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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

Pachysandra procumbens

Allegheny spurge

Why plant English Ivy, Vinca or Liriope when you can enjoy this native evergreen gem? Fragrant, white flower spikes appear in spring, later becoming camouflaged by a new flush of gorgeous, crisp green foliage. Leaves have a scalloped margin and take on an attractive pale silver mottling.

Pachysandra procumbens '' Allegheny spurge from North Creek Nurseries

Packera aurea

golden ragwort

Clusters of small golden daisy-like flowers appear over broad, shiny green, toothed basal leaves in May. Strong blooming, even in the shade. A robust groundcover where happy and an excellent cut flower. Self seeds and naturalizes.

Packera aurea '' golden ragwort from North Creek Nurseries

Packera obovata

roundleaf ragwort

A tough groundcover, Packera obovata is similar to its popular cousin, Packera aurea, but with a smaller round leaf and the ability to withstand drier, full-sun conditions without losing its verdant appearance! 

Packera obovata '' roundleaf ragwort from North Creek Nurseries

Panicum 'Cape Breeze' PP24895

switchgrass

North Creek is proud to bring Panicum 'Cape Breeze' to the market. Fantastic foliage stays green until Halloween! From production to the landscape, this grass truly is a breeze. Selected for upright habit, compact size and early flowering. Its perfect, tidy stature combines the toughness of seaside Panicum with the neatness of garden worthy cultivars. Great texture and movement in the landscape!

Panicum 'Cape Breeze' switchgrass from North Creek Nurseries

Panicum virgatum

switchgrass
An upright landscape grass with lovely blue green foliage that turns yellow in fall. In late summer airy wheat-colored flowers appear and remain attractive well into fall. It is an undemanding native grass suitable to any soil type. Tough and easy to grow!
Panicum virgatum '' switchgrass from North Creek Nurseries

Penstemon 'Blackbeard' PPAF

beardtongue

Aaaarrrrgggghhhh! Named after the infamous English pirate Blackbeard, Penstemon 'Blackbeard' has the darkest of eggplant foliage with bright lilac-purple flowers rising high above and standing tall. With a long season of interest and a magnet for hummingbirds and bees, this Walters Gardens introduction is sure to cause a delightful cry of 'Shiver me timbers!' 

Penstemon 'Blackbeard' beardtongue from North Creek Nurseries

Penstemon digitalis

beardtongue

In early summer, white or light-pink-tinted, tubular 1" flowers on branching, hollow stalks rise above a basal rosette of lustrous dark green leaves. Drought tolerant, tough as nails, and deer resistant. The tubular flowers make an excellent landing pad for bees, butterflies and hummingbirds alike!

Penstemon digitalis '' beardtongue from North Creek Nurseries

Penstemon digitalis 'Husker Red'

Penstemon digitalis 'Husker Red'

beardtongue

This native makes a stunning display with its brilliant white flowers against a backdrop of deep red foliage. Tough and easy to grow, it tolerates a wide variety of conditions including hot, dry sites. Our plants are now vegetatively propagated from our reddest, most vigorous selections.

Penstemon digitalis 'Husker Red' beardtongue from North Creek Nurseries

Penstemon smallii

Small's beardtongue

Penstemon smallii features a compact and bushy form, reaching approximately 24 inches in height when flowering. Its pinkish-purple tubular blossoms are distinguished by white-striped throats. Small's Beardtongue boasts glossy, green leaves with purple veins, arranged oppositely on dark purple stems. In autumn, the basal rosette shifts to an appealing red or bronze hue.

Penstemon smallii '' Small's beardtongue from North Creek Nurseries

Phegopteris decursive-pinnata

Japanese beech fern

Japanese Beech Fern is one of the best landscape ferns we've tried over the years. It also behaves very well in pot culture and it travels well with minimal breakage. It has been in the trade for some time, but is still underutilized since it hasn't been readily available. No more! Phegopteris decursive-pinnata is a vigorous spreader and an excellent choice for a groundcover. Beautiful, with graceful fronds, it produces large colonies in moist or average shade. Its vigorous growth is produced on short runners so it is easily controlled if necessary. Arching fronds are a lustrous dark green and have a lighter green underside for a unique display. Japanese Beech Fern appreciates a little extra moisture in the soil to perform best, although it is not necessary for plant health and appearance. It may be evergreen in warmer zones and is fully perennial to zone 4.

Phegopteris decursive-pinnata '' Japanese beech fern from North Creek Nurseries

Phlox divaricata 'Blue Moon'

woodland phlox

Selected for outstanding flower color and full petals, 'Blue Moon' bears many fragrant, 5-petaled flowers with the arrival of spring. Enjoy a knee-high sea of elegant, violet-blue flowers that attract hummingbirds & butterflies to your garden. Foliage is lance shaped and medium green. A long-lived, carefree native groundcover.

Phlox divaricata 'Blue Moon' woodland phlox from North Creek Nurseries

Phlox paniculata 'Jeana'

garden phlox

Found by and named after Jeana Prewitt of Nashville, TN, this selection possesses outstanding mildew resistance with varying shades of sweetly scented, lavender-pink flowers, vibrant midsummer through early autumn. Foliage remains clean green while flower clusters create a tiered effect along upright, multi-stemmed branches. Expect a flurry of pollinator activity!

Phlox paniculata 'Jeana' garden phlox from North Creek Nurseries

Phlox stolonifera 'Sherwood Purple'

Phlox stolonifera 'Sherwood Purple'

creeping phlox

Mat-forming habit with masses of star-like, clear purple flowers with deep green foliage. A beautifully vibrant groundcover that will bring excitement to the shade or woodland garden!

