- American Holly (Ilex opaca)<\/a><\/li>
- Northern Bayberry (Myrica Pennsylvanica)<\/a><\/li>
- Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)<\/a><\/li>
- Catmint (Nepeta)<\/a><\/li>
- Blue False Indigo (Baptisia australis)<\/a><\/li>
- Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)<\/a><\/li>
- Red Elderberry (Sambucus racemosa)<\/a><\/li>
- Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)<\/a><\/li>
- Tall Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolium)<\/a><\/li>
- Whorled Tickseed (Coreopsis verticillata)<\/a><\/li>
- Flowering Tobacco (Nicotiana alata)<\/a><\/li>
- Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)<\/a><\/li>
- Wild Ginger (Asarum Canadense)<\/a><\/li>
- Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica)<\/a><\/li>
- How to Choose the Best Deer-Resistant Plants for Newark<\/a><\/li>
- FAQ About Deer-Resistant Plants for Newark\u00a0<\/a><\/li><\/ul> \t\t\t<\/div> \t\t<\/div><\/div>
American Holly (Ilex opaca)<\/h2>
![\"Ilex](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/31953982266_8871446f01_c-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Plant Image Library<\/a> \/ Flickr \/ CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> American Holly grows well in the mostly acidic soil typically found in New Jersey. Although it does not grow well in clay soil, if you have a silt-clay soil type, which is common in Newark, you can amend it. <\/p>
The reason you may want to amend this type of soil is because clay soil is slow to absorb water and becomes compacted easily. Adding mulch and organic matter can enhance its quality. Find out more about soil composition and enhancements in our guide about soil types<\/a>.<\/p>
Homeowners love that American Holly\u2018s leaves remain green year-round \u2013 even in Newark\u2019s cold and snowy winters. This beautiful tree blossoms small greenish flowers. When male and female trees are planted near one another, they produce red berries that stay around through the coldest months. Birds feast on the red treats throughout the winter. <\/p>
- Plant type:<\/strong> Tree<\/li>
- Hardiness zones:<\/strong> 5-9<\/li>
- Sun: <\/strong>Full sun to partial shade<\/li>
- Soil:<\/strong> Sand, loam, acidic, well-drained. Do not grow in clay. <\/li>
- Duration:<\/strong> Evergreen perennial<\/li>
- Water needs: <\/strong>Medium<\/li>
- Mature height:<\/strong> Typically grows under 25 feet tall, but some can reach 50 feet or more. <\/li> <\/ul>
Northern Bayberry (Myrica Pennsylvanica)<\/h2>
![\"Northern](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Northern-Bayberry-Myrica-Pennsylvanica.jpg\")
Photo Credit: cultivar413<\/a> \/ Wikimedia Commons \/ CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Northern bayberry adapts to many soil types. So, unlike the American Holly, Northern bayberry will tolerate soil with a silt-clay composition. <\/p>
The humid, wet Newark summers are no problem for this shrub. It prefers moist soil and tolerates wet environments well. The glossy leaves are very fragrant when they are crushed. Yellowish-green flowers blossom, but they are not very eye-catching. <\/p>
Add Northern bayberry to your yard for functionality. It helps mitigate the erosion that silty soils are prone to and is salt tolerant, so it can withstand overflows when you\u2019re salting your icy sidewalks and driveways in the winter. <\/p>
- Plant type:<\/strong> Shrub<\/li>
- USDA Hardiness Zone:<\/strong> 4-6<\/li>
- Sun: <\/strong>Full sun<\/li>
- Soil:<\/strong> Sandy, rocky, acidic; well-drained with high organic matter<\/li>
- Duration:<\/strong> Perennial<\/li>
- Bloom time: <\/strong>Spring<\/li>
- Water needs: <\/strong>Low; water regularly until established<\/li>
- Mature height: <\/strong>6-12 feet<\/li> <\/ul>
Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)<\/h2>
![\"Bearberry](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Bearberry-Arctostaphylos-uva-ursi.jpg\")
Photo Credit: User:Tigerente<\/a> \/ Wikimedia Commons \/ CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Bearberry is a host plant for moth and butterfly caterpillars. The berry-looking fruit that ripens in the fall feeds wildlife \u2013 like birds \u2013 into the winter. Bees and hummingbirds are attracted to the nectar. Plant bearberry and watch its green leaves turn reddish-purple in autumn. <\/p>
Bearberry is also functional; it can be used as a groundcover to help control erosion. Using groundcover is another way to amend silty soil and help reduce its severe vulnerability to erosion. This flowering groundcover will fill your yard with lovely pinkish-white flowers clustering on red stems from about April to May.<\/p>
- Plant type:<\/strong> Evergreen shrub<\/li>
