- West Virginia Native Flowers<\/a><\/li>
- West Virginia Native Grasses<\/a><\/li>
- West Virginia Native Shrubs<\/a><\/li>
- West Virginia Native Trees<\/a><\/li>
- How to Choose Native Plants for Your Landscape<\/a><\/li>
- Why Use Native Plants?<\/a><\/li>
- Cost of Installing Native Plants<\/a><\/li>
- Installing Native Plants as a DIY Project<\/a><\/li>
- FAQ About West Virginia Native Plants<\/a><\/li><\/ul> \t\t\t<\/div> \t\t<\/div><\/div>
West Virginia Native Flowers<\/h2>
The great state of West Virginia has a wealth of native flowers that color every corner with their unique blooms. Here are some you should consider introducing to your garden:<\/p>
Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta<\/em>)<\/h3>
![\"Field](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/black-eyed-susan-1.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> A flower that makes you think of beauty, black-eyed Susan has thrived as one that will aggressively take over an area, in some cases crowding out other species. Native Americans found it had medicinal value, making a tea of the roots to treat colds and earaches and a lotion to put on sores, snakebites, and swellings.<\/p>
- Plant type:<\/strong> Flower<\/li>
- USDA Hardiness Zone:<\/strong> 3 to 9<\/li>
- Sun:<\/strong> Full sun<\/li>
- Soil:<\/strong> Clay, sand, loam, acidic, moist, well-drained<\/li>
- Duration:<\/strong> Depending on growing conditions, it can act as a biennial, annual, or short-lived perennial<\/li>
- Fragrance:<\/strong> Sweet<\/li>
- Bloom time:<\/strong> Spring, summer, early autumn<\/li>
- Water needs:<\/strong> Medium. It has moderate drought tolerance.<\/li>
- Mature height:<\/strong> 1 to 3 feet<\/li>
- Potential Hazards<\/strong>: The hairs on the stems and leaves can irritate a person\u2019s skin. If that happens, wash the area and the clothes you were wearing.<\/li>
- Maintenance:<\/strong> Low. Can self-seed freely. Black-eyed Susan can become aggressive if given an environment that is too perfect and insufficient competition.<\/li> <\/ul>
Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa<\/em>)<\/h3>
![\"closeup](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Butterfly-Milkweed-1.jpeg\")
Photo Credit: Wackybadger<\/a> \/ Wikimedia Commons \/ CC BY-SA 3.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> There are a lot of reasons to plant Asclepias tuberosa<\/em>. One of them is to help preserve the official state butterfly, the monarch. The Eastern monarch population has dropped 90 percent<\/a> in the last 20 years. The only plant that will provide for monarch caterpillars is the milkweed; Without it, they will die.<\/p>
Butterfly milkweed has been an important plant from its earliest days. Native Americans used its fibers for ropes and clothing and also for food. European settlers used the leaves to make tea to treat inflammation in the chest, leading them to call the plant \u201cpleurisy root<\/a>.\u201d It was listed in the American Pharmacopoeia and the National Formulary until 1936.<\/p>
- Plant type: <\/strong>Flower<\/li>
- USDA Hardiness Zone: <\/strong>3a to 9b<\/li>
- Sun: <\/strong>Full sun<\/li>
- Soil: <\/strong>Clay, loam, or sandy soil that\u2019s well-drained, moist, or somewhat wet<\/li>
- Duration: <\/strong>Perennial<\/li>
- Fragrance: <\/strong>Vanilla<\/li>
- Bloom time: <\/strong>Spring through summer <\/li>
- Water needs: <\/strong>Low<\/li>
- Mature height: <\/strong>1 to 2 feet<\/li>
- Potential hazards: <\/strong>Toxic to dogs, cats, horses, and also humans when ingested without sufficient preparation as it contains cardiac glycosides<\/a>.<\/li>
- Maintenance<\/strong>: Low<\/li> <\/ul>
New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)<\/em><\/h3>
![\"Closeup](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/New-England-Aster.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Ryan Hodnett<\/a> \/ Wikimedia Commons \/ CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> New England aster bursts with color, often with hundreds of large, colorful, deep purple and pink flowers on leafy plants that can reach 6 feet in height. It grows in woods, meadows, prairies, and streambeds, but many people recognize it from roadsides. <\/p>
