Quick answer: 183 native plants for birds are native to New Jersey, 153 with a live listing as of 04 Nov 2026.
183 species
- Adam's needle Yucca filamentosa · 21 states
- Allegheny chinquapin Castanea pumila · 21 states
- Allegheny serviceberry Amelanchier laevis · 17 states
- American basswood Tilia americana · 37 states
- American beech Fagus grandifolia · 31 states
- American bellflower Campanulastrum americanum · 34 states
- American bittersweet Celastrus scandens · 33 states
- American cranberry Vaccinium macrocarpon · 15 states
- American elm Ulmus americana · 31 states
- American hazelnut Corylus americana · 34 states
- American holly Ilex opaca · 28 states
- American hornbeam Carpinus caroliniana · 33 states
- American mountain ash Sorbus americana · 18 states
- American plum Prunus americana · 37 states
- American sycamore Platanus occidentalis · 28 states
- Appalachian gooseberry Ribes rotundifolium · 11 states
- Beach plum Prunus maritima · 8 states
- Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi · 34 states
- Bebb willow Salix bebbiana · 6 states
- Big bluestem Andropogon gerardii · 41 states
- Birdfoot violet Viola pedata · 34 states
- Bitternut hickory Carya cordiformis · 28 states
- Black ash Fraxinus nigra · 19 states
- Black cherry Prunus serotina · 35 states
- Black huckleberry Gaylussacia baccata · 25 states
- Black oak Quercus velutina · 30 states
- Black tupelo Nyssa sylvatica · 31 states
- Black walnut Juglans nigra · 33 states
- Black willow Salix nigra · 24 states
- Black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta · 44 states
- Blackjack oak Quercus marilandica · 24 states
- Blue vervain Verbena hastata · 34 states
- Bluebead Clintonia borealis · 14 states
- Boxelder Acer negundo · 16 states
- Broadleaf cattail Typha latifolia · 39 states
- Brown-eyed Susan Rudbeckia triloba · 21 states
- Bur oak Quercus macrocarpa · 33 states
- Butterflyweed Asclepias tuberosa · 40 states
- Canada wild rye Elymus canadensis · 37 states
- Canada yew Taxus canadensis · 18 states
- Canadian serviceberry Amelanchier canadensis · 21 states
- Cardinal flower Lobelia cardinalis · 41 states
- Chinkapin oak Quercus muehlenbergii · 30 states
- Chokecherry Prunus virginiana · 44 states
- Cinnamon fern Osmunda cinnamomea · 32 states
- Climbing prairie rose Rosa setigera · 27 states
- Cockspur hawthorn Crataegus crus-galli · 25 states
- Common blue violet Viola sororia · 37 states
- Common buttonbush Cephalanthus occidentalis · 29 states
- Common elderberry Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis · 36 states
- Common evening primrose Oenothera biennis · 30 states
- Common hoptree Ptelea trifoliata · 28 states
- Common juniper Juniperus communis · 39 states
- Common ninebark Physocarpus opulifolius · 30 states
- Common persimmon Diospyros virginiana · 26 states
- Common snowberry Symphoricarpos albus · 21 states
- Common winterberry Ilex verticillata · 32 states
- Coralberry Symphoricarpos orbiculatus · 30 states
- Crimson-eyed rose-mallow Hibiscus moscheutos · 28 states
- Cup plant Silphium perfoliatum · 27 states
- Cutleaf coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata · 43 states
- Deerberry Vaccinium stamineum · 22 states
- Dense blazing star Liatris spicata · 24 states
- Downy hawthorn Crataegus mollis · 24 states
- Downy serviceberry Amelanchier arborea · 37 states
- Eastern cottonwood Populus deltoides · 42 states
- Eastern hemlock Tsuga canadensis · 25 states
- Eastern hop-hornbeam Ostrya virginiana · 37 states
- Eastern red cedar Juniperus virginiana · 37 states
- Eastern red columbine Aquilegia canadensis · 36 states
- Eastern teaberry Gaultheria procumbens · 23 states
- Eastern wahoo Euonymus atropurpureus · 23 states
- Eastern white pine Pinus strobus · 28 states
- Fire pink Silene virginica · 26 states
- Fireweed Chamerion angustifolium · 37 states
- Flowering dogwood Cornus florida · 31 states
- Foxglove beardtongue Penstemon digitalis · 35 states
- Fragrant sumac Rhus aromatica · 30 states
- Gray alder Alnus incana · 26 states
- Gray birch Betula populifolia · 17 states
- Gray dogwood Cornus racemosa · 19 states
- Grayhead coneflower Ratibida pinnata · 26 states
- Great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica · 36 states
- Great laurel Rhododendron maximum · 20 states
- Green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica · 43 states
- Hairy beardtongue Penstemon hirsutus · 19 states
- Harebell Campanula rotundifolia · 35 states
- Highbush blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum · 25 states
- Highbush cranberry Viburnum opulus var. americanum · 22 states
- Hobblebush Viburnum lantanoides · 17 states
- Hollow Joe-pye weed Eutrochium fistulosum · 24 states
- Indiangrass Sorghastrum nutans · 37 states
- Inkberry Ilex glabra · 14 states
- Jack-in-the-pulpit Arisaema triphyllum · 35 states
- Jerusalem artichoke Helianthus tuberosus · 26 states
- Little bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium · 42 states
- Loblolly pine Pinus taeda · 18 states
- Lowbush blueberry Vaccinium angustifolium · 22 states
- Mapleleaf viburnum Viburnum acerifolium · 27 states
- Marsh marigold Caltha palustris · 28 states
- Mockernut hickory Carya tomentosa · 26 states
- Mountain laurel Kalmia latifolia · 23 states
