2025 Plant This, Not That, This Spring

Spring is the perfect time to celebrate native plants. What better way to embrace the season than by enhancing your landscape with these essential species! While non-native and invasive species offer little ecological value and can even cause harm to natural resources, native plant species are essential for supporting healthy, biodiverse ecosystems. Native plants provide food and habitat for wildlife including  insects, local and migratory birds, and mammals. Native plants are also adapted to Virginia’s environmental conditions, requiring less water, fertilization, and application of herbicides and pesticides compared to non-natives – saving you resources and reducing the amount of polluted runoff entering our watershed. Below we’ve offered suggestions for native plant alternatives to common non-native and invasive species still commonly found in landscapes across Virginia. For more information on what regionally native plants to incorporate into your landscape this spring, be sure to reference the Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora. Happy planting! 

The Callery Pear (Pyrus calleryana), or Bradford Pear, is an invasive tree species that can be found in abundance across Virginia. This tree is a highly successful invader, with a single tree having the ability to spread rapidly, largely due to its vigorous growth habit and rapid seed dispersal. Callery Pear trees are known for their fast-growing limbs that produce weak wood that is often subject to breakage during storms and heavy winds. During the spring, Callery Pear trees can be easily identified by their strong, unpleasant odor. 

Plant This! If you’re interested in adding a fast-growing and colorful tree to your landscape, consider native Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis). These understory trees can reach up to 35 feet in height and feature deep pink flowers in the spring and heart-shaped foliage that turns golden yellow in the fall. They attract native bees and are the host plant for several species of moths and butterflies, including the Henry’s Elfin (Callophrys henrici) butterfly. 

Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora) is an invasive perennial shrub native to Asia that was originally brought to the United States for ornamental and erosion control purposes. However, due to its vigorous growth habit, Multiflora Rose is now ranked among the top forest invasive plant species in the northeast by the U.S. Forest Service. Once planted, this shrub is difficult to remove – climbing up to 10 to 15 feet in height in dense thickets, with branches covered in sturdy prickles.

Plant This! If you’re looking for a flowering and fast-growing shrub to plant this spring, consider Wild hydrangea (Hydrangea arborecens). This Virginia native features delicate white flowers that bloom throughout early spring into summer with leaves that turn reddish purple throughout fall and winter. Wild Hydrangea attracts songbirds, butterflies, and moths – serving as a larval host for the Hydrangea sphinx moth (Darapsa versicolor).

Dame’s Rocket (Hesperis matronalis) is an herbaceous perennial that was introduced to the United States from Europe. It is categorized as an invasive species in Virginia, forming dense patches that outcompete native plants. Despite being invasive, Dame’s Rocket continues to be sold as an ornamental plant and incorrectly included in “native” seed mixes. 

Plant This! Wild Blue Phlox (Phlox divaricata) is a wonderful native alternative to Dame’s Rocket. Similar to Dame’s Rocket, Phlox also offers fragrant lavender or pink flowers that bloom in April-May. Phlox also attracts wildlife including hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. 

Fountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides) is a non-native perennial grass that is often selected for ornamental landscaping for its unique seed heads and multi-season interest. However, it becomes difficult to manage in natural areas due to its prolific seed dispersal and dense growth habit. 

Plant This! Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a native grass that can provide a wonderful accent to your landscape and benefits to native wildlife. During the summer, Switchgrass offers bright green leaves up and down its stems, often with a bluish tone. Its leaves turn bright yellow or gold in the fall. Switchgrass attracts birds and butterflies and is the host plant for the Delaware Skipper (Anatrytone logan) and the Dotted Skipper (Hesperia attalus). 

Sweet Autumn Clematis (Clematis terniflora) is an invasive vine native to Japan. Introduced to the United States in the late 1800s, this vine can still be found in nurseries being sold as an ornamental. Sweet Autumn Clematis has a vigorous growth habit, forming dense, blanketed tangles that kill native plants by blocking sunlight. It has the ability to grow from the ground to the tops of tree canopies and cause toppling of trees due to excess weight.  

Plant This! Virgin’s-bower (Clematis virginiana) is a perennial vine native to the Eastern United States and Canada. Virgin’s-bower is a rapid-growing plant with the ability to grow up to 20 ft in one year. It features fragrant white flowers that bloom from late summer to early fall and attract a variety of pollinators, including hummingbirds and butterflies.