American Beauties Plant Shopping List

The following plants have been added to your American Beauties plant shopping list. You can continue to browse our plants, or you can generate a printable version. Homeowners, please print your shopping list and take it into your closest authorized garden center to purchase your plants. Click here for a printable version of this list.

Amelanchier canadensis Common Name: Shadblow Very early to bloom Nectar attracts butterflies and other pollinators Provides first crop of native berries for robins, bluebirds and other fruit eating birds Handsome landscape plant that grows well in moist soil Good fall color One of the first native trees with showy flowers to bloom, serviceberry has slightly fragrant, white flowers in drooping clusters that are quite conspicuous because they appear before the leaves emerge. The nectar attracts butterflies and other pollinators. Flowers give rise to very flavorful, purple-black, berrylike fruits relished by both songbirds and people. Edible berries resemble blueberries in size and color and can be used in jams, jellies and pies. The colorful fall foliage is a blend of orange, gold, red and green.

Height: 15-20 Feet Spread: 8-12 Feet USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-9 Remove from List

Aquilegia canadensis 'Corbett' Common Name: Wild Columbine Easy to grow Provides early spring color Self sows Great for pine shade Resists leaf miner Versatile and easy to grow, 'Corbett' is a charming selection of our native Columbine with delicate light yellow flowers. More compact than the species, 'Corbett' is about a foot tall and heavily branched, sporting many flowers on a single plant. Though native to rocky woods and slopes, wild columbine thrives in average or even moist garden conditions. Hummingbirds love it! Self sows readily where happy.

Height: 12-15 Inches Spread: 10-12 Inches USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-8 Remove from List

Asclepias incarnata Common Name: Swamp Milkweed Swamp milkweed has big heads of rose pink, sweetly scented flowers. It's not unusual to see two or three butterflies on a single flower at the same time. Swamp milkweed grows naturally in wet soil but also grows well in regular garden soil. Benefits: Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds Host and nectar plant for monarch butterflies Lovely vanilla fragrance Thrives in sun in average or moist soil Deer resistant

Height: 3-4 Feet Spread: 1-2 Feet USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-7 Remove from List

Betula nigra 'Heritage' Common Name: 'Heritage' River Birch 'Heritage' is a vigorous, fast-growing tree with layers of cinnamon, salmon and brown bark peeling back in big sheets to reveal creamy white inner bark. It can be grown as either a single trunk or multi-stemmed tree and is especially effective when multiple trees are placed together in a grove. Chickadees, song and white-throated sparrows, wild turkey, pine siskins, finches and other birds love the seed. Trees also provide great cover and nesting sites. Good yellow fall color and excellent disease and pest resistance. Benefits: Tolerates really wet soil but adapts to drier ground, too 'Heritage' is very fast growing and has outstanding, multi-colored bark for year round interest Larval food source for Mourning cloaks, Canadian tiger swallowtails and dreamy duskywing butterflies Birds and other mammals feed on seed in the winter Provides cover and nest sites for all kinds of birds Extremely resistant to bronze birch borer and leaf spot diseases

Height: 35-40 Feet Spread: 30-35 Feet USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-9 Remove from List

Cephalanthus occidentalis Common Name: Button Bush Hundreds of tiny, tubular creamy white flowers are packed into large showy flower heads, which dangle from the bush in August. Butterflies and other insects find the nectar irresistible. The fragrant flower heads mature into round fruits each containing hundreds of nutlike seeds that are eaten by waterfowl and other birds such as quail. Many birds use this deciduous shrub as a nesting site. Benefits: Tremendous source of nectar for hummingbirds, butterflies and other pollinators Waterfowl and other birds relish the seed Provides protective cover for all kinds of birds Adapts to many soil types, except dry ones Thrives in bogs and very wet conditions

Height: 5-12 Feet Spread: 4-7 Feet USDA Hardiness Zone: 5-9 Remove from List

Chamaecyparis thyoides 'Top Point' Common Name: Atlantic White Cedar / Whitecedar Falsecypress This little beauty is a great evergreen for small gardens or for grouping in larger landscapes. 'Top Point' White Cedar is a truly dwarf evrgreen, growing only 3" per year and reaching only four feet at maturity. Its blue foliage is soft in appearance and makes a tidy foundation planting that can also serve as the backdrop for herbaceous perennials. 'Top Point' grows slowly, so it is ideal for container combinations. Its tolerance for wet soils makes White Cedar a great choice for rain gardens or detention ponds.

