PA Native Plants with High Wildlife Value
A compilation from two sources: Douglas Tallamy's "Bringing Nature Home", published by Timber Press, Nov. 2007, cross-referenced with Rhoads and Klein's "The Vascular Flora of Pennsylvania", published by the American Philosophical Society, 1993. See notes for more information.

* indicates this species is relatively unpalatable to white-tailed deer.

Specimen or Shade Trees

Latin Name	Common Name	Native to PA	Native to Berks	Distribution	Area restrictions
Acer negundo	Box elder	yes	yes	limited	mostly southern PA
Acer rubrum*	Red maple	yes	yes	moderate
Acer saccharum	Sugar maple	yes	yes	moderate
Betula nigra*	River birch	yes	yes	limited	mostly E PA
Carya glabra	Pignut Hickory	yes	yes	limited
Carya laciniosa	Shellbark hickory	yes	yes	v. limited
Castanea dentata	American chestnut	yes	yes	moderate
Fagus grandifolia	American beech	yes	yes	moderate
Fraxinus americana	White ash	yes	yes	moderate
Fraxinus pennsylvanica	Green ash	yes	yes	limited
Liquidambar styraciflua*	Sweetgum	yes	no	v. limited	mostly SE PA
Liriodendron tulipifera	Tulip tree	yes	yes	moderate
Nyssa sylvatica	Black gum	yes	yes	moderate
Platanus occidentalis*	American sycamore	yes	yes	moderate
Quercus alba	White oak	yes	yes	moderate
Quercus coccinea	Scarlet oak	yes	yes	limited
Quercus falcata	Southern red oak	yes	no	v. limited, protected	only SE PA
Quercus palustris	Pin oak	yes	yes	limited	mostly southern PA
Quercus phellos	Willow oak	yes	yes	v. limited, protected	only SE PA
Quercus rubra	Red oak	yes	yes	moderate
Quercus velutina	Black oak	yes	yes	moderate
Tilia americana	Basswood	yes	yes	moderate
Ulmus americana	American elm	yes	yes	moderate

