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Landscape Plugs™

Our best low-maintenance native perennials and grasses are available in plugs designed to be planted directly in the ground. We offer a wide selection of Eastern US natives and their cultivars selected for beauty and durability. Two sizes are available for direct planting, LP50 and LP32. LP50 items are generally forb and grass species with taproots or deep fibrous root systems. Our LP50 plugs are 5.00" deep by 2.00" square and come 50 to a standard nursery liner. The LP32 plant palette contains species with lateral root systems and are generally more fibrous and shallowly rooted species. Our LP32 plugs are 4.00" deep by 2.22" square and come 32 per to a standard nursery liner. Landscape Plugs™ offer an exciting alternative for quick establishment of plants in landscapes and containers.

Plant Selection
We are very selective in our choices for the Landscape Plugs™ program so that your planting gets off to a great start. All plants in our plug program are native to the midatlantic states, well suited to this climate and tolerant of drought and extreme temperature fluctuations. Robust root systems make for quick establishment and less initial watering. Plants purchased in spring are vernalized and ready to grow.

Why Use Landscape Plugs™?

  • Plants usually reach flowering size in first season and have a high transplant success rate.
  • Quicker and more reliable than seed, with erosion control starting in weeks rather than months.
  • LP50 plugs have deep (5") roots that establish quickly.
  • Compact size is easy to transport - a real cost saver.
  • Plants are chosen for wide adaptability and ease of transplanting and establishment.
  • Excellent choices for wildlife habitat development, providing food & shelter for many species.
  • Plugs come in flats made of 100% recycled plastic and are #6 recyclable.

Many thanks to the Biota of North America Program (BONAP) for the use of their North American Plant Atlas species distribution maps, which can be found on each native Landscape Plug™ species page. Click the map image to enlarge and view the plant's distribution status by county via link to the BONAP site. All map images are courtesy: Kartesz, J.T., The Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2013. Taxonomic Data Center. (http://www.bonap.net/tdc). Chapel Hill, N.C. [maps generated from Kartesz, J.T. 2013. Floristic Synthesis of North America, Version 1.0. Biota of North America Program (BONAP). (in press)] 

Botanical Name     Common Name
A B C D E F-G H I J-L M-O P Q R S T U-Z ALL

Echinacea paradoxa

yellow coneflower

A Yellow Purple Coneflower... thus the paradox. Relatively rare in the wild and in cultivation, this coneflower is stunning in summer. Its bright, pure yellow flowers consist of drooping petals surrounding a soft brown cone. Goldfinches devour the seeds. Native to the Ozark Mountains and surrounding areas.

Echinacea paradoxa '' yellow coneflower from North Creek Nurseries

Echinacea purpurea

purple coneflower

One of the great butterfly magnets of the native perennial garden! Coneflowers are easy to grow in average to dry, well drained soils. Flowers with large orange gold spiky centers and strong reflexed rose pink petals appear in July and August. Very drought tolerant.

Echinacea purpurea '' purple coneflower from North Creek Nurseries

Echinacea purpurea 'Mellow Yellows'

purple coneflower

A beautiful and long-lasting coneflower, Echinacea purpurea 'Mellow Yellows' is a seed introduction from Jelitto that ranges from light yellow to the deepest golden with bright orange centers. Flowering in its first season, this sturdy and reliable plant is an excellent cut flower and a great source of nectar and seed to pollinators and wildlife. 

Echinacea purpurea 'Mellow Yellows' purple coneflower from North Creek Nurseries

Echinacea purpurea 'Ruby Star'

Echinacea purpurea 'Ruby Star'

purple coneflower

Introduced by Jelitto, who gave us 'Magnus', Echinacea 'Ruby Star' is a slightly shorter plant with large flat topped flowers that are a deeper purple pink, almost ruby red, than most others. Plants are easy to grow, tough, and heat and drought tolerant once established. Their roots have famous medicinal qualities, they make great, long lasting, cut flowers and attract numerous butterflies and small birds.

Echinacea purpurea 'Ruby Star' purple coneflower from North Creek Nurseries

Eragrostis spectabilis

purple lovegrass

Fluffy clouds of bronze-red inflorescences are soft and subtle in the sunlight. Light green foliage in summer turning to a bronzy-red in fall. Irresistible texture plant for the late summer garden.

