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Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

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Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

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Tuesday - February 11, 2014

From: New Egypt, NJ
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Shrubs, Trees
Title: Native Shrubs to Plant with Viburnum in New Jersey
Answered by: Anne Van Nest

QUESTION:

Please provide me with a list of native shrubs, plants etc. for New Jersey that would work with my existing native viburnum.

ANSWER:

To compile a list of native plants to consider as companions for your native viburnums go to our Native Plant Database.  Under Combination Search, select the following categories: State – New Jersey, Habit – shrubs, and Duration – perennial. This will give you a large list of 167 shrubs to consider. You can further narrow down the list of potential plants by indicating Light Requirement – sun, part shade or shade, Soil Moisture – dry, moist or wet and your Height preference. You can narrow that search even further by filtering by specific blooming times or blooming colors also.

If you don’t want to do your own search, The Wildflower Center has put together a list of over 100 native plant species (perennials, shrubs and trees) suitable in New Jersey for you to consider. As you look through this list consider the light exposure and soil moisture requirements so that a compatible viburnum companion is found.  Some pictures of these plants have been included below. Good luck with your selection.

 

From the Image Gallery


Eastern redbud
Cercis canadensis

Flowering dogwood
Cornus florida

Dwarf witchalder
Fothergilla gardenii

American holly
Ilex opaca

Mountain laurel
Kalmia latifolia

Sweet crabapple
Malus coronaria

Tupelo
Nyssa sylvatica

Smooth azalea
Rhododendron arborescens

Winged sumac
Rhus copallinum

Plumleaf azalea
Rhododendron prunifolium

Sassafras
Sassafras albidum

Lowbush blueberry
Vaccinium angustifolium

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