Shrubs or Understory Trees

Latin Name	Common Name	Native to PA	Native to Berks	Distribution in PA	Area restrictions
Acer pennsylvanicum	Striped maple	yes	yes	limited
Acer spicatum	Mountain maple	yes	yes	limited
Alnus serrulata	Smooth alder	yes	yes	limited
Amelanchier arborea*	Downy serviceberry	yes	yes	moderate
Amelanchier canadensis*	Shadbush	yes	no	v. limited	only SE PA
Amelanchier laevis*	Smooth serviceberry	yes	yes	moderate
Amorpha fruticosa*	False indigo	yes	yes	v. limited
Aralia spinosa	Devil's walking stick	yes	no	limited
Aronia melanocarpa	Black chokeberry	yes	yes	limited
Asimina triloba	Pawpaw	yes	yes	limited	mostly southern PA
Baccharis halimifolia	Groundsel bush	yes	no	v. limited, protected	mostly SE PA
Carpinus caroliana	Ironwood	yes	yes	moderate
Castanea pumila	Chinquapin	yes	no	limited	S PA only
Celtis occidentalis	Common hackberry	yes	yes	limited
Ceonanthus americanus	New Jersey tea	yes	yes	moderate
Cephalanthus occidentalis	Buttonbush	yes	yes	moderate
Cercis canadensis	Redbud	yes	yes	limited	S PA only
Chionanthus virginicus	Fringe tree	yes	no	v. limited
Clethra alnifolia	Summersweet	yes	yes	v. limited	mostly SE PA
Comptonia peregrina	Sweet fern	yes	yes	limited
Cornus alternifolia	Alternate-leaf dogwood	yes	yes	moderate
Cornus amomum	Silky dogwood	yes	yes	moderate
Cornus florida	Flowering dogwood	yes	yes	moderate
Cornus racemosa	Gray dogwood	yes	yes	moderate
Cornus sericea	Redtwig dogwood	yes	yes	limited
Corylus americana	Hazelnut	yes	yes	moderate
Dirca palustris*	Leatherwood	yes	yes	limited
Euonymus americana	American strawberry bush	yes	yes	limited
Hamamelis virginiana	Witch hazel	yes	yes	wide
Hydrangea arborescens	Smooth hydrangea	yes	yes	moderate
Ilex decidua	Possum haw	no
Ilex glabra	Inkberry	yes	no	v. limited, protected	only 3 sites in PA, now extirpated
Ilex opaca	American holly	yes	yes	v. limited, protected
Ilex verticillata	Winterberry	yes	yes	moderate
Itea virginica	Virginia sweetspire	yes	no	v. limited, protected	1 site in PA, now extirpated
Kalmia angustifolia	Sheep laurel	yes	yes	limited	mostly E PA
Kalmia latifolia	Mountain laurel	yes	yes	moderate
Lindera benzoin*	Spicebush	yes	yes	moderate
Magnolia virginiana*	Sweetbay magnolia	yes	no	v. limited, protected
Marella pennsylvanica*	Northern bayberry	yes	yes	limited
Ostrya virginiana	American hop hornbeam	yes	yes	moderate
Rhododendron arborescens	Sweet azalea	yes	no	limited
Rhododendron atlanticum	Coastal azalea	yes	no	v. limited, protected	two sites only in S PA
Rhododendron calendulaceum	Flame azalea	yes	no	v. limited, protected	only 2 sites in PA, now extirpated
Rhododendron maximum	Rosebay rhododendron	yes	yes	moderate
Rhododendron periclymenoides	Pinxterbloom azalea	yes	yes	moderate
Rhododendron prinophyllum	Roseshell azalea	yes	yes	limited
Rhododendron viscosum	Swamp azalea	yes	yes	limited
Rhus coppalina	Winged sumac	yes	yes	limited
Rhus glabra	Smooth sumac	yes	yes	limited
Rhus typhina	Staghorn sumac	yes	yes	moderate
Rosa blanda	Meadow rose	no
Rosa carolina	Carolina rose	yes	yes	moderate
Rosa palustris	Swamp rose	yes	yes	limited
Rosa setigera	Prairie rose	no
Rosa virginiana	Virginia rose	yes	yes	limited, protected
Salix discolor	Pussy willow	yes	yes	limited
Salix sericea	Silky willow	yes	yes	moderate
Sambucus canadensis	Elderberry	yes	yes	wide
Sassafras albidum*	Sassafras	yes	yes	moderate
Spiraea latifolia	Meadowsweet	yes	yes	limited	mostly eastern PA
Spiraea tomentosa	Steeplebush	yes	yes	limited
Ulmus rubra	Slippery elm	yes	yes	moderate
Vaccinium angustifolium	Lowbush blueberry	yes	yes	moderate
Vaccinium corymbosum	Highbush blueberry	yes	yes	moderate
Viburnum acerifolium	Mapleleaf viburnum	yes	yes	wide
Viburnum dentatum	Arrowwood viburnum	yes	yes	limited	mostly SE PA
Viburnum nudum	Smooth witherod	yes	no	v. limited, protected	SE PA only
Viburnum prunifolium	Blackhaw viburnum	yes	yes	limited	southern PA

 

Conifers

Latin Name	Common Name	Native to PA	Native to Berks	Distribution	Area restrictions
Chamaecyparis thyoides	Atlantic white cedar	yes	no	v. limited, protected	only 1 site in PA
Juniperus virginiana	Eastern red cedar	yes	yes	limited
Pinus strobus	White pine	yes	yes	moderate
Pinus virginiana	Virginia pine	yes	yes	limited
Tsuga canadensis	Eastern hemlock	yes	yes	moderate

Vines

Latin Name	Common Name	Native to PA	Native to Berks	Distribution	Area restrictions
Bignonia capreolata	Cross vine	no
Campsis radicans	Trumpet vine	yes	no	limited
Clematis virginiana*	Virgin's bower	yes	yes	moderate
Lonicera sempervirens*	Coral honeysuckle	yes	yes	limited	mostly SE PA
Parthenocissus quinquefolia	Virginia creeper	yes	yes	moderate
Wisteria frutescens	American wisteria	yes	no	v. limited

* indicates this species is relatively unpalatable to white-tailed deer.

Perennials, Ferns, and Groundcovers
with High Wildlife Value that are Native to PA