- USDA hardiness zone: <\/strong>2-6<\/li>
- Sun: <\/strong>Full sun or partial shade<\/li>
- Soil: <\/strong>Sandy, acidic; can be dry or moist but no standing water<\/li>
- Duration:<\/strong> Perennial<\/li>
- Bloom time: <\/strong>Early spring to early summer<\/li>
- Water needs: <\/strong>Low<\/li>
- Mature height: <\/strong>Up to 8 inches<\/li> <\/ul>
Catmint (Nepeta)<\/h2>
![\"picture](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/Sensory-Garden-catmint.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Plant Right<\/a> \/ Flickr \/ CC BY 2.0 DEED<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> This plant can bloom showy flowers of many colors, including white and pink. We\u2019re partial to the vibrant and show-stopping lavender petals with a tinge of blue. <\/p>
The green leaves understand that your sense of smell needs to be catered to as much as your visual sense, and the foliage is aromatic. That minty smell that we like so much is what keeps the deer and rabbits at bay. But no worries. Catmint serves a greater purpose \u2013 it gives back to the ecosystem by attracting beneficial insects like butterflies and bees.<\/p>
- Plant type:<\/strong> Herbaceous perennial<\/li>
- USDA Hardiness Zone:<\/strong> 3-9<\/li>
- Sun:<\/strong> Full sun, partial shade<\/li>
- Soil:<\/strong> Chalk, loam, sand<\/li>
- Duration: <\/strong>Perennial<\/li>
- Bloom time:<\/strong> May – September<\/li>
- Water needs<\/strong>: Low<\/li>
- Mature height: <\/strong>1-3 feet<\/li> <\/ul>
Blue False Indigo (Baptisia australis)<\/h2>
![\"image](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/blue-false-indigo.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Blue false indigo is also called Blue wild indigo. It has flowers that stand on tall stems. The cluster of small purple petals bloom May through June, before Brick City\u2019s hottest summer months. In addition to the tall blossoms standing atop blue-green leaves providing stunning visual excitement, the seed pods provide audio stimulation, rattling when shaken.<\/p>
This perennial flower attracts butterflies and is a great addition to a pollinator garden.<\/p>
- Plant type:<\/strong> Upright perennial<\/li>
- USDA Hardiness Zone:<\/strong> 3-9<\/li>
- Sun:<\/strong> Full sun<\/li>
- Soil: <\/strong>Loam, Sand<\/li>
- Duration:<\/strong> Perennial<\/li>
- Bloom time:<\/strong> April – July<\/li>
- Water needs:<\/strong> Low, Average<\/li>
- Mature height: <\/strong>3-4 feet<\/li> <\/ul>
Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)<\/em><\/h2>
![\"Pawpaw](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Pawpaw-Asimina-triloba.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Plant Image Library from Boston, USA<\/a> \/ Wikimedia Commons \/ CC BY-SA 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Pawpaw is a delicious shrub that can also grow into a tree. This plant not only feeds small mammals and birds, but it attracts butterflies and also feeds anyone willing to partake of its edible green fruit. The tree produces fruit after the flowers have bloomed in April to May. In the fall, the fruit ripens and turns brown.<\/p>
The large green tropical-looking leaves easily add visual interest to any yard. Pawpaw is a great shrub or tree for a rain garden.<\/p>
- Plant type: <\/strong>Tree<\/li>
- USDA Hardiness Zone: <\/strong>5-9<\/li>
- Sun: <\/strong>Full sun, partial shade<\/li>
- Soil: <\/strong>Loam<\/li>
- Duration: <\/strong>Perennial<\/li>
- Bloom time: <\/strong>April to May<\/li>
- Water needs: <\/strong>Average<\/li>
- Mature height: <\/strong>15-30 feet<\/li> <\/ul>
Red Elderberry (Sambucus racemosa<\/em>)<\/h2>
![\"closeup](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Red-elderberry-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Leslie Seaton from Seattle, WA, USA<\/a> \/ Wikimedia Commons \/ CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Whether it\u2019s the cluster of small white flowers or vibrant red berries that get your attention, red elderberry helps Gateway City homeowners feed and provide habitat to local wildlife. Native bees use the shrub for nesting. But be careful! Although the birds find the berries scrumptious, the fruit is poisonous to humans. <\/p>
Having problems with insect pests in your garden? This perennial draws beneficial insects that feed on these pests. Plant red elderberry as a specimen tree or as a border plant.<\/p>
- Plant type:<\/strong> Shrub<\/li>
- Water needs: <\/strong>Medium 3-7<\/li>
- Sun: <\/strong>Full sun or partial shade<\/li>
- Soil:<\/strong> Moist and well-drained <\/li>
- Duration:<\/strong> Perennial<\/li>
- Bloom time: <\/strong>Spring and summer<\/li>
