Native plants for a Cape Cod garden

20 Comments »

20 Responses

1. on June 18, 2011 at 11:58 AM | Reply Justin Collinger

   First off, great website! I learned a lot from browsing here. ]

   Second, I was wondering if you could help with a plant identification. I have a lot of tall plants growing in my yard (yarmouth port) with heart shaped leaves. They’re about 3 feet tall and the leaves are a deep green and relatively thick. They’re all over the cape right now. I think it’s either a vine or some sort of milkweed but that’s my best guess.

   I know the description is kindof vague but any help would be appreciated (this sort of thing drives me a little mad!)

   Cheers,
   Justin

   
   
   • on September 15, 2020 at 5:09 AM | Reply William Keyworth

     Look up Black Dog Strangling Vine – it does have a milkweed shaped seed pod, beautiful, tiny “black” flower. Incredibly invasive and a total nuisance.

     When I dig up the roots, they looks like a bowl of spaghetti! Let me know if that’s what you were thinking of Justin.

     Best,
     Will

     
     
2. on June 20, 2011 at 10:55 AM | Reply gman

   Hi Justin

   Thanks for checking out the blog. Without a visual of this plant, I can only guess – there are many plants fitting that description. Without further info my guess would be pokeweed. The stem is hollow and tubular, and in a few weeks the plant will be much taller and it will flower. Beware, all parts of this plant are quite toxic.

   Then again, it could be any of many natives, or even more likely, an invasive or commercially introduced plant.

   If you get a chance, send me a picture. I’ll be able to identify the plant that way.

   Thanks again

   
   
3. on January 25, 2012 at 12:22 PM | Reply Forest Keeper

   This is a great plant list. If don’t mind I’m going to bookmark this and make it a reference for our work.
   One observation that you may find interesting is that many of the invasive plants on this list are useful as medicinal plants. I find it quite amazing that often times the plants that could be considered useful to us, grow like crazy, and thus, lend themselves to being used up.

   
   
4. on August 20, 2012 at 7:54 AM | Reply gail

   This is great info. I have had my home in a pine-oak forest in Orleans for 42 years. The first thing I planted was big-flowered blue hydrangea. Then I found out it was not native. Still I love it and it seems native since so many people have it! Now I am clearing out young oaks and pitch pines that are preventing the growth of red cedar (juniper) which have volunteered all over the fringes of the woods.
   My question is: I need to plant something to screen an ugly new house next door. I would like a fast-growing tree or shrub, preferable one that flowers in summer. Which ones do you thing are the best fits for the Cape? I do not like Rose of Sharon!
   Thank you
   Gail

   
   
5. on August 21, 2012 at 7:58 PM | Reply gman

   Hi Gail – sounds like you have a wonderful home and woodland garden. The cedars do like the light, so the clearing will help them out, definitely. How high do you need to screen? There are many choices, and all have some positives and negatives.

   1. you could use evergreen trees, such as the eastern red cedar or white pine. The latter grows a bit quicker but you have to consider that it could be too tall in 20 years, and eventually the lower branches will die off, leaving the house next door in full view again. Both species like sun, so take that into account.

   2. Rhododendron – there are a few native (native to the east coast that is) species such as Rhododendron maximum, Rhododendron carolinianum, Rhododendron catawbiense. The ones you find at most plant stores are hybrids or cultivars, but places like Mass Audubon and New England Wildflower Society have these available from time to time. It will take 6-7 years to get a good height out of these, but they keep their leaves year round and they have beautiful blossoms in early summer as you well know. The real natives are a bit more expensive ($75 for a 3 foot plant) so it is up to you how native you want to go, or if a similar cultivar could do the job for you. They do well in light to full shade, but they grow as wide as they grow tall – keep that in mind if you have space restraints.

   3. Mountain laurel is a similar plant, with much smaller flowers (white to pink) and smaller leaves and a more upright growth pattern, but they don’t grow as tall as Rhodies – they’ll grow up to 6-8 feet tall while a mature Rhodie will reach 15 – 20 feet.

   4. American holly (Ilex opaca) – the flowers are small but the red berries on the female plants in late summer may be worth it. They would do a good job of screening out the house

   5. Arrowwood (Viburnum) – will lose its leaves but “bushy” in appearance – has flowers and berries

   6. Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) – a small tree but widely branched so it will screen out things at eye level

   7. American hazelnut. grows up to 10 – 15 feet and sprouts many branches from the root so it looks like a bush. It will lose leaves in the fall though

   7. several different bushes reach 5- 8 feet in height (given enough time: Ilex verticillata (American winterberry), serviceberry, spicebush, inkberry. Except for the inkberry, they are bare in the winter however, except for some berries and fruits

   For all of these I would contact http://www.newfs.org to see what they have available. Or you can contact me and I will help you find the plants once you decide what you would like in your yard. NEWFS does not deliver, but projectnative.org in Western Mass does. You can also try mail delivery of trees and shrubs – I have had good luck with that – it’s cheaper but obviously the plants are smaller – this is an option if you are patient 😉

   If you had a fence or some other kind of support I would have you look at vines (trumpet creeper, honeysuckle) because these are fast growing and can reach 20 – 30 feet in 5 years or so – but they need something to climb on…

   Hope this helps!

   
   
6. on June 28, 2015 at 10:24 PM | Reply sam thompson

   need some help!!
   I was visiting provincetown last year and found some seed pods on the sidewalk, which had fallen off a vining bush on commercial street.
   can’t find the plant anywhere in botanical websites though.
   can send a small picture if it will help.,
   it’s on my deck on the south side of the house and growing like crazy!!
   regards,
   sam Thompson
   Chicopee, mass.

