|
| F = Full Sun | W = Wet | E = Excellent |
| P = Part Sun | A = Average | G = Good |
| S = Shade | D = Dry | M = Moderate |
| P = Poor |
Ready to Start Planting?
The best time to plant native species in northern New England is spring (after last frost) or early fall (September). Start with 3–5 species that match your site’s sun and soil conditions, and expand from there. Your local native plant nursery can help you choose the right plants for your yard — find one here.
Looking for a nursery that carries native New England plants?
Browse our native plant nursery directory: Maine · New Hampshire · Vermont · Connecticut