- Water needs: <\/strong> Medium; water in the absence of rain<\/li>
- Mature height: <\/strong>3-9 feet<\/li> <\/ul>
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)<\/h2>
![\"closeup](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Switchgrass.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Matt Lavin<\/a> \/ Flickr \/ CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> It is best to test your soil before planting switchgrass. This ornamental grass needs sufficient nutrients, so potassium and phosphorous levels should be adequately maintained. Switchgrass prefers pH levels as close to 6.5 as possible, but it can withstand as low as 5.5. <\/p>
Are you curious about your soil\u2019s pH level and want to find out how to determine it? Read our article, “Why, When, and How to Test the Soil pH of Your Lawn<\/a>.”<\/p>
Switchgrass is a clumping grass that gives you color in Newark\u2019s icy winters. The pinkish flowers can be seen in July and turn beige at the end of summer or a little before, and remain through February. Switchgrass feeds birds and is a host plant for some butterfly species as well as moth and butterfly caterpillars.<\/p>
Use switchgrass as privacy borders or to hide undesirable things or areas of your yard.<\/p>
- Plant type: <\/strong>Grass<\/li>
- Water needs: <\/strong>Medium <\/strong>5a-9b <\/li>
- Sun: <\/strong>Full sun, partial shade<\/li>
- Soil: <\/strong>Sandy, loamy, clay, limestone-based<\/li>
- Duration: <\/strong>Perennial<\/li>
- Bloom time: <\/strong>July through February<\/li>
- Water needs: <\/strong>Medium<\/li>
- Mature height: <\/strong>3-6 feet<\/li> <\/ul>
Tall Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolium)<\/em><\/h2>
![\"Tall](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Tall-Oregon-Grape-Mahonia-aquifolium.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz<\/a> \/ Wikimedia Commons \/ CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> If you were thinking Oregon grape has edible fruit that resembles grapes, you are correct! The small treats are a bluish-black color and appear after the yellow flowers blossom in the spring. This shrub is also called hollyleaved barberry, because of its holly-looking foliage. <\/p>
In addition to the tall Oregon grape being a human food source, it <\/p>
also nourishes birds. The nectar beckons bees and other pollinators. Windy winters can be drying and not the best conditions for this shrub, so plant it in a location where it will not be exposed to drying winter gusts.<\/p>
Use tall Oregon grape in a shade garden or as shrub borders, and make some jelly for your morning toast with the berries.<\/p>
- Plant type: <\/strong>Shrub<\/li>
- Hardiness zones: <\/strong>5-8<\/li>
- Sun: <\/strong>Partial shade to full shade<\/li>
- Soil:<\/strong> Loam, acidic, well-drained<\/li>
- Duration:<\/strong> Perennial<\/li>
- Bloom time:<\/strong> <\/strong>Spring<\/li>
- Water needs: <\/strong>Medium<\/li>
- Mature height:<\/strong> 6-8 feet<\/li> <\/ul>
Whorled Tickseed (Coreopsis verticillata)<\/em><\/h2>
![\"Whorled](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Whorled-Tickseed-Coreopsis-verticillata.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Anneli Salo<\/a> \/ Wikimedia Commons \/ CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Whorled tickseed tolerates the humid Essex County summers well. The plant performs best in sandy as well as rocky soil that is infertile. This herb may droop in soil that is too wet or rich. But remember, you can always amend your soil to help your plants grow their best.<\/p>
Don\u2019t be surprised when you see this sunny flower. Its yellow petals remind you of daisies \u2013 as they should. Whorled tickseed is in the daisy family. <\/p>
Plant this striking flower in a cottage, pollinator, or rock garden and you may hear the melodies of the songbirds as they come to eat the herb\u2019s seeds. Pollinators, like butterflies, are attracted to the nectar.<\/p>
- Plant type: <\/strong>Perennial herb<\/li>
- USDA Hardiness Zone: <\/strong>3-9<\/li>
- Sun: <\/strong>Full sun <\/li>
- Soil:<\/strong> Well-drained, moist soils. <\/li>
- Duration: <\/strong>Perennial <\/li>
- Bloom time: <\/strong>June – August<\/li>
- USDA Hardiness Zone: <\/strong>3-9<\/li>
- Hardiness zones: <\/strong>5-8<\/li>
- Water needs: <\/strong>Medium <\/strong>5a-9b <\/li>
- Water needs: <\/strong>Medium 3-7<\/li>
- USDA Hardiness Zone: <\/strong>5-9<\/li>
- USDA Hardiness Zone:<\/strong> 3-9<\/li>
- USDA Hardiness Zone:<\/strong> 3-9<\/li>
- USDA hardiness zone: <\/strong>2-6<\/li>
- USDA Hardiness Zone:<\/strong> 4-6<\/li>
- Hardiness zones:<\/strong> 5-9<\/li>
- Northern Bayberry (Myrica Pennsylvanica)<\/a><\/li>