Highlands Biological Station
Native Plant Profiles
Wander through a selection of local favorites that showcase the beauty and importance of native plants in our garden and beyond.
Appalachain Turtlehead (Chelone lyonii)
Appalachian Turtlehead is a native perennial wildflower with rosy-pink, turtle-shaped blooms and glossy foliage, thriving in moist, partly shaded habitats of the southern Appalachian Mountains.
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Bee Balm (Monarda didyma)
Bee Balm is a showy native perennial with vibrant red, tubular flowers that attract hummingbirds and pollinators, thriving in moist, sunny habitats.
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Blazing Star (Liatris spicata)
Blazing Star is a striking native perennial with tall spikes of feathery purple flowers that bloom from top to bottom, attracting pollinators in sunny meadows and prairies.
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Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica)
Great Blue Lobelia is a bold native wildflower with vibrant blue, tubular blooms that brighten moist meadows and streambanks from late summer into fall.
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Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Butterfly Weed is a vibrant native milkweed with bright orange blooms that attract butterflies and thrive in dry, sunny meadows and prairies.
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Cutleaf Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata)
Cutleaf Coneflower is a tall native wildflower with deeply lobed leaves and bright yellow, daisy-like blooms that light up moist meadows and streambanks in late summer.
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Dwarf Crested Iris (Iris cristata)
Dwarf Crested Iris is a low-growing native wildflower with delicate violet-blue blooms and golden crests, often found carpeting the forest floor in early spring.
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Foxglove (Penstemon digitalis)
Foxglove Beardtongue is a graceful native perennial with tall spikes of tubular white flowers that attract pollinators, thriving in sunny meadows and open woodlands.
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Golden Ragwort (Packera aurea)
Golden Ragwort is a cheerful native groundcover with clusters of bright yellow flowers in spring, thriving in moist woodlands and along streambanks.
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Grass-of-Parnassus (Parnassia asarifolia)
Kidney-leaf Grass-of-Parnassus is a delicate native wildflower with striking white, veined petals, found in wet, boggy areas of the southern Appalachians.
Green and Gold (Chrysogonum virginianum)
Green and Gold is a charming native groundcover with starry yellow flowers and semi-evergreen foliage, thriving in woodlands and shaded gardens.
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Hollowstem Joe-Pye Weed (Eutrochium fistulosum)
Hollow Joe-Pye Weed is a towering native perennial with clusters of fragrant pink-purple flowers that attract pollinators, thriving in moist meadows and woodland edges.
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Lyre-leaf Sage (Salvia lyrata)
Lyreleaf Sage is a hardy native wildflower with spikes of pale blue to violet flowers and distinctive lyre-shaped leaves, thriving in open woods and sunny clearings.
Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum muticum)
Short-toothed Mountain Mint is a fragrant native perennial with soft, silvery bracts and clusters of pale pink flowers, beloved by pollinators and thriving in sunny meadows and woodland edges.
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Oconee Bell (Shortia galacifolia)
Oconee Bells is a rare and delicate native wildflower with nodding, bell-shaped white blooms and glossy evergreen foliage, found in the moist, shaded forests of the southern Appalachians.
Pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata)
Pickerelweed is a striking native aquatic plant with heart-shaped leaves and spikes of violet-blue flowers, flourishing in shallow water along ponds, lakes, and wetlands.
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Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia purpurea var. montana)
Mountain Purple Pitcher Plant is a fascinating native carnivorous plant with deep red, pitcher-shaped leaves that trap insects, thriving in nutrient-poor, boggy habitats of the southern Appalachians.
Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium var. yuccifolium)
Rattlesnake Master is a bold native prairie plant with spiky, yucca-like leaves and globes of whitish flowers, attracting pollinators in sunny, well-drained habitats.
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Robin’s Plantain (Erigeron pulchellus var. puchellus)
Robin’s Plantain is a charming native wildflower with soft, hairy leaves and daisy-like blooms, often found in open woods and grassy clearings in spring.
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Rough Goldenrod (Solidago rugosa)
Rough Goldenrod is a sturdy native perennial with coarse leaves and vibrant yellow flower clusters, lighting up late-summer meadows, fields, and roadsides with pollinator activity.
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Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus)
Skunk Cabbage is a curious native wetland plant with large, cabbage-like leaves and early-blooming, hooded flowers that emit a distinctive odor, emerging in late winter to early spring.
Spotted Joe-Pye-Weed (Eutrochium maculatum var. maculatum)
Spotted Joe-Pye Weed is a tall native perennial with purple-spotted stems and domed clusters of pinkish-purple flowers, thriving in moist meadows and attracting a wide range of pollinators.
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Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
Swamp Milkweed is a graceful native perennial with clusters of fragrant pink flowers that attract butterflies, thriving in moist soils along streams, ponds, and wetlands.
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Swamp Pink (Helonias bullata)
Swamp Pink is a rare native wildflower with glossy, strap-like leaves and striking pink flower clusters atop tall stalks, found in acidic wetlands of the eastern United States.
Three Leaved Coneflower (Rudbeckia triloba)
Brown-eyed Susan is a bushy native biennial or short-lived perennial with masses of small, bright yellow flowers and dark centers, thriving in sunny meadows and garden edges.
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Tufted Hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa ssp. glauca)
Tufted Hairgrass is a graceful native bunchgrass with fine, arching blades and airy, golden flower panicles, thriving in moist meadows and open woodlands.
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