Saturday, June 11, 2011

Beneficial, drought tolerant native plants for the Metro DC area - trees and shrubs

The following is a list of native plants which are designated as drought tolerant by local sources. Additional benefits such as value for birds, butterflies, and humans are listed. Please see index to abbreviations at end of list.
Beneficial Native, Drought Tolerant 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
Acer negundo Box elder Tree Su X X X X - -
Acer rubrum Red maple Tree Su-PS X X - - - -
Amelanchier canadensis Shadblow serviceberry Tree/Shrub Su-PS X X - X X -
Amelanchier laevis Smooth serviceberry Shrub Su-PS X X - X X X
Betula lenta Cherry birch, Sweet birch Tree Sh, PS X X X X - -
*Betula nigra River birch Tree Su-PS X X - - - -
*Callicarpa Americana Beautyberry Shrub Sh X X - - X -
Carya alba Mockernut hickory Tree PS-FS X X X - - -
Carya glabra Pignut hickory Tree PS-FS X - - - - -
Carya ovata Shagbark hickory Tree Su-PS X - - X - -
Ceanothus americanus New Jersey tea, Redroot Shrub Su-PS X X X X X -
*Cercis canadensis Redbud Tree Su-PS X X - X X X
Cornus Florida Flowering Dogwood Tree Su-PS X X X X X X
Diospyros virginiana Persimmon Tree Su-Sh X X X X - -
Fraxinus americana White ash Tree Su-PS X X X X - -
Fraxinus pennsylvanica Green ash, Red ash Tree Su-PS X X X - - -
Hamamelis virginiana Witch hazel Tree Su-PS X - - X X X
Ilex glabra Inkberry Shrub PS X X - - - -
Ilex vomitoria Yaupon holly Shrub Su-Sh X X X X - -
Juniperus virginiana Eastern red cedar Tree SU-PS X X - - - X
Liriodendron tulipifera Tuliptree, Tulip poplar Tree SU-PS X H X X X -
*Nyssa sylvatica Black tupelo, Sourgum Tree Su-PS X X - - - -
*Oxydendrum arboreum Sourwood, Sorrel tree Tree Su-PS X - - - X -
Pinus echinata Shortleaf pine Tree Su-PS X - - - - -
Pinus strobus Eastern white pine Tree Su-PS X X - - - -
Pinus taeda Loblolly pine Tree Su-PS X X X - - -
Pinus virginiana Virginia pine Tree Su X X X - - -
Prunus serotina Wild Black cherry, Rum cherry Tree Su-PS X X - X X -
*Quercus alba White oak Tree Su-PS X X X - - -
*Quercus coccinea Scarlet oak, Red oak Tree Su-PS X - - - - -
Quercus falcata Southern red oak, Spanish oak Tree Su X - - - - -
Quercus palustris Pin oak Tree Su-PS X X X - - -
Quercus rubra Northern red oak Tree Su-PS X X - - - -
Quercus stellata Post oak Tree PS X X X - - -
Rhododendron prinophyllum Early azalea, Rose azalea Shrub Su-FS X - - - X -
Rhus aromatica Fragrant sumac Shrub Su-PS X X X - X X
Rhus copallinum Winged sumac Shrub Su X X - - - -
Rhus glabra Smooth sumac Shrub Su-PS X X X X X -
Robinia pseudoacacia Black locust, Honey locust Tree Su X H X - X X
Rosa Carolina Pasture rose Shrub Su-Sh X X - - X X
Rubus allegheniensis Alleghany blackberry Shrub Su-Sh X X - - X -
Sambucus canadensis Common elderberry Shrub Su-PS X X - X X -
Sassafras albidum Sassafras Tree Su-PS X X X X - X
Taxodium distichum Bald cypress Tree Su X - - - - -
Tsuga canadensis Eastern hemlock Tree Su-PS X X X - - X
Vaccinium angustifolium Northern lowbush blueberry Shrub Su-Sh X X - X - -
Vaccinium stamineum Deerberry Shrub Su-PS X X - X - -
Vaccinium corymbosum Highbush blueberry Shrub Su-Sh X X - X X -
Viburnum dentatum Southern arrowwood Shrub Su-PS X X - - X -
Viburnum rufidulum Rusty blackhaw Tree Su-PS 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 sunlight at least six hours a day.
PS Partial Sh: direct sunlight between three to six hours.
Sh Sh: less than three hours of direct sunlight 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

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