Our Top Native Picks for Your Maryland Landscape
Autumn in Maryland isn’t just about pumpkin spice and sweater weather; it’s the absolute best time for planting! The cooler air temperature is easy on the foliage, but the soil stays warm enough for a healthy root system to establish before winter hits. Planting native trees, shrubs, and perennials now gives them a crucial head start for a spectacular display next spring and a better chance of handling the ferocious summer heat.
Ready to enhance your landscape and support local wildlife? Here are Lapinski’s top native plant recommendations for your fall planting list:
Brilliant Native Trees for Fall Color
Choosing a native tree in the fall means you get to pick based on its gorgeous autumn display!
- Red Maple (Acer rubrum): A Maryland classic! This versatile tree is known for its incredible fiery red and orange foliage. It’s adaptable to a variety of soil conditions, making it a reliable choice for many yards.
- Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica): A slow-growing gem, the Black Gum offers a rich tapestry of deep red and orange leaves in autumn. It’s great for both wet and dry areas, a tough tree that provides lovely seasonal interest.
- Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis): While famed for its early spring pink blossoms, the Redbud also offers a lovely display of bright yellow heart-shaped leaves in the fall. It’s a smaller, understory tree perfect for compact gardens.
Essential Native Shrubs for Winter Interest and Wildlife
Shrubs provide structure and a crucial food source for birds as winter approaches.
- Winterberry Holly (Ilex verticillata): This deciduous holly is a must-have for winter curb appeal. After its leaves drop, it’s covered in brilliant red berries that persist well into the cold months, feeding migrating birds. (Note: You need both male and female plants for berries!)
- Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica): With fragrant white flowers in spring, this shrub transitions into an amazing fiery red and purple foliage display in the fall. It thrives in moist soils, making it perfect near downspouts or rain gardens.
- Oakleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia): Known for its striking, large, lobed leaves that resemble an oak, this beauty turns deep burgundy, red, and orange in the fall. It also provides texture and structure to your garden beds.
Perennial Groundcovers and Accents
Don’t forget the base layer of your landscape!
- Goldenrod (Solidago spp.): Often unfairly blamed for allergies (the real culprit is ragweed!), Goldenrod is an incredible, late-season food source for pollinators. Plant clump-forming varieties like ‘Showy Goldenrod’ (Solidago speciosa) for a burst of late-fall yellow blooms.
- Asters (Symphyotrichum spp.): Another late-blooming pollinator favorite! Varieties like the New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae−angliae) burst with purple or pink flowers, providing nectar right before the first hard frost.
Are You Ready To Embrace The Fall Planting Season!
Give us a call at (240) 876-4735 or visit us at lapinskislandscapinginc.com to schedule a free estimate!