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Suffolk Extension Master Gardeners

Suffolk Master Gardeners

1 day ago

🌿 Virginia has a wonderful variety of native shrubs that can be a great fit for your landscape.

As you start thinking about spring planting, consider adding natives that are already adapted to our local climate and soils, they’re often easier to grow and also provide valuable support for pollinators and wildlife. 🐝🦋

If you’re looking for ideas on what grows well in our region, these guides are a great place to start:
🔗 vnps.org/virginia-native-plant-guides/

Here's some info on the shrubs pictured:
🌿Rosa carolina | Carolina Rose
Flowers attract native and bumble bees. Fruits attract quail, gamebirds. Native Roses host 122 species of native caterpillars. Strong, old-fashioned, rose fragrance. Disease resistant. Tolerates hot dry weather. Attractive edible rose hips were used by sailors to cure scurvy. Somewhat prickly stems.

🌿Physocarpus opulifolius | Ninebark
Flowers attract native bees, butterflies, pollinators. Fruits and seeds attract song and gamebirds. Native Ninebarks host 40 species of native caterpillars. The bark continually molts in thin strips, exposing new layers, as if it had “nine lives.” Dirr (1997) observes that “the species is adaptable to all conditions, probably even nuclear attacks, and once established, requires a bulldozer for removal.

🌿Viburnum nudum (Southern Wild Raisin, Possum Haw)
Transplants well because of shallow roots. Hosts
the Baltimore Checkerspot caterpillar. Salt tolerant.
Deer resistant. Edible berries taste like raisins.

🌿Ilex verticillata | Winterberry
Flowers attract native bees and pollinators. Fruits attract more than 48 species of song and gamebirds. Native Ilex host 34 species of native caterpillars.
Deciduous holly species. Berries provide good winter food source for wildlife, but are poisonous to humans.
Need male and female plants for cross pollination to produce fruit. Suckering nature provides effective hillside stabilization. Tolerates air pollution.

🌿Calycanthus floridus | Sweetshrub
Native Calycanthus host two species of native caterpillars.Produces cut flowers prized for their intense fragrance. Leaves, twigs and bark are also fragrant and can be dried with the fl owers for use in potpourri. Colonizes, but growth and spreading are slow. A good companion to paw paw tree. Salt tolerant.

🌿Rhododendron periclymenoides | Pinxter Azalea
Flowers attract bumblebees, butterflies, hummingbirds. Native Rhododendrons host 50 species of native caterpillars including Gray Comma, Striped Hairstreak, Brown Elfin butterflies. Does not tolerate standing water.

🌿Aronia arbutifolia | Red Chokeberry
Fruits persist into winter, because it has an astringent taste that birds don’t prefer. Native Chokeberries host 26 species of native caterpillars including Coral Hairstreak, Striped Hairstreak butterflies.

🌿Lindera benzoin | Northern Spicebush
This attractive shrub is one of the first to bloom. Entire shrub has sweet, spicy fragrance. Historically used as a substitute for allspice. Need male and female plants for cross pollination to produce fruit. Salt tolerant.

🌿Euonymus americanus | Strawberry Bush
Flowers attract native bees, pollinators. Seeds attract gamebirds and songbirds. Native Euonymus hosts six species of native caterpillars. A favorite addition to flower arrangements, the distinctive showy red capsules burst open in fall to expose the fruit. Can be grown as an understory tree. Tolerates poor drainage and moderate droughts once established. Deer candy although mildly toxic ... See MoreSee Less

Suffolk Master Gardeners

3 days ago

🌳 Virginia has its own “giant” tree species too!

When we think of giant trees, redwoods and giant sequoias usually come to mind—but right here in Virginia, we have an impressive native giant of our own.

The American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) can reach 75–100 feet tall with a broad, irregular canopy and its massive trunk can grow up to 10 feet across! It’s one of the largest hardwood trees in North America by diameter. 🌿

Because of its size and spread, sycamore is best suited for landscapes with plenty of room to grow.

📖 Learn more here:
plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/platanus-occidentalis/ ... See MoreSee Less