Ultra-Local Native Plants for South Central Pennsylvania

Curious to find out exactly which so-called “native plants” really are native to our particular corner of the Earth, Cumberland County Master Gardener Susan Skender undertook a tremendously detailed and meticulous study to nail down a list specific just to six counties around Harrisburg (Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Perry, Franklin and York).

Susan checked and cross-checked multiple references to come up with about as local of a local native-plant list as possible. It’s extremely difficult to be absolutely certain exactly what was where when European settlers first arrived here, but Susan’s lists are, I think, a super effort to get as close as possible from the data available.

You’ll find surprises on her two lists – one for herbaceous plants and one for woody plants.

Two plants that surprised me were that fothergilla and oakleaf hydrangea are not native to any part of Pennsylvania, much less south central Pennsylvania. Another was that the widely used eastern arborvitae is apparently native to scattered parts of Pennsylvania but not to any of our six nearby counties.

With Susan’s OK, I’ve made her lists available here. You can view them, download and/or print them at no charge for your plant-selecting pleasure. Thanks, Susan! Great work.

Here are links to the lists:
Native Herbaceous Plants of South Central Pennsylvania
Native Trees, Shrubs and Vines of South Central Pennsylvania