   
   
   • on April 2, 2016 at 6:07 PM | Reply gman

     Hi Sam – sorry about the very late reply… If the pods are around again this coming summer send me a picture and I will try my best to identify what you have growing

     
     
7. on November 2, 2017 at 9:05 AM | Reply naomi zurcher

   Dear Cape Cod Wood Land Garden:
   What a wonderful website. It will assist me greatly in helping a Ptown resident to “go native” and un-grass herself.

   As a trained beekeeper, I always try to encourage people to use pollinator friendly plants in any garden they are planting. With that in mind, I do recognize some pollinator-friendly plants in your list but since I don’t share the same plant palette, I was wondering if you have thought about including a pollinator indicator in the list, as you have with the “non-native” indicator.

   Thanks again and appreciate any reply.

   
   
   • on May 7, 2018 at 9:14 AM | Reply gman

     hi Naomi – sorry for the late reply – Costa Rica calls in the winter. Now that we are back working in the garden and the blog, I will certainly work on a pollinator indicator – what a great idea! I will indicate the honey bee and bumble bee friendly plants, although the palette of polinators ranges all the way from sphecid wasps, many species of flies, and bigger visitors such as moths, butterflies and humming birds

     
     
8. on May 6, 2018 at 3:46 PM | Reply virginia dumais

   I would like to get your web site its great!!
   virginia

   
   
9. on May 7, 2018 at 9:22 AM | Reply gman

   Hi Virginia – I am glad you enjoy the site. I have not done as much work on it as I should – I am working on major expansion to the garden – I cut the lawn size down by half and have increased the woodland perennial beds with room for obedient plant, blue lobelia and cardinal flowers to expand. I am in the midst of seeding more milkweeds and hope to have several hunderd in pots available for the fall. Remind me if you need any help or any plants, and you can always visit and have a look yourself (if you are on the Cape of course). Just let me know and I can get you the address privately. That actually goes for anyone interested…

   
   
10. on August 28, 2018 at 7:27 PM | Reply Dave Scandurra

    Hi Gman, I’m glad I read that last comment you made! I’m really into what you’re doing here! Beautiful stuff. I’d love to come by and check out your garden some time. My name is Dave and I founded Edible Landscapes of Cape Cod. Although our main focus is edible gardening and landscaping, we really are obsessed with native plants… especially plants that are edible, medicinal, useful some way or have an interesting story to tell. How can I get in touch with you? You can contact us any time through our website: http://www.ediblelandscapes.net

    Thank you for all this wonderful information you’ve shared with the world!!

    
    
    • on August 29, 2018 at 3:10 PM | Reply gman

      Hi Dave – thanks for checking out the site. Every year I promise to do a better job of documenting the plants and the garden, but I end up working outdoors in the garden and neglecting the site, almost without fail ;-(. I contacted you on your site with my contact info. Definitely swing by while things are still in bloom. Also, if you ever want any plants I can provide wood poppy, common wood aster, blue lobelia, marsh milkweed, obedient plant pretty much right now, and I am starting to collect seeds for others. Not necessarily in commercial quantities (at least not on short order) but given some time to gather definitely a few hundred plants

      
      
11. on March 21, 2019 at 5:03 AM | Reply DONNA Orth

    Would love to get joined in here, as my garden work for a native friendly sanctuary is my passion. I found you by attempting to identify a leafy evergreen bush in my Hyannis woodland garden. Namaste 🙂

    
    
    • on May 19, 2020 at 9:27 PM | Reply gman

      Namaste to you too Donna I hope you were able to identify the plant

      
      
12. on April 12, 2020 at 8:47 PM | Reply Jean

    Where is the best source of native plants to buy on the cape?

    
    
    • on May 19, 2020 at 9:26 PM | Reply gman

      Mahoneys Osterville and Famouth for perennials, Hart Farm in Dennis for bushes but wait until November for a fierce discount. but if you can take one trip off cape then New England Wildflower Society farm and shop in Framingham is a must do

      
      
13. on February 6, 2022 at 12:33 PM | Reply pat mattheisen

    Hi I am trying to fill in a wooded sloped backyard in Falmouth I want a natural looking woodland and have put in some ferns , hostas and lots of little thing to see if they will take hold. They all are loving it and now I need professional advice. I will pay for a landscape person to advise and guide me. Also the front yard was obviously done by a professional and I need help and advice on keeping it together. Can you recommend someone or tell me where to go to get this kind of help. I shall soldier on willy nilly till then

    
    
14. on March 14, 2022 at 10:56 AM | Reply gman

    Hi Pat – kudos on adding native plants to your garden! I am not sure about individuals in your neck of the woods that specialize in this, but I will do some inquiring. However, any landscaper can help you with the labor and the purchasing of plants if necessary. Mahoney’s in Falmouth would be a good starting point – they have a fairly good assortment of natives, but probably won’t start stocking those until mid April or so. Look at shrubs as well – winterberry/bayberry/serviceberry/blueberry (depending on the light conditions) and clethra (sweet pepperbush) will provide food for birds and insects and shelter. From there on it depends on what you want in terms of use, leaf form, color… early season favorites of mine are foamflower, virginia bluebell and wood poppy, and there are 5 or more species of aster that will grace your yard into late fall. The conditions during late spring and summer, in terms of available light/water, will decide what will do well during those months. I can always come take a look but probably not until early April…. let me know and we can share contact info