Databases and Plant Selection Guides
Here are just a few databases available online that will help you select native species based on your site criteria and location.
Plants for Birds – Enter your Zip Code
Which Plant for Which Bird Audubon Society Database
Enter Site Criteria and Your State for a List of Plants
Plant Picker (Missouri Based)
Database of plants – Enter Sunlight and Soil
Another Plant Selection Database – enter your criteria
Native Plant Resources- Helpful information on native plants, sustainable ecology and conservation.
- Pennsylvania Native Plant Society
- Virginia Native Plant Society
- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
- New Jersey Native Plant Society
- Maryland Native Plant Society
- How to Naturescape by PlantNative – Information on site preparation, designing for wildlife, making a plan, and maintenance. Great step by step information.
- Native Plants and Natural Landscaping – Information from Wild Ones
- Terrestrial and Palustrine Plant Communities – https://www.naturalheritage.state.pa.us/fikebook.aspx
- Landscaping for wildlife https://extension.psu.edu/landscaping-for-wildlife-trees-shrubs-and-vines
- Lehigh Valley Native Plant Directory
Gardening and Design Resources
- This site supports the lecture series and book Bringing Nature Home by University of Delaware professor Doug Tallamy.
- native plants for the perennial garden https://extension.psu.edu/pennsylvania-native-plants-for-the-perennial-garden
Conservation and Horticulture Links
- Penn State Cooperative Extension
- Cornell University’s list of poisonous plants.
- PLANTS National Database – A database of most plants in the U.S. with photos, wetland status indicator and federal and state classification on conservation status.
- DCNR – https://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/plants/index.htm
- Creating Sustainable Community Parks and Landscapes: https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/Communities/GreenCommunityParks/Pages/default.aspx
- PA Flora Project https://www.paflora.org/
- IConservepa https://www.iconservepa.org/whyconserve/index.htm
Natural Landscapes and Preserves to Visit
- Hawk Mountain Sanctuary https://www.hawkmountain.org/
- Lehigh Gap Nature Center https://lgnc.org/
- Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve https://www.bhwp.org/
- PA State Park System https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/Pages/default.aspx
- Leaser Lake https://www.lehighcounty.org/Departments/ParksAndRecreation/OurParks/LeaserLake/tabid/449/Default.aspx
- Natural Lands https://natlands.org/visit/
Join Homegrown National Parks
- Be part of a national movement to create native plantings across the country. List your landscape.
