One of the Arboretum’s goals is to educate the public on the advantages of using native plants in the landscape. Each year, the Arboretum staff and Horticulture Committee select three native plants (a tree, shrub, and a fern or wildflower) that thrive in this region and designate them as Green Ribbon Native Plant® selections. These plants represent the species that grow here at the Arboretum and would be beautiful in residential and commercial landscapes throughout southeastern Pennsylvania.
We define native plants as species existing in eastern North America prior to European settlement. Because they have evolved in this region, native plants tend to be more suited to our environmental conditions. They are also aesthetically pleasing and offer great ecological value for a diversity of insects, birds, and other wildlife. Click on the plant names below for more information.
