12 Fast-Growing Native Plants That Will Transform Your Garden in Just One Season

Tulip Poplar

Tulip poplars (Liriodendron tulipifera), which get their name from their yellow, tulip-shaped blooms, can grow several feet per year.

"It's a great shade tree with beautiful flowers," says Uli Lorimer, director of horticulture at Native Plant Trust. "And it has broad distribution, growing all the way down into Georgia and all the way up into Massachusetts."

These trees can tolerate a range of soils and even slightly shadier spots in your garden.

• Zones: 4 to 9
• Mature size: 90 feet tall x 60 feet wide
• Care requirements: Full sun to part shade; well-drained organic soil

Chokeberry

Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) is a "real multi-season plant," says Lorimer: "Not only does it fill in over time, but you've got beautiful white flowers that draw in lots of pollinators."

Its foliage turns to a reddish purple in the fall. "Even the bright red buds in the winter can be ornamental depending on how you plant it," he adds. To boot, the plant can be used as a hedge or a garden border, as it will quickly form a dense thicket.

• Zones: 3 to 8
• Mature size: 6 feet tall x 6 feet wide
• Care requirements: Full sun to part shade; well-drained, moist soil

Broad Leaf Mountain Mint

This densely-leaved mountain mint (Pycnanthemum muticum) displays clusters of tubular pink flowers against silvery bracts. "This plant is an absolute pollinator magnet," says Lorimer. "In the summertime, it will draw all different kinds of bees and butterflies, and it will spread rather quickly."

As a caveat, Lorimer adds that the plant may overtake part of your yard, since it grows so quickly. However, that may be a good thing if you're trying to prevent a weed infestation.

The medicinal flavor of its leaves also serves as a deer deterrent, making it a suitable choice for a border plant.

• Zones: 4 to 8
• Mature size: 3 feet tall x 3 feet wide
• Care requirements: Full sun to part shade; medium watering, well-drained soil

Smooth Hydrangea

This native hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) produces large, cup-like flowers from June through early fall. It grows quickly, adding a few extra feet every year.

"Lacecap forms are best for pollinators," says Linda Eirhart, director of horticulture at the Winterthur Museum and Garden. Wait until late winter, after it has finished flowering, for pruning. That way, you can better control its overall height, adjusting it to your garden's needs.

• Zones: 3 to 9
• Mature size: 5 feet tall x 3 feet wide
• Care requirements: Full sun to partial shade; moist, well-drained soil

Red Twig Dogwood

Red twig dogwoods (Cornus sericea) are easily identifiable by their scarlet stems and grow about 2 feet every year.

"It provides white flowers in spring, berries in late summer, red foliage in the fall, and winter interest with red stems," says Eirhart. If you plant a lot of them together, they can form a beautiful red thicket.

• Zones: 2 to 7
• Mature size: 9 feet tall x 9 feet wide
• Care requirements: Full sun to part shade; can tolerate a range of soils, keep moist

Carolina Allspice

This easy-to-grow plant provides "beautiful, fragrant maroon flowers in spring," says Eirhart.

Some describe its scent as having hints of strawberry, banana, or pineapple. In the fall, light yellow foliage will start to emerge. Expect to see this tree grow about 12 to 18 inches every year.

• Zones: 5 to 10
• Mature size: 2 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wide
• Care requirements: Full sun; organic, well-drained soil

Hay-Scented Fern

Hay-scented ferns (Dennstaedtia puntilobula) are great for covering a large area, says Eirhart, and will take over shady, moist spaces.

They can be very sun-tolerant when compared to other ferns, which is especially useful if you don't have much canopy coverage. "They're also great for layering with non-native spring bulbs, which will flower before these ferns emerge for the year," Eirhart adds.

• Zones: 3 to 8
• Mature size: 2 feet tall x 3 feet wide
• Care requirements: Part shade to full shade; tolerates a range of soils—keep moist
  

Goldenrods

Goldenrods (Solidago sp.) are herbaceous perennials that are very easy to grow and can tolerate poor soil. Depending on your garden's needs, you can find goldenrod varieties that thrive in both sun and shade.

"They provide golden flowers in fall and are a great resource for wildlife," says Eirhart. You can deadhead their spent flowers to encourage even more blooms.

• Zones: 2 to 8
• Mature size: 3 feet tall x 3 feet wide
• Care requirements: Full sun; well-drained soil

Creeping Phlox

For those with shadier gardens, creeping phlox (Phlox stolonifera) may be a good choice. Native phlox flowers are typically blue, but cultivars are also available in pink, white, and purple. "They really cover space, almost like a ground cover," adds Lorimer.

• Zones: 2 to 8
• Mature size: 2 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wide
• Care requirements: Full sun to part shade; organic, well-drained soil

Golden Groundsel

Golden groundsel (Packera aurea) forms large clumps of plants that bloom in large clusters in early spring. "The flowers are a beautiful yellow and may form a pretty dense mat of rosettes," adds Lorimer. If you live in zones 6 to 8, their foliage may even stay all year.

• Zones: 3 to 8
• Mature size: 1 to 2 feet tall x 1 to 2 feet wide
• Care requirements: Full sun to part shade; wet, organic soil

Broad Beech Fern

The broad beech fern (Phegopteris hexagonoptera) can spread rapidly and form dense colonies, which makes it a great ground cover.

"It pairs really well with like trilliums and other spring ephemerals, because its fronds will expand out and fill the space," says Lorimer. Plus, these plants provide that wonderful green, lacy texture that's unique to ferns.

• Zones: 5 to 9
• Mature size: 2 feet tall x 2 feet wide
• Care requirements: Part to full shade; rich, moist soil

Pennsylvania Sedge

Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica), or oak sedge, can be used as a lawn alternative or to create your own glade. It can handle wet soils and shade, and in drier, shady areas, it only needs to be mowed once or twice a season.

• Zones: 3 to 8
• Mature size: 8 inches tall x 12 inches wide
• Care requirements: Full sun to deep shade; sandy, organic, well-drained soil