Phlox stolonifera 'Sherwood Purple' creeping phlox from North Creek Nurseries

Physostegia virginiana 'Miss Manners'

Physostegia virginiana 'Miss Manners'

obedient plant

This plant was selected by Darrell Probst of Garden Visions in Hubbardston, MA. 'Miss Manners' is notable for its well-behaved, non spreading habit. It is a compact, clumping form, with excellent secondary branching and good rebloom. Pure white snapdragon-like flowers from June to September over deep green, glossy foliage. A nice late season addition to the garden for bees and hummingbirds.

Physostegia virginiana 'Miss Manners' obedient plant from North Creek Nurseries

Physostegia virginiana 'Pink Manners' PP23482

obedient plant

Tubular flowers in shades of lavender-pink adorn this taller sport of 'Miss Manners' from midsummer through autumn. As expected, it holds an upright, clump forming habit with attractive medium green foliage and grows to about 36” tall and 20” wide. An adaptable and easy-to-grow native, the strong stems do not require staking.

Physostegia virginiana 'Pink Manners' obedient plant from North Creek Nurseries

Polemonium reptans

Greek valerian

A free-flowering woodland native with delicate light blue flowers topping ladder-like foliage in late spring. A good light-textured groundcover in areas with average to moist soils.

Polemonium reptans '' Greek valerian from North Creek Nurseries

Polemonium reptans 'Stairway to Heaven' PP15187

Polemonium reptans 'Stairway to Heaven' PP15187

Greek valerian

This excellent variegated selection of P. reptans was selected by Bill Cullina of The New England Wild Flower Society. A good plant for shade or a sunny edge (with adequate moisture). Imagine, a variegated Polemonium that actually lives! This native groundcover is very popular, and its royalties benefit the Garden in the Woods and their plant and habitat conservation.

Polemonium reptans 'Stairway to Heaven' Greek valerian from North Creek Nurseries

Polystichum acrostichoides

Polystichum acrostichoides

Christmas fern

While not as showy as some others, this fern makes up for it with its neat habit, easy culture, and its lustrous, nearly evergreen leaves. Often used in Christmas floral arrangements because it is still attractive in December. It is a wonderful companion for spring blooming bulbs. Found in acidic to neutral soils on shaded slopes and well drained flats.

Polystichum acrostichoides '' Christmas fern from North Creek Nurseries

Polystichum polyblepharum

Korean tasselfern

Meaning "many eyelashes," polyblepharum describes the fuzzy stems of this glossy deep green garden fern. Dependable and hardy, it lends elegance to the shade border and combines well with Carex, Heuchera, and other ferns. Evergreen in warmer zones.

Polystichum polyblepharum '' Korean tasselfern from North Creek Nurseries

Porteranthus trifoliatus

Bowman's root

Bowman's Root is an easy-to-grow native for bright shade or partial sun and it tolerates tree root competition well as long at it has a nice layer of organic mulch. Bowman's Root is lovely in a mass planting where its lacy white flowers can shimmer in a light breeze. It makes a nice filler - think Gaura for shade! A compact, rounded plant is topped in late spring with ethereal white flowers growing in a few loose terminal panicles, with red petioles and mahogany stems. Clean, disease-free foliage often turns deep bronzy red in fall and contrasts beautifully with the more typical oranges and yellows in the perennial border. Interesting form and unique seed heads persist into winter. Great for cut flowers!

Porteranthus trifoliatus '' Bowman's root from North Creek Nurseries

Porteranthus trifoliatus 'Pink Profusion'

Bowman's root

We've been enjoying this great native for many years in our garden, since it was given to us by the Mt. Cuba Center in 2001. 'Pink Profusion' has clear pink flowers that are held daintily above reddish leaves on deep red stems. The best part is the way the flowers shimmer in a light breeze, as though they will take flight at any moment.

Porteranthus trifoliatus 'Pink Profusion' Bowman's root from North Creek Nurseries

Pycnanthemum flexuosum

Appalachian mountain mint

An aromatic, summer blooming, herbaceous perennial that produces silvery white, globular flowers on sturdy, upright stems. Blooming over a long period, flowers are prominently displayed above clean green foliage from summer into fall. A good soil stabilizer, this species spreads moderately via underground stem. Foliage develops an attractive red tinge in autumn. A larval host plant for the Gray Hairstreak Butterfly. Incorporate along the perennial border, rain garden, or near the vegetable garden to entice pollinators.

Pycnanthemum flexuosum '' Appalachian mountain mint from North Creek Nurseries

Pycnanthemum muticum

clustered mountain mint

We give up! So many of you claimed this mountain mint to be superior to Pycnanthemum virginianum that we decided to try it for ourselves. We love it! Its leaves are broader and more lustrous, the bracts are silvery and very showy, the flowers are pinkish and its habit is more compact. Nicely aromatic. This native is happiest at the wood's edge, so it is excellent for a naturalized border or woodland garden. Mountain Mint is one of the best nectar sources for native butterflies, so butterfly gardeners can't do without this one. Our bees go crazy for it, too!

Pycnanthemum muticum '' clustered mountain mint from North Creek Nurseries

Pycnanthemum tenuifolium

narrowleaf mountain mint

Densely branching with fine foliage and white flowers atop terminal clusters, Pycnanthemum tenuifolium, or slender mountain mint, has a more delicate appearance than P. muticum but with all the same pollinator action. Like its mountain mint brethren, P. tenuifolium spreads generously by rhizome making this plant a wonderful mass of white blooms in late summer. 

Pycnanthemum tenuifolium '' narrowleaf mountain mint from North Creek Nurseries