- Plant type: <\/strong>Flower<\/li>
- USDA Hardiness Zone: <\/strong>4a to 8b<\/li>
- Sun: <\/strong>Full sun, partial shade<\/li>
- Soil: <\/strong>Sandy, loamy, clay<\/li>
- Duration: <\/strong>Perennial<\/li>
- Fragrance: <\/strong>None<\/li>
- Bloom time: <\/strong>Late summer, autumn<\/li>
- Water needs: <\/strong>Medium<\/li>
- Mature height: <\/strong>3 to 6 feet<\/li>
- Potential hazards: <\/strong>Vulnerable to powdery mildew. Be mindful of aster wilt if plants are grown in poorly drained clay soils. <\/li>
- Maintenance Needs: <\/strong>Medium. It may require staking or other support if it grows tall. Pinch back stems before midsummer to control the plant height and produce more flowers.<\/li> <\/ul>
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea<\/em>)<\/h3>
![\"Purple](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/rsz_purple-coneflower-gc1a99a243_1280.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Pixabay<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Purple coneflower is a popular plant with its long-lasting lavender flowers. It has a spiny, brown disk on top that looks like a hedgehog, leading to its scientific name, Echinacea<\/em>, which is based on the Greek word for the spiny-backed little mammal. The flowers are used to make a popular herbal tea. <\/p>
Purple coneflower has been used for centuries to treat the common cold, coughs, bronchitis, upper respiratory infections, and some inflammatory conditions. Research finds that it works to treat the symptoms but not to prevent illness<\/a>.<\/p>
- Plant type: <\/strong>Flower<\/li>
- USDA Hardiness Zone: <\/strong>3a to 8b<\/li>
- Sun: <\/strong>Full sun, partial shade<\/li>
- Soil: <\/strong>Clay, sand, loam, well-drained<\/li>
- Duration: <\/strong>Perennial <\/strong><\/li>
- Fragrance: <\/strong>Light, sweet, honey-like<\/li>
- Bloom time: <\/strong>April to September<\/li>
- Water needs: <\/strong>Medium<\/li>
- Mature height:<\/strong> 2 to 5 feet<\/li>
- Potential hazards: <\/strong>None<\/li>
- Maintenance Needs: <\/strong>Low<\/li> <\/ul>
Red Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis<\/em>)<\/h3>
![\"Eastern](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Eastern-Red-Columbine.jpg\")
Photo Credit: James St. John<\/a> \/ Flickr \/ CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> With a bright, attractive flower, red columbine is known for its red and yellow flowers that have a spur on their back that led people to call it “Aquilegia,” a form of the Latin word (“aquila”) for eagle.<\/p>
The red columbine is a popular choice for gardens that want to attract wildlife. Its nectar-rich flowers are a magnet for hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies, while its seeds provide sustenance for finches and buntings.<\/p>
- Plant Type:<\/strong> Flower<\/li>
- USDA Hardiness Zone:<\/strong> 3a to 8b<\/li>
- Sun:<\/strong> Full sun or partial shade<\/li>
- Soil:<\/strong> Clay, silt, or sandy soil that\u2019s well-drained, moist, dry-ish<\/li>
- Duration:<\/strong> Perennial<\/li>
- Fragrance:<\/strong> None<\/li>
- Bloom Time:<\/strong> Spring<\/li>
- Water Needs:<\/strong> Weekly or whenever the soil is completely dry. It can tolerate occasional dry conditions.<\/li>
- Mature Height:<\/strong> 1 to 3 feet<\/li>
- Potential Hazards:<\/strong> Moderately flammable\/risk of fire<\/li>
- Maintenance Needs:<\/strong> Low; deadhead blooms as needed, cut back in late summer<\/li> <\/ul>
Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata<\/em>)<\/h3>
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Swamp_Milkweed.jpg\")