Height: 4-5 Feet Spread: 18-24 Inches USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-9 Remove from List

Clethra alnifolia Common Name: Summer Sweet Bush / Sweet Pepper Bush Big wands of spicy-sweet scented, showy white flowers Flowers bloom for 4-6 weeks in mid- to late summer and attract butterflies and other pollinators Grows well in wet soil; will naturalize over time Will bloom in shade Shrubby stems provide nesting sites and protective cover for wildlife Summer sweet is a vase-shaped deciduous shrub, which features fluffy, bottle brush-like, 3-6" spikes of extremely fragrant white flowers that are an extremely important nectar source in summer. Glossy, dark green leaves turn a rich yellow in autumn.

Height: 5-7 Feet Spread: 6-8 Feet USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-9 Remove from List

Cornus racemosa 'Geauge' Common Name: 'Geauge' Gray Dogwood Gray twig dogwood is a deciduous shrub bearing dome-shaped clusters of white flowers in late spring. The flowers give way to clusters of small white berries and the stems holding the flowers and fruit are licorice red which makes a distinct contrast. Gray-green leaves turn dusky purple-red in fall. This thicket-forming shrub is a good source of food, cover and nesting sites. Benefits: Host plant for spring azure butterfly Plentiful and nutritious berries for a wide range of birds Provides good nesting sites for birds and protective cover for wildlife Selected for lustrous foliage and a refined garden habit Tolerant of a wide range of conditions including poor or wet soils

Height: 7-8 Feet Spread: 4-5 Feet USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-8 Remove from List

Cornus sericea 'Cardinal' Common Name: 'Cardinal' Red-Osier Dogwood 'Cardinal' is a fast-growing, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub with cherry red winter stems. The stems are especially showy against a snowy backdrop. Tiny white flowers appear in flat-topped clusters in late spring. Flowers give way to clusters of creamy white fruit in late summer. Fruit is very attractive to birds and is generally considered to have as much if not more ornamental interest than the flowers. Dark green leaves turn an attractive red-purple in autumn. Benefits: Bright red stems in winter; extremely winter hardy Host plant for spring azure butterfly Nutritious berries for a wide range of birds Provides good nesting sites for birds and protective cover for wildlife Tolerates a wide variety of conditions, including wet soils

Height: 6-8 Feet Spread: 9-10 Feet USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-8 Remove from List

Ilex verticillata Common Name: Winterberry Winterberry is a deciduous holly that is slow growing, with an upright-rounded habit. In the wild, it often suckers to form large thickets or colonies but can be pruned to form a small tree. Inconspicuous greenish-white flowers appear in late spring and give way to a crop of bright red berries in late summer to fall. Berries are quite showy and persist through most of the winter, hence the common name. Benefits: Excellent year round interest, highlighted by showy red berries in winter. Nectar is especially attractive to small native bees. Cedar waxwings, bluebirds and robins savor the bright red berries that hold well into winter Gorgeous in winter floral arrangements Good nesting site for a variety of birds Tolerates a wide range of conditions including wet soils

Height: 8-10 Feet Spread: 8-10 Feet USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-9 Remove from List

Itea virginica 'Henry's Garnet' Common Name: 'Henry's Garnet' Virginia Sweetspire Fragrant, white flower spikes, 3-6" long, cover the shrub with bloom in early summer. Dark green leaves turn scarlet and crimson in fall, sometimes persisting on the shrub until December. 'Henry's Garnet' is noted for larger flowers and superior fall color to that of the species. Benefits: Fragrant white flowers attracts butterflies and other pollinators Stunning fall color for many weeks Provides protective cover for wildlife Tolerant of a surprising range of conditions from boggy to dry soils

