New England Aster
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
Thrives on neglect once placed right: happy in clay and loam soil and royal purple flowers, and it flowers in Sep and Oct.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
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- By state
- Connecticut
- Low-maintenance
Connecticut · Zones 5–7
Easy Native Plants in Connecticut
Forgiving, hard-to-kill natives for first-time gardeners and anyone who wants a beautiful yard without the upkeep. Every species here is genuinely native to Connecticut and the wider flora of the Northeast and hardy through zones 5–7 — proven performers for Connecticut's cool, humid continental climate across Northeastern Coastal Forest, not a generic list. Local standouts include New England Aster and Arrowwood Viburnum. The easiest natives are the ones already adapted to your local soil and rainfall, so they need no fertilizer, no irrigation after year one, and no winter coddling. Start with these, plant them where their light and moisture needs are genuinely met, mulch the first year, and the maintenance shrinks to a single late-winter cleanup. Right plant, right place does ninety percent of the work.
The plants
29 native species for Connecticut
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 5–7 · see this collection in other states.
Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
Thrives on neglect once placed right: happy in clay and loam soil and hardy in zones 3–8 — it flowers in May and Jun.
- Sun to shade
- Average–wet
- 6–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Lanceleaf Coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
Thrives on neglect once placed right: reaching 1.5–2 ft and spreading 12–18 in, flowering as it blooms May through Jul.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms May–Jul
Wild Geranium
Geranium maculatum
Thrives on neglect once placed right: for loam ground and 1.5–2 ft tall — it blooms Apr through Jun.
- Part shade
- Average
- 1.5–2 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
About as hard to kill as a native gets — 10–20 ft wide and good through zone 8, and forgives neglect; it flowers in Apr and May.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Eastern Redbud
Cercis canadensis
About as hard to kill as a native gets — rose-magenta flowers and good through zone 9, and forgives neglect, and it flowers in Mar and Apr.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 20–30 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Golden Alexanders
Zizia aurea
A beginner's native — 1.5–2.5 ft tall and good through zone 8, content with whatever you give it, flowering as it blooms Apr through Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
A beginner's native — reaching 2–4 ft and spreading 1.5–2 ft, content with whatever you give it — it blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Trumpet Honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens
A beginner's native — spreading 3–6 ft and coral-red flowers, content with whatever you give it, and it blooms Apr through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 8–15 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep
Smooth Hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens
A beginner's native — 3–5 ft wide and reaching 3–5 ft, content with whatever you give it, and it blooms Jun through Aug.
- Part shade
- Average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
Thrives on neglect once placed right: 1.5–2 ft wide and for sand, clay, rocky, and loam ground, flowering as it blooms May through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–Aug
Foxglove Beardtongue
Penstemon digitalis
Thrives on neglect once placed right: cold-hardy to zone 3 and white flowers, flowering as it flowers in May and Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
About as hard to kill as a native gets — 12–18 in wide and for sand, clay, and loam ground, and forgives neglect — it blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Wild Columbine
Aquilegia canadensis
Plant it and forget it: spreading 12–18 in and reaching 1–2.5 ft, no fuss — it blooms Apr through Jun.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 1–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Obedient Plant
Physostegia virginiana
Thrives on neglect once placed right: happy in clay and loam soil and pink flowers; it flowers in Aug and Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Swamp Milkweed
Asclepias incarnata
About as hard to kill as a native gets — good through zone 9 and reaching 3–4 ft, and forgives neglect, flowering as it flowers in Jul and Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Common Boneset
Eupatorium perfoliatum
Thrives on neglect once placed right: hardy in zones 3–8 and happy in clay and loam soil, flowering as it flowers in Aug and Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Virginia Creeper
Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Thrives on neglect once placed right: inconspicuous green flowers and reaching 30–50 ft, flowering as it flowers in Jun.
- Sun to shade
- Dry–average
- 30–50 ft
- Blooms Jun
Inkberry Holly
Ilex glabra
About as hard to kill as a native gets — reaching 4–8 ft and inconspicuous flowers, and forgives neglect — it flowers in May and Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 4–8 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Ninebark
Physocarpus opulifolius
About as hard to kill as a native gets — reaching 5–10 ft and hardy in zones 3–7, and forgives neglect, and it flowers in May and Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Red-Twig Dogwood
Cornus sericea
Plant it and forget it: good through zone 7 and for clay and loam ground, no fuss — it flowers in May and Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 6–9 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Common Milkweed
Asclepias syriaca
A beginner's native — for sand, clay, and loam ground and 1.5–3 ft wide, content with whatever you give it — it flowers in Jun and Jul.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Blue Vervain
Verbena hastata
About as hard to kill as a native gets — for clay and loam ground and good through zone 8, and forgives neglect, flowering as it blooms Jul through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Fragrant Sumac
Rhus aromatica
A beginner's native — 5–10 ft wide and reaching 2–6 ft, content with whatever you give it; it flowers in Mar and Apr.
- Full–part sun
- Dry
- 2–6 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
5 more also qualify: American Elderberry, Wild Ginger, Pennsylvania Sedge, Little Bluestem, Christmas Fern.
Sourcing
Where to find these in Connecticut
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.