Rhode Island Plants for Wildlife Habitat & Conservation Landscaping
Trees
Tall–Red Oak, Black Oak, Black Cherry, Pitch Pine, Eastern Red Cedar, Eastern White Pine, Maple, Alder, River Birch, Hawthorn, Yellowwood, Beech
Short–Winterberry, Carolina Allspice, Fringetree, American Smoketree, Sassafras, Dogwood, Serviceberry
Shrubs
Arrowood, High Bush Blueberry, Inkberry, Huckleberry, Chokeberry, Bayberry, Sweet Pepperbush, Spicebush, Beach Plum
Perennials
Milkweeds, Asters, Boneset, Blazing Star, Fireweed, Wild Lupine, Goldenrod, Joe Pye Weed, New York Ironweed
Baltimore Oriole is a type of bird that is commonly found in Rhode Island.
Grasses
Tussock Sedge, Big Bluestem, Little Bluestem, Switchgrass, Poverty Grass, Broom Sedge, Rice Cut Grass, Panic Grass, Eastern Mock Grama
Vines
Virgin’s Bower, Trumpet Honeysuckle, Wild Grape
Groundcovers
Bearberry, Bunchberry, Checkerberry, Partridgeberry, Lowbush Blueberry
Much of Rhode Island is woodland; lowlands in the south and rolling hills in the north and the west. The state can be divided into two geographic regions; the Coastal Lowland in the south and east, and the Eastern New England Upland in the northwest. The Rhode Island Wild Plant Society can provide lists of plants for a specific region.
For more information on improving your wildlife habitat, visit the WindStar Wildlife Institute web site. On the web site, you can also apply to certify your property as a wildlife habitat, register for the “Certified Wildlife Habitat Naturalist e-Learning course, become a member and sign up for the FREE WindStar Wildlife Garden Weekly e-mail newsletter.