15 Native Woodland Plants to Grow This Spring

If you have a woodland or forest edge on your property, you may think your plant options are limited. Tall trees shade the forest floor, making sun-loving flowers like coneflowers and cosmos out of the question. However, hundreds of beautiful plants thrive in the forest’s rich soil and dappled light.

Rather than planting invasive ground covers or shrubs that can quickly take over entire forests, opt for native plants. Selecting plants that naturally grow in nearby forests means you can expect them to thrive without much maintenance. Plus, these natives will help support wildlife and add beauty to your woodland.

Whether you’re looking for flowering perennials that brighten the forest floor or taller shrubs to create an understory, you can find suitable natives. Here are some of my favorite native woodland plants to add to your forest this spring.

Tall Thimbleweed

	botanical name Anemone virginiana
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 2-4’
	hardiness zones 2-8

This member of the buttercup family grows taller than many of its relatives. However, it still features the delicate petal-like sepals and serrated foliage of other anemone varieties. After the white blossoms fade in the late summer, the plants display long seed heads that resemble thimbles.

Tall thimbleweed is native to most areas east of the Mississippi, with the exception of the most southern spaces. The plants grow best in well-draining and dry soil, so avoid planting them in low-lying areas that collect rainwater.

Wild Geranium

	botanical name Geranium maculatum
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 12-18”
	hardiness zones 3-11

When you spot a patch of wild geraniums in bloom, you’ll be itching to add a few of these plants to your wooded area. The perennials send up tall stems topped with delicate, light purple blooms. Even when the plants are finished blooming, their deeply dissected leaves and elongated seed heads make them a lovely addition to forest floors and woodland edges.

Wild geraniums can become stressed by intense heat, so planting them in a shady spot helps them remain healthy throughout the summer. If you have access to sunny and shaded locations, choose the shadier area for these natives.

Foam Flower

	botanical name Tiarella cordifolia
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 5-12”
	hardiness zones 3-8

Foam flower grows best in rich, moist, shady locations, making it a natural choice for woodlands. This spring-blooming perennial’s native range follows the Appalachian Mountains, where it often grows along creeks and rivers. You can even spot the plants growing on teeny-tiny islands in the middle of streams!

The plants start flowering as early as March. They send up tall flower stalks covered in many small, white, star-shaped blooms. The blooms feature elongated stamens that give them a feathery or foamy appearance. Foamflower also produces low-lying, heart-shaped leaves that turn a beautiful red shade in the fall.

Celandine Poppy

	botanical name Stylophorum diphyllum
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 12-18”
	hardiness zones 4-9

Native to rich, well-draining woodlands, the celandine poppy adds a bright splash of yellow to spring forests. It features the dissected foliage and whimsical blossoms of other poppies, but it prefers shade rather than sun.

Although these wildflowers are relatively uncommon in wild areas, they are good candidates for shady gardens and managed woodlands. They easily grow from seed and will bloom as long as you limit competition from other plants. However, expect the plants to fade by summer.

Round-Leaved Dogwood

	botanical name Cornus rugosa
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 8-10’
	hardiness zones 2-6

This understory shrub is often found in open woodlands and under sparse canopies. It’s native to northern areas of the eastern and central United States, but it’s relatively rare in the wild. Since it produces beautiful foliage, clusters of small white flowers, and white fruits, it makes a beautiful addition to shaded gardens.

The growth habit of this dogwood varies depending on the location and pruning practices. It may grow as a branching shrub or develop a tall single stem, making it appear more like a small tree. Regardless, the plant won’t grow taller than ten feet.

Early Meadow Rue

	botanical name Thalictrum dioicum
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1-2’
	hardiness zones 3-8

Despite its common name, this perennial grows better in forests than meadows. It flourishes in partial shade, rich soil, and moderate moisture.

Early meadow rue produces attractive foliage and flowers, adding beauty even after it’s blooming. The tender, slightly lobed leaves often grow parallel to the ground in graceful layers that nicely contrast the rigid branches of trees and shrubs. The perennial’s foliage remains on the plants after many spring ephemerals disappear, so it’s an excellent plant for filling in gaps on the forest floor.

The blossoms emerge in the early spring, around the same time the leaves begin to appear. Each plant produces both male and female flowers with notable distinctions. The male ones face downward and showcase hanging stamens, and the female blooms are upright.

American Witch Hazel

	botanical name Hamamelis virginiana
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 15-30’
	hardiness zones 3-9

Flowering herbs are nice, but sometimes you need a plant that fills in a large, empty space. Witch hazel naturally grows as a large shrub or small tree in the forest understory, so it makes a great addition to most woodlands. Although you can find multiple witch hazel species, Hamamelis virginiana is native to most of the eastern half of the US.

The plants produce dense, arching branches that become covered with spider-like flowers in the late fall, winter, and/or early spring. Most natives produce yellow blooms, but you can find cultivars with pink or red blooms.

