Plant This, Not That: Native Gardening for Wildlife & Clean Water

Help create wildlife habitat and support clean streams and rivers by gardening with plant species native to our area! Native plants provide important sources of food and shelter for bugs, birds, and other wildlife because they have evolved to coexist together over millennia. On the other hand, many of the non-native plants we can buy in nurseries and garden centers can become invasive and take over natural areas, outcompeting native plant species and harming the health of local ecosystems.

Creating native habitat at home can be done in a few simple steps that are good for the environment and have curb appeal. You can start by planting several native plants each year, pulling out invasive plants, and strategically placing a native tree to capture and clean storm water. When you’re gardening this spring, consider opting for these beneficial native species (and ditching these invasive ones):

PLANT THIS

Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)  – This perennial plant has clusters of bright orange flowers that attract butterflies. It is a food source for monarch butterflies and milkweed tussock moths, and it’s beneficial for native bees too.

Photo Credit: Rachel Haynes

NOT THAT

Common Daylily (Hemerocallis fulva) – These invasive flowers, which were introduced from Asia, form dense patches and can outcompete native plants. They threaten meadows, floodplains, woods, and forest edges, spreading through the expansion of their tuberous roots.

Photo Credit: Photo by Anna Mircea on Unsplash

PLANT THIS

Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica) – This shrub gets fragrant clusters of white flowers in the spring, which attract butterflies and other polliantors, and its leaves turn dark red in the fall and provide cover for birds.

Photo Credit: I, SB Johnny, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

NOT THAT

Butterfly Bush (Buddleja davidii) – While you might find butterflies visiting your butterfly bush, it doesn’t provide them with the healthy nutrients they need to thrive. In fact, it’s actually more like the equivalent of a human eating McDonald’s for every meal. Butterfly bush is native to Asia.

Photo Credit: Lazaregagnidze, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

PLANT THIS

Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) – This deciduous shrub is a food source for birds (It attracts 30 different species of birds!) as well as deer and small mammals. It gets white or pink flowers, which are followed by blue fruit. In the fall, its foliage turns red, yellow, orange, and purple.

Photo Credit: Michael Nerrie, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 on Flickr

NOT THAT

Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus) – Burning bush was introduced to the US from Asia. It was declared a noxious weed by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, so as of January 2025, it is illegal to purchase, intentionally plant, or propagate this species. If you still have this in your yard, now’s the time to swap it out for something native!

Photo Credit: USFWS Midwest Region, Public Domain Mark on Flickr

PLANT THIS

Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) – Flowering dogwood is a small tree that grows 15 to 25 feet tall. It gets white, pink, or red flowers in the spring, and its leaves turn red in the fall. Its flowers attract butterflies and bees, and its red fruits provide food for songbirds.

Photo Credit: Eric Hunt, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

NOT THAT

Golden Rain Tree (Koelreuteria paniculata) – The golden rain tree is on the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources invasive species watch list, which means it is not yet a severe problem in Pennsylvania, but it has the potential to become one. It grows quickly and can tolerate drought, pollution, and a variety of soil types, giving it the potential to outcompete native vegetation. This tree is native to China, Korea, and Japan.

Photo Credit: Plant Image Library, CC BY-SA 2.0 on Flickr

PLANT THIS

Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia) – Summersweet displays spikes of white or pink flowers in the summer, yellow leaves in the fall, and dried seed capsules in the winter. Its flowers provide nectar and pollen for wildlife like hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees, and its seed capsules provide food for birds during the winter.

Photo Credit: KENPEI, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

NOT THAT

Japanese Spiraea (Spiraea japonica) – This plant is native to Japan, Korea, and China. It can quickly take over disturbed areas and intrude into meadows, forest openings, and other sites. Controlling this invasive species is especially challenging because its seeds, which it produces prolifically, can last for many years in the soil.

Photo Credit: AfroBrazilian, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

There are plenty of options for native species to plant! For more suggestions, check out our Native Plant List, and learn more with these other resources:

• Native Plant Sources
• Community Wildlife Habitat initiative
• Nature’s Least Wanted flyer
• DCNR’s Invasive Plant Fact Sheets