Native Plant List for Connecticut, Massachussetts, and Rhode Island
Last updated: January 30, 2026
This is a "starter" list of native plants for Connecticut, Massachussetts, and Rhode Island. It is intended for residential or commercial landscapers who want to create attractive and varied native landscapes.
See Also:
Connecticut, Massachussetts, and Rhode Island - Trees
| Common Name | Scientific Name |
|---|---|
| Red Maple | Acer rubrum |
| American Hornbeam | Carpinus caroliniana |
| Hackberry | Celtis occidentalis |
| Sour Gum | Nyssa sylvatica |
| American Hop Hornbeam | Ostrya virginiana |
| Fire Cherry | Prunus pensylvanica |
| White Oak | Quercus alba |
Connecticut, Massachussetts, and Rhode Island - Shrubs
| Common Name | Scientific Name |
|---|---|
| Sweet Pepperbush | Clethra alnifolia |
| Winterberry Holly | Ilex verticillata |
| Mountain Laurel | Kalmia latifolia |
| Swamp Azalea | Rhododendron viscosum |
| Highbush blueberry | Vaccinium corymbosum |
| American Highbush Cranberry | Viburnum trilobum |
Connecticut, Massachussetts, and Rhode Island - Ground Cover and Vines
| Common Name | Scientific Name |
|---|---|
| Climbing Bittersweet | Celastrus scandens |
| Virgin's Bower | Clematis virginiana |
| Trumpet Honeysuckle | Lonicera sempervirens |
| Virginia Creeper | Parthenocissus quinquefolia |
Connecticut, Massachussetts, and Rhode Island - Flowering Perennials
| Common Name | Scientific Name |
|---|---|
| Pearly Everlasting | Anaphalis margaritacca |
| Plantain Pussy-toes | Antennaria plantaginifolia |
| Wild Red Columbine | Aquilegia canadensis |
| Jack-in-the-Pulpit | Arisaema triphyllum |
| Swamp Milkweed | Asclepias incarnata |
| White Wood Aster | Aster divaricatus |
| Heath Aster | Aster ericoides |
| Smooth Aster | Aster laevis |
| New England Aster | Aster novae-angliae |
| Marsh Marigold | Caltha palustris |
| Harebell | Campanula rotundifolia |
| Turtlehead | Chelone glabra |
| Hollow Joe-Pye-Weed | Eupatorium fistulosum |
| Spotted Joe-Pye-Weed | Eupatorium maculatum |
| Boneset | Eupatorium perfoliatum |
| Sweet Joe-Pye-Weed | Eupatorium purpureum |
| Wild Geranium | Geranium maculatum |
| Pale-leaved Sunflower | Helianthus strumosus |
| Bluets | Houstonia caerulea |
| Yellow Stargrass | Hypoxis hirsuta |
| Slender Blue Flag Iris | Iris prismatica |
| Larger Blue Flag Iris | Iris versicolor |
| Canada Lily | Lilium candensis |
| Wood Lily | Lilium philadelphicum |
| Cardinal Flower | Lobelia cardinalis |
| Wild Blue Lupine | Lupinus perennis |
| Fringed Loosestrife | Lysimachia ciliata |
| May Lily | Maianthemum candense |
| Solomon's Plume | Maianthemum racemosum |
| Wild Bee-Balm | Monarda fistulosa |
| Virginia Mountain-mint | Pycnanthemum virginianum |
| Meadow Beauty | Rhexia virginica |
| Green-headed Coneflower | Rudbeckia laciniata |
| Starry Campion | Silene stellata |
| Blue-eyed Grass | Sisyrinchium angustifolium |
| Bluestem Goldenrod | Solidago caesia |
| Purple Meadowrue | Thalictrum dasycarpum |
| Starflower | Trientalis borealis |
| Blue Vervain | Verbena hastata |
| Birdfoot Violet | Viola pedata |
| Downy Yellow Violet | Viola pubescens |
Connecticut, Massachussetts, and Rhode Island - Perennial Ferns
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sun | Moisture | Height | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Cinnamon Fern | Osmunda cinnamomea | P-S | W-A | 36" | Attractive cinnamon color fertile frond (spring) |
| Christmas Fern | Polystichum acrostichoides | P-S | A | 12" | Leathery, evergreen fronds |
| 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 |
Looking for a nursery that carries native Southeastern U.S. plants?
Browse our native plant nursery directory: Virginia · North Carolina · Georgia