Marsh Marigold

	botanical name Caltha palustris
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1-2’
	hardiness zones 2-7

Marsh marigold is one of the best spring natives if you have a wet woodland. These flowering perennials thrive in wet soil and can even tolerate standing water. Since they can grow well in full sun and shade, you don’t have to worry about the density of your forest canopy.

These perennials are native to the Northeast, Midwest, and Pacific Northwest, where you can often find them growing near the edges of streams, rivers, and lakes. They display heart-shaped leaves throughout the growing season and produce bright yellow flowers in the spring.

Woodland Phlox

	botanical name Phlox divaricata
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 12”
	hardiness zones 3-8

Although you can find many different native phlox species, woodland phlox is one of the best options for shady areas. It thrives in rich, well-draining soil and partial shade or dappled light. The flowering perennial produces upright stems with oppositely arranged leaves.

In the spring, clusters of five-petal flowers appear on the end of each stem. The flowers cover the plants, creating stunning patches of purple. While the straight species produces light purple or blue flowers, you can find cultivars with white and pink blooms. Although the plants spread over time, they don’t create a dense enough form to choke out other plants.

Maple Leaf Viburnum

	botanical name Viburnum acerifolium
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height 4-6’
	hardiness zones 4-8

While many native viburnums prefer full sun, the maple leaf viburnum is happiest in the dappled light of a forest. It prefers well-draining soil and can be found growing throughout the eastern US.

Like many viburnums, this native shrub provides beauty and interest throughout the four seasons. The plants produce clusters of small white flowers in the spring, followed by deep purple berries. The maple-shaped leaves appear a vibrant green in the spring and summer, then turn shades of red and orange in the fall.

Wild Ginger

	botanical name Asarum canadense
	sun requirements Partial to full shade
	height 4-12”
	hardiness zones 4-6

If you’re looking for a shaded ground cover that’s interesting but not invasive, wild ginger is one of your best options. This native plant features heart-shaped leaves that readily spread across the ground. The plants also produce small, maroon, bell-shaped flowers near the base of the plant, but the larger leaves hide these low-lying blooms.

Wild ginger needs rich and well-draining soil to thrive, so it’s an ideal woodland groundcover. However, don’t plant it in a shady area with compacted clay and expect it to flourish.

Round-Lobed Hepatica

	botanical name Hepatica americana
	sun requirements Partial shade
	height 4-9”
	hardiness zones 3-8

Since it’s one of the first plants to bloom each spring, round-lobed hepatica is a reminder that warmer days are ahead. You can often spot the leaves peaking out from the forest duff as early as March—look for rounded leaves with three distinct lobes.

After the flowers appear, you can spot small flowers atop long, slender stems. The flowers feature colorful petal-like sepals that range in color from pink to purple to white. Since these plants are spring ephemerals, their foliage and flowers fade when they’re done blooming.

Round-lobed hepatica prefers rich and well-drained soil, so woodland slopes are often ideal. Make sure the plants have the cover of larger plants to protect them from direct sunlight.

Eastern Red Columbine

	botanical name Aquilegia canadensis
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1-3’
	hardiness zones 3-8

Thanks to its highly adaptable nature and unique, spurred petals, eastern red columbine is one of the most widespread natives east of the Mississippi. The perennials can tolerate full sun to shade, but they grow best in dappled light or partial shade. That’s one reason why they’re a great native for spring woodland gardens.

The flowers start to appear in spring and continue blooming into early summer. This columbine species features red and yellow flowers that nod downward. However, you can find other native columbines (like the Rocky Mountain columbine) that produce upward-facing flowers.

Lewis’ Mock Orange

	botanical name Philadelphus lewisii
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 6-14’
	hardiness zones 4-9

This flowering shrub gets its name from the fragrant white flowers it produces in the spring and early summer. The blooms’ orange blossom fragrance fills the air, so you may smell this plant before you spot it. Bees and butterflies flock to the flowers to enjoy the nectar and pollen.

Lewis’ mock orange can grow well in various habitats, including both woodland edges and dappled shade. However, expect the plants to produce fewer flowers if you plant them in deep shade. The plants can tolerate both dry and moist soil, but they grow best in well-draining ground.

Avoid planting the non-native sweet mock orange (Philadelphus coronarius) when adding one of these flowering shrubs to your garden. If you live in the eastern US, plant the Appalachian mock orange (Philadelphus inodorus) instead. No matter which species you choose, make sure to give the fast-growing shrubs plenty of room to expand. 

Thimbleberry

	botanical name Rubus parviflorus
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3-8’
	hardiness zones 3-10

Found throughout the western US and Upper Midwest, thimbleberry is beautiful and delicious! The plants grow as small shrubs with thornless, branching stems, so they’re a less-prickly alternative to other native members of the Rubus genus. Thimbleberry features large, maple-like leaves, producing large white flowers in late spring and summer.