Native Plants
![](../_images/smarty_plants.gif)
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.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
![](../_images/mr_smarty_plants_logo_web_200w.jpg)
rate this answer
![](../_images/star_00.gif)
Friday - May 31, 2013
From: Queens, NY
Region: Northeast
Topic: Plant Lists, Herbs/Forbs, Wildflowers
Title: New York City Native Perennials for a Long Growing Season
Answered by: Anne Van Nest
QUESTION:
Which native New York City perennials would be best for the longest growing season?ANSWER:
The first place to go to find a list of potential plants is our Native Plant Database. Use the Combination Search feature. This will provide you with a big selection with a lot of choice to narrow down. Under Combination Search, select the following categories: State – New York, Habit – herb (for herbaceous), and Duration – perennial. You can narrow down this search further by indicating soil moisture, light requirements, blooming time and bloom color too.
These search criteria will give you over 1,000 perennials to consider. Follow each plant link to our webpage for that plant to learn its growing conditions, bloom time, etc. At the bottom of each plant webpage, under Additional Resources, there is a link to the USDA webpage for that plant. Take a look there for more specific details about suitability before you put them on your final planting list.
You can also look at the Recommended Species for New York State. There are 112 suggestions on this list.
The volunteers and staff at the Wildflower Center who maintain the database have partners in different regions to help with these recommended species lists based on what is easy to access in local nurseries.
Your request for plants that have the longest growing season has me wondering. Do you mean longest blooming time instead of longest growing season? Except for the spring ephemerals which grow, bloom and then go dormant in the summer, most native perennials in New York do have a long growing season (April-October).
Note that our database will find plants native to New York State and not specifically to New York City. The City of New York Parks & Recreation has produced a publication on Gardening with New York City Native Plants that will give you some of the plants for your specific location.
Here are some of your local native plants that the City of New York Parks & Recreation suggests for the garden:
Asarum canadense (Canada wild ginger)
Asclepias tuberosa (butterflyweed)
Geranium maculatum (spotted geranium)
Lupinus perennis (sundial lupine)
Monarda punctata (spotted beebalm)
Opuntia humifusa (Devil's tongue)
Phlox subulata (creeping phlox)
Polygonatum biflorum (smooth Solomon’s seal)
Solidago caesia (wreath goldenrod)
Symphyotrichum laeve (smooth blue aster)
Uvularia perfoliata (perfoliate bellwort)
Viola pedata (birdfoot violet)
From the Image Gallery
More Plant Lists Questions
Native Groundcover Suggestions for Under Florida Oak Trees
April 03, 2015 - I am looking for native plants that will do well under several oak trees in Northeast Florida. My yard doesn't get much sun and I'm told I have acidic soil. Are the any plants that would do well wit...
view the full question and answer
Shrubs for Birds and Bees in North Texas
December 17, 2015 - I have a small backyard and would love to grow native plants for North Texas. I don't think I can grow trees, but for sure can do 1-2 crape myrtle-size shrubs. I have some rose of Sharon's going on ...
view the full question and answer
Trees & Shrubs for a NY Slope
July 03, 2012 - Our community has a large steep slope (100'high by at least 600' wide) that is sunny & dry. The builders planted "wild flower seeds" on the slope that is now just weeds. We would like to know what...
view the full question and answer
Trees suited for rocky, caliche soil of Central Texas
September 20, 2011 - I need to replace aging ashes. I have planted 2 Monterey oaks, but I would like to know what else I could plant whose roots will grow well in NW Austin caliche, rocky soil?
Thank you.
view the full question and answer
Native Plants for a Steep Slope in TN
July 15, 2014 - Hello, I live in Knoxville, TN and have a very steep slope in our backyard. There is a lot of water erosion causing our grass to be covered with red dirt. I would love to try to plant something on thi...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |