September 27-29
2024 Minigrants Announced
Donation Form Temporarily Offline
2024 NPSNJ Bioblitz
Events List
2024 Native Plants of the Year
Backyard Perennial of the Year (2024)
Lobelia siphilitica, Great Blue Lobelia, is the blue brother of remarkably red cardinal flower, L. cardinalis. They are both part of the very garden-worthy bellflower family, Campanulaceae. In the wild, where it is thrilling to come upon, Great Blue Lobelia is most often seen in part sun to part shade, near streams, sloughs, and other wetlands, telling you that in the garden it prefers moist soil. Where content, it attains a height of two to three feet and colonizes through self-seeding. In most gardens, it persists for years. The summer flowers of Great Blue Lobelia are various shades of violet-blue, lipped, lobed, and arranged on a long stalk. They are an important food source for several native bees, bumblebees, and hummingbirds. Photo by Mary Free, Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia
Rare Plant of the Year (2024)
Seeing Pink Lady’s Slipper on a walk in the woods, sometime in May, a plant lover’s endorphins really kick-in. The pink and tan flower has an unusual moccasin shape and dangles from a stem that rises from a pair of veined basal leaves. It has a unique design feature for pollination by bumblebees, which requires them to follow a one-way path through the flower, forcing insects to take a pre-determined route past its reproductive parts, sort like the way Ikea makes you travel past all their sales displays before you get to the exit. Cypripedium acaule is not common but can readily be seen at various places in New Jersey, such as near Ramapo Lake in Bergen County and at Cheesequake Park near the center of the state.
Some Great Plants from Hubert and Millie Ling’s Awesome Native Plants Site
The Native Plant Society of New Jersey is a statewide non-profit organization dedicated to the appreciation, protection, and study of the native flora of New Jersey. Founded in 1985, we have over a thousand members across the state, and are organized into county and regional chapters. Our members include gardeners, horticulturists, naturalists, landscape designers, students, and native plant enthusiasts from all walks of life.
Our mission is to promote the appreciation, protection, and study of New Jersey’s Native Flora.
April is Native Plant Month
Help Plant Scientists with
NPSNJ’s First Bioblitz on iNaturalist.org
Find out more here
2024 Minigrants Announced
Donation Form Temporarily Offline
2024 NPSNJ Bioblitz
Events List
2024 Native Plants of the Year
Backyard Perennial of the Year (2024)
Lobelia siphilitica, Great Blue Lobelia, is the blue brother of remarkably red cardinal flower, L. cardinalis. They are both part of the very garden-worthy bellflower family, Campanulaceae. In the wild, where it is thrilling to come upon, Great Blue Lobelia is most often seen in part sun to part shade, near streams, sloughs, and other wetlands, telling you that in the garden it prefers moist soil. Where content, it attains a height of two to three feet and colonizes through self-seeding. In most gardens, it persists for years. The summer flowers of Great Blue Lobelia are various shades of violet-blue, lipped, lobed, and arranged on a long stalk. They are an important food source for several native bees, bumblebees, and hummingbirds. Photo by Mary Free, Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia
Rare Plant of the Year (2024)
Seeing Pink Lady’s Slipper on a walk in the woods, sometime in May, a plant lover’s endorphins really kick-in. The pink and tan flower has an unusual moccasin shape and dangles from a stem that rises from a pair of veined basal leaves. It has a unique design feature for pollination by bumblebees, which requires them to follow a one-way path through the flower, forcing insects to take a pre-determined route past its reproductive parts, sort like the way Ikea makes you travel past all their sales displays before you get to the exit. Cypripedium acaule is not common but can readily be seen at various places in New Jersey, such as near Ramapo Lake in Bergen County and at Cheesequake Park near the center of the state.
Flowering Early Spring
Round lobed Hepatica – Hepatica americana
These delightful flowers of pastel pinks and blues will be blooming soon. We have seen them as early as April 6.
On a sunny day on the trail hepaticas will dot the brown forest floor along with bloodroots. Already up (3/28) are spring beauty and spicebush flowers.
Round lobed Hepatica is not a spring ephemeral. It has evergreen leaves that over winter.
It forms new leaves after flowering. Another aid to survival, it will self-pollinate if cross pollination fails. Bloodroot also does this.
Read about Round Lobed Hepatica here
See our Spring Plant Profiles & Photos
SPRING is in the AIR
Twinleaf – Jeffersonia diphylla
As you are out looking for early spring flowers you would be lucky to spot one of these showy white flowers. These flowers have a distinctive way of shedding their pollen. Their distinctive leaves gives it the name ‘Twinleaf’
Twinleaf is critically imperiled (S1). However, they would be a fine addition in a shady spot in your garden. Twinleaf is not an ephemeral and its leaves will make a distinctive ground cover in the summer.
Keep this rare plant alive in NJ; plant one this year. Blooms mid April.
Read more and photos on Twinleaf .
Also see our ‘Gardener’s News’ article ‘Flower For A Day‘ .
SPRING is in the AIR
Broom Crowberry – Corema conradii
Broom crowberry is a ground-hugging, shrubby plant. It needs open, sandy areas to grow and has specialized wildfire needs.
In NJ it exists only in the Pinelands. It is G4, S2. The NJ DEP is attempting to restore habitat for this plant.
It blooms mid March to early April. We have the best photos of the male and female flowers. See what the Broom Crowberry flowers look like!.
In central and north Jersey, skunk cabbage is starting. In our winter walks we have already have seen spring beauty leaves peeking above the leaf litter. Soon spring beauty and bloodroots will be blooming.
See our Spring Plant Profiles & Photos
A Christmas Wish
Castilleja coccinea – Scarlet Indian Paintbrush -New Page
Did you know that there is a indian paintbrush (Castilleja) in the east and is native to NJ?
At one time it was found in almost every county in NJ!
It has not been seen in NJ for years! It would be wonderful to see this showy plant again in NJ!
Read about Scarlet Indian Paintbrush here