NJ Native Plants

Barnegat Bay Partnership’s “Going Native” Guide to Landscaping with Natural Plants

In 2012, the Barnegat Bay Partnership published a brochure, “Going Native: A Guide to Natural Landscaping with Native Plants in the Barnegat Bay Watershed” which offers tips, suggestions, and easy to use plans for creating a natural landscape for your yard.

NJ Native Plant Resources

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, they have hundreds of members across the state, and are organized into county and regional chapters. Their members include gardeners, horticulturists, naturalists, landscape designers, students, and native plant enthusiasts from all walks of life.

Download PDF: Going Native: A Guide To Landscaping with Native Plants
in the Barnegat Bay Watershed

Resources for a Healthy Garden, Yard and Landscape

  1. Jersey-Friendly Yards is a one-stop source of New Jersey-specific information and resources about creating an eco-friendly native plant garden. Educators can design multiple activities around the searchable Plant Database and the Interactive Yard.  Make your schoolyard Jersey-Friendly!
  2. Jersey-Friendly Plant Database filters make it easy to native plants conducive to the specific conditions of your yard and garden
  3. Links and resources about native plants of New Jersey.
  4. Homeowner Guide for a more Bay-Friendly Property
  5. Native Plant Society of New Jersey offers their
    Rain Garden Manual for New Jersey
  6. Native Plant Society of New Jersey website offers information and comprehensive lists of native plants listed by county.
  7. Planting Guide to attract Pollinators. Click on “Planting Guides” tab, click on “Eastern Broadleaf Forest” region for a comprehensive compilation of pollinator and plant information including a seasonal list of plants that support pollinators in our NJ region.  
  8. Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping – Chesapeake Bay Watershed by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services
  9. From the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Rain Gardens – A How-to Manual for Homeowners
  10. Bayscape for Barnegat Bay brochure offered by the American Littoral Society
  11. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildlife Center website offers information about this internationally recognized botanic garden dedicated to inspiring the conservation of native plants in natural and designed landscapes. 
  12. The Native Plant Guide on the Lady Bird Johnson website offers lists of plants that are native to your area. Follow the directions in the “Combination Search” to select the soil type, light requirements and plant habits to find lists of perennials, trees, shrubs and other plants that will thrive in your own garden conditions.
  13. Sustainable Jersey for Schools is a certification program for NJ public schools that want to go green and conserve resources. A native garden or rain garden could earn points towards certification for a participating school.
  14. Rutgers Annual 2016 Home Gardeners School web page
  15. Recommended Pollinator Plants for the Mid-Atlantic region
  16. This Native Plant Finder from the National Wildlife Federation allows you to type-in your zip code, then offers a list of plants that are native to your area, along with a list of butterflies and moths that utilize the plants for food and as a host plant for their eggs and larva. 
  17. US Wildflowers – a database of wildflowers found in the US, listed by state. 
  18. USDA NRCS Pollinator Plants of the Northeast United States 
  19. Central Region Seedling ID Guide for Native Prairie Plants

Below is a list of sites and organizations spreading the word about the value of NJ native plants.