Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

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.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

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

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

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

More Trees Questions

Magnolia species are allelopathic
August 02, 2014 - Have a healthy Southern Magnolia tree around 8 years old. It seems like everything I plant next to it dies.: Variegated Spirea, Stokes Aster, Hydrangeas. Is there something it secretes like the waln...
view the full question and answer

Dog eats Celtis laevigata, sugar hackberry
May 21, 2012 - This is an odd question but I am a biologist and have for years notice an odd behavior in my Golden Retriever. When he gets stomach distress or something makes him nervous like an incoming thunderstor...
view the full question and answer

Colony of bees nesting in sycamore
July 06, 2010 - I have a very large, old sycamore tree that has recently become home to a colony of honey bees. They have taken up dwelling in a hollow limb of the tree about 25 feet off the ground. While this is gre...
view the full question and answer

Plants for under live oak in Houston
July 09, 2011 - Hi, We have a live oak in our back garden in Houston and would like to plant a combination of some native shrubs and flowers near it (preferably perennial). The garden bed is about 4 metres from the...
view the full question and answer

Why is cedar pollen so heavy this year?
January 08, 2011 - Dear Mr Smarty, Is this year a heavier than normal year for cedar pollen?? If so why?
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.