Marginal wood fern

A long-lived native perennial of central and eastern US woodland borders and prairie meadows with deep blue pea-shaped flowers in late spring, blue-green leguminous foliage, attractive black seed pods for winter interest, and a nitrogen-fixing root system (Fabaceae). Larval host for 6 documented butterfly species per NC State (orange sulphur, clouded sulphur, frosted elfin, eastern tailed-blue, hoary edge, wild indigo duskywing) - among the highest Lep-host-count perennials in the eastern flora.

A clump-forming native perennial of the carrot family that opens flat-topped, compound umbels of tiny golden-yellow flowers in late spring, when little else is blooming. The toothed, twice-divided-in-threes (biternate) foliage and the bare central flower stalk on each umbel set it apart from other umbellifers. A documented larval host for the black swallowtail and an early-season nectar and pollen source for short-tongued native bees.

A native southeastern US heuchera with large rounded velvety lobed leaves (the namesake 'hairy' is the fine pubescence on the foliage) + airy panicles of small white-to-pink flowers on tall slender stems in late summer. Among the most heat- and humidity-tolerant heucheras - solves the southern-shade heuchera-rot problem that plagues most Heuchera americana × sanguinea garden hybrids. The genetic parent of many heat-tolerant Heuchera cultivars.

A bold, moisture-loving native perennial of eastern North America that dies back to a woody base each winter and returns to throw up stout 2 to 6 feet stems topped with enormous 4-8 inch saucer-shaped flowers - white, pink, red, or burgundy, each with a contrasting central eye - from June into September. NC State Extension describes a herbaceous perennial hardy across USDA zones 4a-9b that thrives in wet to constantly moist soils, tolerates heat, humidity, and even brief flooding, and draws hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators. The tropical-looking dinner-plate blooms make it a dramatic focal point for rain gardens, pond edges, and the back of a sunny border.

A widespread temperate native fern with delicate finely-divided lacy green fronds in upright graceful clumps. Among the most adaptable native ferns - tolerates a wider light + moisture range than most. Cold-hardy to zone 3 and one of the few ferns suited to colder gardens. Deciduous (dies back fully in winter); reliably re-emerges in spring.

A clump-forming aromatic native perennial of eastern North America, grown as much for its silvery floral bracts as its bloom - the upper leaves below each flower head turn a frosted, dusty-mint color in summer. Dense flat-topped clusters of tiny two-lipped pinkish-white flowers cover the plant from mid to late summer and are a magnet for bees and butterflies. Unlike the true mints (Mentha), it spreads only modestly by rhizome and is not invasive.