Meadowsweet Steeplebush The greens of summer!  Not much is in bloom, which is among features that make plants in the genus Spiraea  special. Meadowsweet ( Spiraea latifolia ), with its white summer blooms, and Steeplebush ( Spiraea tomentosa ) , featuring brilliant pinkish-purple blooms, are both native to the Northeast.   Try them if you’re looking to add summer color to the garden, perhaps to build a roughly 4-foot hedge or to fill out areas near a foundation. They’re also

E.O Wilson, a pioneer in efforts to protect diversity, has famously described bugs as "the little things that run the world." The late E.O. Wilson and the Northern Flicker have in common an interest in ants. But while Wilson, in his writings, advises watching your step when navigating the crawlies in the kitchen, the Flicker greedily gobbles them up off the forest floor. Satiated with ants, the Flicker may then seek out the tasty, dry fruits of an elegant, fern-like shrub, Co

No need to migrate: Yellow-rumped Warblers get their winter sustenance from Bayberry. Waxy berries on Northern Bayberry in winter Throughout the cold winter in New England, the Yellow-rumped Warblers flit about, feasting on the waxy berries of Northern Bayberry. These particular warblers, “Butterbutts,” have evolved special bile sacs that allow them to digest the proteins and fats within the berries’ waxy coatings.  Otherwise, they would be down south with all the other warbl

Highbush Blueberry When I think of blueberries, I reminisce to my childhood in New Hampshire, rowing out to the island on Spofford Lake and collecting the sweet, plump fruits. Thus New Year’s Resolution No. 1 for 2026 :  plant more blueberries! 🫐😃 There are two natives in New England: Highbush and Lowbush.  First, the similarities .   Both: Have urn-shaped, pinkish-white spring flowers that, if pollinated, morph into tasty berries in time for summer.   Can cross pollinate

Red fruits, snow and fall leaves on American Cranberrybush. Photo: Lee Wright There’s still time to add a little American Cranberrybush jam to your holiday table! (See recipe below) 😋 Why American Cranberrybush? We want native plants that feed the birds and critters. What a bonus when these plants also feed us! American Cranberrybush , Viburnum opulus var. americanum,  checks both boxes, and more! Its among the largest of the viburnums and produces arguably the tastiest o

Winterberry's brilliant red berries glow in the winter landscape (photo: GoBotany) The Christmas season might bring to mind American Holly.  But there’s a deciduous holly that also brings out the red . Indeed Winterberry’s profusion of brilliant red berries brighten the landscape often well into the New Year 🥳 . As Richardson and Jaffe describe, in Native Plants for New England Gardens, “[it's] often the showiest plant in the winter garden.” American Bluebird Foraging As

Mountain Gordlinia at Tree Talk Natives, blooming in fall and showing its red fall colors Yes, the fall foliage is spectacular here in New England!  Here’s a twist: trees that actually flower  in the fall. If Crape Myrtle comes to mind, you’re not alone.  Lagerstroemia indica is the most commonly planted tree for fall blooms – and one of the most popular ornamentals overall.   It may be good to look at, but it is not native anywhere in the United States and not great for wil

Carolina Silverbell in bloom With its whitish-pinkish bell-shaped spring flowers and feathery fall seeds, Carolina Silverbell is among...

Native leaf-cutter bee on Butterfly Milkweed. Photo: Margaret Fisher Gardening to attract as many bees as possible is more than a...

Wool Grass in bloom Rather than mow or let weeds grow in those wet areas in your yard, consider installing native plants.  Here are a few...

Why did Mark Twain name his character Huckleberry Finn?   As [Henry David] Thoreau and others tell us, [the huckleberry] does not submit...

Beach Plum, Prunus maritima , spring blooms One of my favorite trees at our house in Mattapoisett is a Black Cherry, partly because of...

Partridgeberry's berries have two scars, one from each flower At Tree Talk Natives, we’re always on the lookout for native evergreens,...

A cultivar of Blue Flag Iris (pictured) features stems that emerge purple Mention of cultivars can bring out strong feelings among those...

Marion resident Judy Mercer started a mostly native garden around her home’s foundation when she moved here three years ago. First came...

Perfect for a dry woodland or partly shady garden, Deschampsia flexuosa  thrives in medium to dry soil, flowering best in dappled shade....

In his inaugural column as the Boston Globe ’s Ask the Gardener, Uli Lorimer advises homeowners losing Beech Trees to a new and deadly...

Hello Native Tree Lovers :) Here we're highlighting a few plants new to Tree Talk Natives that might be perfect for your gardens. New...

I’ve noticed some people seem to be afraid of tall perennials.  I think these people have not yet met New England Aster. Symphyotrichum...

This tide-loving shrub is among the few salt-tolerant natives that also fare well inland AND flower beautifully, pulling in pollinators....