Height: 3-4 Feet Spread: 5-6 Feet USDA Hardiness Zone: 5-9 Remove from List

Juniperus virginiana Common Name: Eastern Red Cedar This evergreen conifer is the best bird attracting tree in Eastern North America. Its 25' pyramidal form provides dense cover year round, and its shredding bark is used by many birds for nest construction. Female trees produce round, gray or bluish berry-like cones which 80 species of birds adore. Cedar waxwings earned their common name because of their reliance on the fruit. Benefits: Dense evergreen provides year round cover and nesting sites for many birds 80 species of birds feed on the fruit Host plant for olive hairstreak butterfly Fragrant foliage and wood Adapts to almost any growing condition and makes a good windbreak

Height: 25-30 Feet Spread: 10-12 Feet USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-9 Remove from List

Lindera benzoin Common Name: Spicebush This is a wonderful broad, rounded multi-stemmed shrub covered with fragrant yellow flowers in early spring. The flowers open before the leaves emerge and are held close to the branches. Aromatic light green leaves turn yellow-gold in fall. Birds feed on the brilliant red fruits available in late summer on female plants. These berries are one of the best sources of energy for long distance migratory birds. Benefits: Excellent source of nectar for butterflies and other pollinators in early spring Host plant for spicebush and tiger swallowtail butterflies Fragrant flowers and foliage Provides cover, nesting sites and red berries for various birds Deer resistant Ideal plant for damp shade situations

Height: 6-10 Feet Spread: 6-10 Feet USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-9 Remove from List

Magnolia virginiana 'Moon Glow' Common Name: 'Moon Glow' Sweetbay Magnolia 'Moon Glow' is a vigorous grower with a distinctly upright growth habit and lemon-scented, creamy white flowers bloom well after the last frost. Plants flower heavily in mid-spring then continue sporadically through summer. The foliage is shiny green on top with silver on the lower side. Foliage is evergreen to semi-evergreen, depending on where you live. The cone-like fruits contain bright red seeds and are an important source of food for birds in the fall. Benefits: Waxy, white fragrant flowers for many weeks Evergreen to semi-evergreen foliage Seeds are good source of food for birds in fall Vigorous grower Grows in wet soil

Height: 30-35 Feet Spread: 30-35 Feet USDA Hardiness Zone: 5-10 Remove from List

Nyssa sylvatica Common Name: Black Gum Black gum is a stately, slow-growing, deciduous tree with a straight trunk and rounded crown (more pyramidal when young). Small, greenish-white flowers appear in spring and are not showy, but they are an excellent nectar source for honey bees, native bees and other pollinators. Insect-eating birds such as kinglets, phoebes, pine warblers and others visit the tree to feed on the small insects it attracts. Flowers give way to oval, 1/2" long, dark blue fruits that are attractive to a variety of birds. Foliage turns spectacular scarlet, yellow and orange in the fall. Benefits: Heavy nectar producer, drawing all kinds of pollinators Insect eating birds visit the tree to feed on pollinators Excellent fruit for a number of birds Beautiful in the fall with multiple foliage colors on one tree Will grow in wet as well as dry soils

Height: 30-40 Feet Spread: 20-30 Feet USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-9 Remove from List

Panicum virgatum 'Haense Herms' Common Name: 'Haense Herms' Switchgrass A clump-forming grass that grows 4-5' tall with flower heads rising another 1' above the foliage, 'Haense Herms' offers steely blue foliage with red-tinged tips that become more prolific as the season progresses. Flower heads turn beige in fall with the seed plumes persisting well into winter. This bunch grass provides excellent cover and food for ducks, upland game birds, and songbirds. Benefits: Provides nest sites, protective cover and food for birds Showy red foliage and compact form Great winter interest Use flowers in fresh or dried arrangements Tolerates a wide range of growing conditions, including poor or wet soils