Photo Credit: R. A. Nonenmacher<\/a> \/ Wikimedia Commons \/ CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Swamp milkweed is very similar to butterfly milkweed (for both the monarch butterflies and its history as a health remedy for the early people), but with one difference: It grows in water. It\u2019s found in swamps, stream beds, river bottomlands, and wet meadows, something that monarchs appreciate since they lay their eggs on it, and the caterpillars feed on its leaves. <\/p>
Something to be careful about: The common milkweed is similar to the butterfly and swamp milkweeds, but unlike them, it is very aggressive, taking over in the same manner as an invasive species.<\/p>
- Plant type:<\/strong> Flower<\/li>
- USDA Hardiness Zone: <\/strong>3a to 9b<\/li>
- Sun: <\/strong>Full sun to partial shade<\/li>
- Soil: <\/strong>Organically rich, clay, silt, slightly acidic, well-drained soil<\/li>
- Duration: <\/strong>Perennial<\/li>
- Fragrance: <\/strong>Sweet-smelling<\/li>
- Bloom time: <\/strong>July to September<\/li>
- Water needs: <\/strong>High<\/li>
- Mature height: <\/strong>4 to 6 feet<\/li>
- Potential hazards:<\/strong> Poisonous to humans and animals in large quantities<\/li>
- Maintenance:<\/strong> Low<\/li> <\/ul>
Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica<\/em>)<\/h3>
![\"blue](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Virginia-Bluebell.jpg\")
Photo Credit: Ryan Hodnett<\/a> \/ Wikimedia Commons \/ CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Named for its absolutely gorgeous lavender-blue, bell-shaped flowers, the Virginia bluebell needs partial to full shade in order to grow. Something to keep in mind is that Virginia bluebells will retreat into dormancy throughout the summer season.<\/p>
Because of this unique growth pattern, it\u2019s common for people to pair them with later-emerging species. As the Virginia bluebells go dormant, plants such as purple coneflower or swamp milkweed begin their bloom cycle and ensure an ongoing display of color through the summer.<\/p>
- Plant type:<\/strong> Flower<\/li>
- USDA Hardiness Zone:<\/strong> 3a to 9b<\/li>
- Sun:<\/strong> Part shade to full shade<\/li>
- Soil: <\/strong>High organic matter. Acid, alkaline, neutral. Moist but well-drained.<\/li>
- Duration:<\/strong> Perennial<\/li>
- Fragrance:<\/strong> Light, sweet<\/li>
- Bloom Time: <\/strong>Spring<\/li>
- Water Needs: <\/strong>Average. It does its best when moisture is abundant and will decline when the soil is too dry.<\/li>
- Mature height:<\/strong> 1 to 2 feet<\/li>
- Potential Hazards:<\/strong> None<\/li>
- Maintenance Needs: <\/strong>Medium. This plant self-seeds but is not easy to propagate. It should be cut back after flowering.<\/li> <\/ul>
Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum<\/em>)<\/h3>
![\"Wild](\"https:\/\/www.lawnstarter.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/Wild-Cranesbill-aka-Wild-Geranium.jpg\")
Photo Credit: James St. John<\/a> \/ Flickr \/ CC BY 2.0<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure> Wild geranium is known for being attractive, sprouting lavender flowers that bloom in clusters and in classic saucer shapes. <\/p>
Geranium maculatum<\/em> oil, often called just \u201cgeranium oil,\u201d is extracted from the stems, leaves, and flowers. It is used in the hair-care and fragrance industries. It is also used as an insecticide<\/a>.<\/p>
- Plant Type:<\/strong> Flower<\/li>
- USDA Hardiness Zone:<\/strong> 3a to 11b<\/li>
- Sun:<\/strong> Full sun or partial shade<\/li>
- Soil:<\/strong> Clay, silt, high organic matter, or sandy soil that\u2019s well-drained, moist, or somewhat wet.<\/li>
- Duration:<\/strong> Perennial<\/li>
- Fragrance:<\/strong> Mildly floral<\/li>
- USDA Hardiness Zone:<\/strong> 3a to 11b<\/li>
- USDA Hardiness Zone:<\/strong> 3a to 9b<\/li>
- USDA Hardiness Zone: <\/strong>3a to 9b<\/li>
- USDA Hardiness Zone:<\/strong> 3a to 8b<\/li>
- USDA Hardiness Zone: <\/strong>3a to 8b<\/li>
- USDA Hardiness Zone: <\/strong>4a to 8b<\/li>
- USDA Hardiness Zone: <\/strong>3a to 9b<\/li>
- USDA Hardiness Zone:<\/strong> 3 to 9<\/li>
- West Virginia Native Grasses<\/a><\/li>