Eragrostis spectabilis '' purple lovegrass from North Creek Nurseries

Erigeron pulchellus var. pulchellus 'Lynnhaven Carpet'

Robin's plantain

We love this form of E. pulchellus which has large grey-green foliage and a mat-forming habit. It thrives in a wide range of conditions and forms a tight groundcover that is less than 6" tall. An easy to grow, carefree native perennial perfectly suited for moderate sunlight to full shade. 

Erigeron pulchellus var. pulchellus 'Lynnhaven Carpet' Robin's plantain from North Creek Nurseries

Eryngium yuccifolium

rattlesnake master

A unique and eye-catching plant for a dry, sunny site. Slightly spiny leaves are arranged in a rosette that resembles Yucca. Flower stems shoot skyward in summer and are topped with thistle-like bluish silver flowers. An architectural addition to the perennial border or meadow. Found in moist and dry sandy soils in open woods, fields, and prairies from Virginia to Minnesota, south to Texas and Florida.

Eryngium yuccifolium '' rattlesnake master from North Creek Nurseries

Eupatorium 'Phantom' PP18354

Joe Pye weed

This short and sweet dwarf variety is fantastic for use in perennial borders, rain gardens and mixed containers with its shorter stature and upright habit. Attractive, dome-shaped clusters of tiny, rosy-purple blooms are a favorite of butterflies and gardeners alike, lasting from mid-summer through fall before turning into tufts of fuzzy seed heads with late autumn interest. A clump-forming perennial with whorls of coarse green leaves on sturdy stems.

Eupatorium 'Phantom' Joe Pye weed from North Creek Nurseries

Eupatorium coelestinum

Eupatorium coelestinum

hardy ageratum, blue mistflower
Fuzzy blue flowers atop attractive red stems, in September and October, make great cut flowers. This plant can be aggressive in Southern gardens. Found in old fields, meadows, and along stream banks. Naturalizes readily.
Eupatorium coelestinum '' hardy ageratum, blue mistflower from North Creek Nurseries

Eupatorium dubium 'Little Joe' PP16122

Eupatorium dubium 'Little Joe' PP16122

Joe Pye weed
Selected by Steve Lighty while at The Conard-Pyle Co., this dimunitive Joe Pye has the vivid color of 'Gateway' at a height more appropriate for small gardens. 'Little Joe 'is also more compact in a container too.
Eupatorium dubium 'Little Joe' Joe Pye weed from North Creek Nurseries

Eupatorium fistulosum

Joe Pye weed

Joe Pye weed is a robust, upright perennial with hollow purple stems accented by huge, rounded, tight clusters of pink or purplish-mauve flowers. It is an important pollen and nectar plant and attracts butterflies (particularly the swallowtail butterfly) and other pollinators by the dozens. Its height makes it an excellent background plant in border perennial beds, but is also majestic standing alone. Flower color is darker in cooler weather.

Eupatorium fistulosum '' Joe Pye weed from North Creek Nurseries

Eupatorium fistulosum 'JoJo'

Joe Pye weed

'JoJo' is an exciting selection of Eupatorium fistulosum noted for upright stature yet compact presence, vibrant pink double (sterile) flowers, maroon stems, and free flowering habit. All the beauty of Joe-pye weed in a size perfect for most gardens. 

Eupatorium fistulosum 'JoJo' Joe Pye weed from North Creek Nurseries

Eupatorium perfoliatum

common boneset

Loose, white, flat-topped flowers over deep green foliage with hairy stems. E. perfoliatum is a clumping, slightly aromatic, easy to grow plant with low maintenance. Great for attracting butterflies. E. perfoliatum may be used in border and wildflower gardens, around the banks of a pond and in areas in which it may naturalize.

Eupatorium perfoliatum '' common boneset from North Creek Nurseries

Eupatorium purpureum ssp. maculatum 'Gateway'

Joe Pye weed

Like others in this genus, 'Gateway' is no exception in its power to attract butterflies with its huge, bright mauve-pink flower clusters atop deep wine red stems. July to September bloom makes 'Gateway' a bold and dramatic display when planted with Rudbeckia 'Autumn Sun' or tall ornamental grasses. Outrageous!

Eupatorium purpureum ssp. maculatum 'Gateway' Joe Pye weed from North Creek Nurseries