Height: 4-5 Feet Spread: 2-3 Feet USDA Hardiness Zone: 2-9 Remove from List

Panicum virgatum 'Northwind' Common Name: 'Northwind' Switchgrass 'Northwind' is a tall, clump-forming warm season grass with steel blue foliage. The wide, thick leaf blades and great upright form make this cultivar a real standout in the garden. Fine textured yellow flowers float over the foliage in summer. This bunch grass provides excellent cover and food for ducks, upland game birds, songbirds and small mammals. Benefits: Provides nest sites, protective cover and food for birds Stands erect all growing season exhibiting beautiful blue foliage Upright, wind-resistant form offers great winter interest Use flowers in fresh or dried arrangements Tolerates a wide range of growing conditions, including poor or wet soils

Height: 6 Feet Spread: 2-3 Feet USDA Hardiness Zone: 2-9 Remove from List

Physostegia virginiana 'Miss Manners' Common Name: 'Miss Manners' Obedient Plant 'Miss Manners' is aptly named because, unlike many other kinds of obedient plant, this one is clump forming and doesn't spread throughout the garden. Stiff, square stems end in dense spikes of pure white, snapdragon-like flowers, which bloom throughout the summer. Benefits: Good nectar source for butterflies and other pollinators Stem clumps make good ground cover for wildlife Pure white flower spikes bloom for many weeks Good cut flower Forms clumps and does not become invasive

Height: 24-30 Inches Spread: 18-24 Inches USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-9 Remove from List

Pinus strobus Common Name: Eastern White Pine Eastern white pine is a rapid-growing, long-lived, needled evergreen that is pyramidal in its early years but matures to a broad oval habit with an irregular crown. Blue-green needles are soft to the touch and make a soothing sound when wind passes through the branches. The evergreen needles provide good year round cover for all types of birds, including hawks and owls (raptors). Brown, 4-8" long cones are produced when trees reach (about) 10' tall. The seeds, bark and foliage are eaten by wildlife. Benefits: Fast growing tree with evergreen needles Good year round cover for birds Provides nesting sites for owls, hawks, bald eagles and other raptors Seeds in cones provide food for birds and other wildlife Larval food for eastern pine elfins

Height: 60-80 Feet Spread: 30-40 Feet USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-8 Remove from List

Quercus bicolor Common Name: Swamp White Oak Swamp white oak is a deciduous tree with a broad, rounded crown. The dark, shiny green leaves are silver on the bottom side. Fall color is usually yellow, but sometimes reddish purple. Though ornamentally insignificant, flowers bloom in April attracting pollen-seeking insects that attract migrating vireos, tanagers and warblers in search of a meal. Large acorns mature in early fall providing food for deer, wild turkey, black bear, fox and gray squirrels. Indigenous to moist, bottomland locations, this oak has surprisingly good drought resistance. Benefits: Grows relatively fast for an oak Pollen and emerging leaves attract a long list of pollinators and other insects Insect-eating migrating birds visit the tree looking for pollinating insects at work Acorns are a major food source for a variety of critters Larval food source for many of the dusky wings and hairstreak butterflies Will grow in low, moist areas

Height: 50-60 Feet Spread: 50-60 Feet USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-8 Remove from List

Rudbeckia triloba Common Name: Three-lobed Coneflower Hundreds of small deep gold flowers with brown centers bloom for almost three months. This plant is very resistant to drought, heat and pests. Butterflies and other pollinators like the nectar and songbirds eat the seed, which forms as flowers age. Benefits: Loaded with flowers for three months Great nectar source for butterflies and other pollinators Produces lots of seeds for songbirds Easy to grow and tolerant of a wide range of conditions

Height: 36-42 Inches Spread: 24-30 Inches USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-8 Remove from List

Salix discolor Common Name: Pussy Willow Silvery flowers, resembling 1" long bottlebrushes, bloom in late winter. The flowers provide pollen for native bees very early in the season and are conspicuous because they bloom on bare stems, before leaves appear. Finches, grouse and cardinals find the flower buds tasty. Several different butterflies use the blue-green leaves as a larval food source. If planted in dense clumps, this multi-stemmed shrub provides good cover and nesting sites for a variety of birds. Benefits: Provides pollen for native bees Food source for game and song birds Host plant for a large variety of butterflies Provides cover and nest sites for a variety of birds Cut branches can be forced to flower for winter arrangements