- Mountain maple Acer spicatum · 18 states
- Nannyberry Viburnum lentago · 25 states
- New York ironweed Vernonia noveboracensis · 18 states
- Northern blue flag Iris versicolor · 10 states
- Northern red oak Quercus rubra · 33 states
- Northern spicebush Lindera benzoin · 31 states
- Northern white cedar Thuja occidentalis · 21 states
- Pagoda dogwood Cornus alternifolia · 30 states
- Paper birch Betula papyrifera · 28 states
- Partridge pea Chamaecrista fasciculata · 30 states
- Pawpaw Asimina triloba · 29 states
- Pignut hickory Carya glabra · 31 states
- Pin cherry Prunus pensylvanica · 20 states
- Pin oak Quercus palustris · 27 states
- Prairie cordgrass Spartina pectinata · 25 states
- Purple clematis Clematis occidentalis var. occidentalis · 15 states
- Pussy willow Salix discolor · 18 states
- Quaking aspen Populus tremuloides · 39 states
- Red chokeberry Aronia arbutifolia · 22 states
- Red maple Acer rubrum · 33 states
- Red pine Pinus resinosa · 13 states
- Red spruce Picea rubens · 15 states
- Red-osier dogwood Cornus sericea · 36 states
- River birch Betula nigra · 28 states
- Riverbank grape Vitis riparia · 20 states
- Roundhead lespedeza Lespedeza capitata · 30 states
- Sand cherry Prunus pumila · 5 states
- Sassafras Sassafras albidum · 22 states
- Scarlet beebalm Monarda didyma · 25 states
- Seaside goldenrod Solidago sempervirens · 13 states
- Sensitive fern Onoclea sensibilis · 26 states
- Shagbark hickory Carya ovata · 34 states
- Sheep laurel Kalmia angustifolia · 13 states
- Shingle oak Quercus imbricaria · 18 states
- Shortleaf pine Pinus echinata · 22 states
- Showy goldenrod Solidago speciosa · 28 states
- Showy tick trefoil Desmodium canadense · 29 states
- Sideoats grama Bouteloua curtipendula · 38 states
- Silver maple Acer saccharinum · 37 states
- Slippery elm Ulmus rubra · 30 states
- Smooth Solomon's seal Polygonatum biflorum · 34 states
- Smooth alder Alnus serrulata · 23 states
- Smooth oxeye Heliopsis helianthoides · 30 states
- Smooth sumac Rhus glabra · 42 states
- Southern arrowwood Viburnum dentatum · 28 states
- Southern red oak Quercus falcata · 23 states
- Staghorn sumac Rhus typhina · 28 states
- Steeplebush Spiraea tomentosa · 22 states
- Sugar maple Acer saccharum · 34 states
- Sundial lupine Lupinus perennis · 28 states
- Swamp azalea Rhododendron viscosum · 15 states
- Swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata · 37 states
- Swamp rose Rosa palustris · 27 states
- Swamp sunflower Helianthus angustifolius · 21 states
- Swamp white oak Quercus bicolor · 23 states
- Sweet Joe-Pye Eutrochium purpureum · 33 states
- Sweet birch Betula lenta · 21 states
- Sweet crabapple Malus coronaria · 20 states
- Sweetbay magnolia Magnolia virginiana · 17 states
- Sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua · 26 states
- Switchgrass Panicum virgatum · 43 states
- Threadleaf coreopsis Coreopsis verticillata · 14 states
- Trumpet vine Campsis radicans · 33 states
- Tulip tree Liriodendron tulipifera · 27 states
- Virgin's bower Clematis virginiana · 27 states
- Virginia creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia · 40 states
- Virginia pine Pinus virginiana · 20 states
- Virginia saltmarsh mallow Kosteletzkya pentacarpos · 11 states
- Virginia sweetspire Itea virginica · 19 states
- White ash Fraxinus americana · 35 states
- White fringetree Chionanthus virginicus · 21 states
- White meadowsweet Spiraea alba · 22 states
- White oak Quercus alba · 33 states
- White snakeroot Ageratina altissima · 23 states
- White turtlehead Chelone glabra · 22 states
- Willow oak Quercus phellos · 23 states
- Winged sumac Rhus copallinum · 30 states
- Witch-hazel Hamamelis virginiana · 33 states
- Witherod viburnum Viburnum nudum var. cassinoides · 24 states
- Wood lily Lilium philadelphicum · 28 states
- Yellow birch Betula alleghaniensis · 21 states
Native plants for birds in New Jersey: what to know
183 of the 287 plants native to New Jersey in this directory fit this need: 64% of the state's list, well above the 52% share across all species.
Between them they flower from January through December, with the most in bloom in May. Mixing early and late bloomers keeps the planting useful all season.
Many do double duty: 140 are also good for pollinators, 130 are also shade-tolerant, 101 are also drought-tolerant.
135 of them grow in full or partial sun and 130 tolerate shade, so there are options for open beds and woodland edges alike. Sizes run from low plants like Birdfoot violet and Black-eyed Susan to trees such as Allegheny chinquapin and Allegheny serviceberry. For wildlife, 140 support pollinators, 183 provide food or cover for birds and 80 are caterpillar host plants.
153 of the 183 have a seed or plant listing we verified as the wild species. Be careful buying Black-eyed Susan, Crimson-eyed rose-mallow, Eastern hop-hornbeam: common listings for these are often a bred variety or a different species.
Good places to start
Verified wild-species listings that take sun and are widely native, so they are forgiving first plants.
- Chokecherry Prunus virginiana · Sun, Part Shade, Shade · blooms Apr-Jul
- Cutleaf coneflower Rudbeckia laciniata · Sun, Part Shade, Shade · blooms Jul-Oct
- Green ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica · Sun, Part Shade, Shade · blooms Apr-Jun