Beneficial, drought tolerant plants for the Metro DC Area - Perennials, grasses, etc.

Beneficial Native Plants for the Metro DC Area Plants marked with an * were selected as Favorite Native Plants by local experts See code to abbreviations at bottom of list
Scientific Name	Common Name	Type	Light	DT	Bi	Bu	Hu	Fl	Fr
Achillea millefolium	Common yarrow	Perennial	Su	X	-	X	X	X	-
Amsonia tabernaemontana	Blue star	Perennial	PS	X	-	-	-	X	-
Andropogon gerardii	Big bluestem	Grass	Su-PS	X	X	X	-	X	-
Andropogon ternarius	Split bluestem	Grass	Su-PS	X	X	-	-	-	-
*Aquilegia canadensis	Wild columbine	Perennial	Su-FS	X	H	X	-	X	-
*Asclepias tuberosa	Butterflyweed	Perennial	Su-PS	X	-	X	-	X	-
Baptisia tinctoria	Wild indigo	Perennial	Su	X	-	X	-	X	-
*Campsis radicans	Trumpet creeper	Vine	Su	X	H	X	-	X	-
Chamaecrista fasciculata	Partridge Pea	Annual	Su-PS	X	X	X	-	X	-
Cimicifuga racemosa	Black cohosh	Perennial	PS-Sh	X	-	X	-	X	-
Clitoria mariana	Maryland butterfly pea	Vine	Su-PS	X	X	-	-	X	-
Coreopsis lanceolata	Lanceleaf coreopsis	Perennial	Su- PS	X	-	X	-	X	-
Coreopsis verticillata	Tickseed	Perennial	Su-FS	X	-	X	-	X	-
Delphinium tricorne	Dwarf larkspur	Perennial	PS	X	-	X	-	X	-
Echinacea purpurea	Purple coneflower	Perennial	Su-PS	X	-	X	X	X	-
Eragrostis spectabilis	Purple lovegrass	Grass	Su	X	X	-	-	-	-
Eupatorium hyssopifolium	Boneset	Perennial	Su	X	X	-	-	X	-
Gaillardia pulchella	Firewheel, Indian Blanket	Perennial	Su-PS	X	-	X	-	X	-
Geranium maculatum	Wild geranium	Perennial	PS-Sh	X	X	-	X	X	-
Helianthus divaricatus	Woodland sunflower	Perennial	Su-Sh	X	X	X	-	X	-
Heliopsis helianthoides	Oxeye sunflower	Perennial	Su	X	-	X	-	X	-
Heuchera Americana	Alumroot	Perennial	PS-Sh	X	-	-	-	X	-
Iris Cristata	Dwarf crested iris	Perennial	PS-Sh	X	H	-	-	X	-
Liatris spicata	Gayfeather	Perennial	Su	X	-	X	-	X	-
Lobelia siphilitica	Great blue lobelia	Perennial	Su-FS	X	H	-	-	X	-
Lonicera sempervirens	Coral honeysuckle	Vine	Su, PS	X	H	X	-	X	-
*Mertensia virginica	Virginia bluebells	Perennial	PS-FS	X	-	-	-	X	-
*Monarda didyma	Red bergamot, beebalm	Perennial	Su-FS	X	H	X	X	X	-
*Monarda fistulosa	Wild bergamot	Perennial	Su-PS	X	H	X	X	X	X
*Monarda punctata	Horsemint	Perennial	Su	X	H	X	X	X	-
Oenothera biennis	Evening primrose	Biennial	Su-Sh	X	H	X	X	X	X
Oenothera fruticosa	Sundrops	Perennial	Su	X	X	X	-	X	-
*Panicum vigatum	Switchgrass	Grass	Su	X	X	-	-	-	-
Passiflora incarnata	Passionflower vine	Vine	Su-PS	X	X	X	X	X	-
Phlox divaricata	Wild blue phlox	Perennial	Su-PS	X	-	X	-	X	-
Pityopsis graminifolia	Golden aster	Perennial	PS	X	-	X	-	X	-
Polemonium reptans	Jacob's Ladder	Perennial	Su-FS	X	-	-	-	X	-
Polygonatum biflorum	Solomon’s seal	Perennial	PS-Sh	X	X	X	X	X	-
Pycnanthemum incanum	Hoary mountain mint	Perennial	Su-PS	X	-	X	-	X	X
*Rudbeckia hirta	Black-eyed Susan	Perennial	Su-PS	X	-	X	-	X	-
Salvia lyrata	Lyre-leaved sage	Perennial	Su-Sh	X	H	X	-	X	-
Schizachyrium scoparium	Little bluestem	Grass	Su-PS	X	X	X	-	X	-
Silphium perfoliatum	Cup plant	Perennial	Su	X	H	X	-	X	-
Solidago rugosa	Goldenrod	Perennial	Su	X	X	X	-	X	-
Tradescantia virginiana	Virginia spiderwort	Perennial	Su-Sh	X	-	X	-	X	-
Trillium grandiflorum	White trillium	Perennial	Su-Sh	X	-	-	X	X	-
Vernonia noveboracensis	Ironweed	Perennial	Su	X	X	X	-	X	-
Viola pedata	Bird’s foot violet	Perennial	PS-Sh	X	X	X	-	X	-

** Note: this list was created for the Metro DC Lawn and Garden Blog and may not be copied without permission. However, please feel free to link to this page and to subscribe to the blog for future lists.

Light: FS=Full Su, S=Su, Sh=Sh

Su	Full Su: direct sulight at least six hours a day.
PS	Partial Sh: direct sulight between three to six hours.
Sh	Sh: less than three hours of direct sulight a day.

Benefits: W=Wildlife Value; Bi=Attracts birds; Bu=Attracts Butterflies; Hu=Human Value, edible or medicinal; Fr=Fragrant, Fl=Fowers

H in bird column signifies Hummingbirds. Plants which an X in the butterfly column are ofter HOST plants for specific butterfly species.

Sources: Xeriscaping and Conserving Water in the Landscape (PDF) – Maryland Cooperative Extension

Drought Tolerant Plants for the Mid-Atlantic Region (pdf) download from Charlottesville Water

Plant lists from: Native Plants for Conservation, Restoration and Landscaping, Virginia DCR

Most of the plant benefits were obtained from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Org. Native Plant Database

Drought tolerant native plants for Virginia

Drought Tolerant Perennials (PDF) – Clayton Virginia Native Plant Society