Height: 20-25 Feet Spread: 18-20 Feet USDA Hardiness Zone: 2-7 Remove from List

Sambucus canadensis 'Adams' Common Name: 'Adams' Elderberry American elderberry is a thicket-forming shrub with large flat-topped clusters of small, fragrant white flowers in spring. The flowers are a good source of nectar for small insects. Big clusters of dark purple to black, berry-like fruits follow in late summer to fall. The fruit is an outstanding source of food for birds and other wildlife. The old stems provide over-wintering sites for insects. Birds such as woodpeckers then forage in the clumps for the insects. Benefits: Flowers provide nectar for pollinators The fruit is favored by birds and other wildlife Old stems provide habitat for over-wintering insects Excellent for naturalizing in moist soil

Height: 8-10 Feet Spread: 8-10 Feet USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-9 Remove from List

Vaccinium angustifolium 'Brunswick' Common Name: Lowbush Blueberry Clusters of bell-shaped, white flowers tinged with red bloom in spring. Flowers are followed by tasty blue berries, which ripen in summer. The fruit is a favorite among humans as well as birds, small mammals and box turtles. Lowbush blueberry has lustrous blue-green leaves that turn bronze, scarlet and crimson in fall. It grows well in dry, acid, nutrient poor soil. Benefits: Fragrant flowers provide nectar for butterflies and other pollinators Larval food source for several butterflies The fruit is relished by birds and other wildlife after it ripens in summer Plants provide good nesting sites and cover for birds Very cold tolerant ground cover that grows well in dry, acid soil

Height: 8-12 Inches Spread: 2-3 Feet USDA Hardiness Zone: 2-5 Remove from List

Veronicastrum virginicum Common Name: Culver's Root Culver's root is a graceful perennial typically reaching 4-6' tall when in bloom. Slender flower spikes are densely packed with small white flowers that open from the top down in mid-summer. Butterflies and other pollinators visit the flowers for nectar. The tall stems provide good winter cover for all kinds of hibernating insect wildlife. Benefits: Nectar source for butterflies and other pollinators Seeds benefit game birds like quail or pheasant, and finches Old stems provide winter cover for beneficial insects Blooms for 4 to 6 weeks Good cut flower

Height: 4-6 Feet Spread: 2-4 Feet USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-8 Remove from List

Viburnum dentatum 'Blue Blaze' Common Name: 'Blue Blaze' Arrowwood Flat-topped clusters of white flowers, 4" across, bloom in spring. The flowers are a good source of nectar for butterflies, native bees and other pollinators. Flowers give way to blue-black, berries, which are loved by birds and other wildlife. This upright, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub has glossy, dark green leaves. The leaves turn yellow, orange or red in fall. 'Blue Blaze' is a compact arrowwood growing half the size of the species with fruit that tends to stay on longer in the season. Benefits: Fragrant flowers provide nectar for butterflies and other pollinators Larval food source for spring azure butterfly Plants provide good nesting sites, berries, and cover for birds Excellent fall color Grows well in moist soil

Height: 5-6 Feet Spread: 5-6 Feet USDA Hardiness Zone: 4-8 Remove from List

Viburnum trilobum Common Name: American Cranberry Viburnum Flat-topped clusters of white flowers up to 4" across bloom in May, providing nectar for butterflies, native bees and other pollinators. Flowers are followed by clusters of brilliant red fruit staying on the plant into late winter when they are finally eaten by birds. New leaves have a reddish cast while fall foliage is yellow through red-purple. Benefits: Flowers provide nectar for butterflies and other pollinators Plants provide good nesting sites and cover for birds Red-purple foliage contrasts with blue-black fruit in the fall Berries are a great source of winter food for birds and other wildlife Good plant for screening or a large hedge

Height: 8-10 Feet Spread: 8-10 Feet USDA Hardiness Zone: 3-7 Remove from List