A big welcome to the New York Flowers guide.
Here you will find great information covering both landscaping and flower identification. As a matter of state pride, it sounds reasonable to remind readers of the state’s affinity for plant life. For example, New York City self-identifies as the Big Apple. When it comes to the state as a whole, the sugar maple (Acer saccharum) stands as the official state tree. Perhaps less well known to outsiders is the fact that the rose, or any rose in the genus Rosa receives recognition as the official state flower.
The guide itself consists of reviews of selected books and pamphlets covering the topic. Each selection provides readers with a variety of pictures and details covering landscape and garden topics suited to New Yorkers of all stripes.
Because native flower species, along with commercially available annuals and perennials often grow in many of the USDA zones, readers interested in additional ideas are invited to click on the flowers button for additional information.
New York Landscaping
New York landscaping ideas often spring from the pages of the local newspaper or the local plant nursery. A hike along any of the state’s wooded trails can be equally inspiring. The booklet New York-New Jersey Trail Conference works as a nice tree, shrub and flower guide for anyone interested in planning a new back yard landscaping scheme or updating a current landscaping layout.
Readers can easily learn the difference between a Norway Maple (Acer platanoides), a Red Maple (Acer rubrum) and a Sugar Maple (Acer saccharinum) then make a back yard tree decision for themselves. The booklet covers trees, shrubs, flowering vines and more. It’s well worth a look. Best of all, it’s free by clicking the link and downloading it onto your computer. The picture shows the colorful pink flower of the trumpet vine.
Gardening With New York City Native Plants drills down a bit more on the topic by providing pictures and information on how any resident can brighten up their corner of the Big Apple. While it might be stereotyped as an urban jungle, the authors of the pamphlet want to remind readers,
New York City has hundreds of native species, most of which would be a gorgeous addition to any garden. These attractive plants meet every horticultural need from ground covers to lovely foliage and hardy bloomers, and all plant shapes: ferns, wildflowers, vines, shrubs, and trees. A native garden could bloom from March to November, providing year round beauty and interest.
A walk through Central Park or a local neighborhood park can compliment their learning tools covering topics such as building windowsill box or a butterfly garden. Of course the tips can work for any New York urban area from Albany to Buffalo. The orange flowers of the Butterfly Milkweed work well for attracting butterflies.
New York Flowers: Native Species
Speaking of butterflies, the Plains Coreopsisit, a natural summer bloomer that reaches up to four feet in height, shows a nice bicolor look that attracts beneficial insects such as long-tongued bees, short-tongued bees, wasps, flies, butterflies, skippers, and beetles.
Spring time in New York, like other northern states brings out the best in the native bulb flowers. Many of them. including the Northern Blue Flag Iris, are easy grow and easy care species.
Homeowners with grasslands and an interest in iris species might consider the smaller and eye catching Blue-eyed grass.
Violets and periwinkle remain popular ground cover year round with flowers that bloom in spring. Bloodroot, another native plant, follows a similar pattern and offers an alternative to homeowners looking for a colorful flowering plant that performs year after year in a shady area of the yard.
Native lilies such as the Yellow Trout Lily also rank as easy grow and easy care.
Trillium, another of the early spring bloomers serve as great ground cover in landscapes with wooded areas. The picture shows the flower of a Painted Trillium. It’s a native from the Mid-Atlantic through New England.
Many members of the aster family are garden favorites that last through fall. The yellow petals of the False Sunflower provide a bright presence during their bloom time.
Homeowners along the coastal areas of Long Island might like the delicate look of the Rose Gentian. As the picture shows, they thrive in sandy soil along, or near, brackish water. Look for the blooms in late summer through early fall.