Native Plants of North America

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center has created an excellent resource in their database Native Plants of North America. Visitors can search for plants by either their common or scientific names, and the advanced search feature allows searches by combinations of fields such as light requirements, size, and bloom characteristics. This resource also features numerous helpful plant lists; for example, "Bee-friendly Plants" and "Plants for Drought," as well as lists of recommended native plants for nearly every US state and Canadian province. The listings for individual plant species include an image gallery and provide information, such as its scientific name and USDA classification, as well as helpful information for gardeners, for instance, its preferred growing conditions and maintenance tips. Each species listing also contains extensive information on the various benefits that plant offers, like whether it is resistant to deer and if it is of special value to beneficial insects (e.g. native bee species). Those interested in gardening with native flowers would do well to pay this resource a visit.