News & Updates

Join

Become a Member:
Support Our Mission.

Donate

Support VNPS with
your donation today.

Upcoming Events

Find Field Trips, Meetings, Programs and Plant Sales.

Find a Chapter

Get involved in your
local VNPS chapter.

Plant Sale 2025 — Podophyllum peltatum

March 31, 2025

Podophyllum peltatum (Mayapple) is a perennial woodland plant that likes rich moist soils in partial to full shade. The stalks have either one or two large palmate lobed leaves. The blooms are only found on those with two leaves. The plant produces only one white flower which is about an…

Plant Sale 2025 — Lindera benzoin

March 28, 2025

Lindera benzoin (Spicebush) is a shrub that grows 6 to 12 feet tall. The more sun it gets the brighter the fall foliage but will tolerate even full shade where it will grow wider and airier. It blooms in March, sporting yellow (with a hint of green) clusters before the…

Plant Sale 2025 — Erythronium americanum

March 27, 2025

Erythronium americanum (trout lily) common name refers to the mottled appearance of its leaves. It prefers woodland soils that are moist and rich. It blooms in the early spring, appearing under deciduous trees before they leaf out. When young, Erythronium americanum only has one leaf but once it matures it…

Plant Sale 2025 — Sedum ternatum

March 27, 2025

We plan to offer Sedum ternatum (Wild Stonecrop Sedum) at our April 27th native plant sale. It is a low growing semi-evergreen succulent groundcover that forms large mats covering rocks, tree roots or mossy areas near streams. This plant flourishes in part to full shade in thin moist soils and…

New York Aster, Symphyotrichum novi-belgii
By Betsy Washington, Northern Neck Native Plant Society In Fall, many of our native ssters literally light up the landscape with their daisy-like flowers that are vivid lavender violet, blue violet, pale blue or even white. These late season bloomers are critical food sources for migrating Monarchs and other late butterflies, as well as pollinators…Read more
Sweet-scented Joe-pye-weed, Eutrochium purpureum
By Betsy Washington, Northern Neck Native Plant Society In late summer the vanilla-scented flowers of Sweet-scented Joe-pye-weed fill the garden and landscape with billowy clouds of long-lasting blooms covered with bees and butterflies. This gorgeous tall perennial can reach 4 – 7’ high topped with large dome-shaped pink to purple inflorescences up to 12 –…Read more
Fall or Garden Phlox, Phlox paniculata
By Betsy Washington, Northern Neck Native Plant Society I am always dazzled by the vibrant, long-lasting blooms of Fall or Garden Phlox as they emerge in July attracting dozens of butterflies, skippers, clearwing moths, hummingbirds and other pollinators to their showy blooms. The large, fragrant pink to red-purple, lavender or rarely white flower clusters (actually…Read more
Redring Milkweed, Asclepias variegata
By Betsy Washington, Northern Neck Native Plant Society Milkweeds are wildly popular in many gardens but most of us grow only two or three species, including Butterflyweed and Swamp Milkweed and possibly Common Milkweed. There are thirteen species of milkweed in Virginia and one of my favorites blooms in late May and June, Redring or…Read more
Common Blue Violet, Viola sororia/communis
By Betsy Washington, Northern Neck Native Plant Society The cheerful flowers of our native Common Blue Violet are one of the most anticipated signs of spring, bringing joy to both gardeners and pollinators alike. Blooming from March to June, with occasional rebloom in fall, our Common Blue Violet reaches only 3 – 8” tall with…Read more
Plantain-leaved Pussytoes, Antennaria plantaginifolia
By Betsy Washington, Northern Neck Native Plant Society Plantain-leaved Pussytoes is one of our most charming perennial groundcovers and begins blooming this month with fuzzy white, tufted flower heads that resemble the toes or paws of kittens. Other names for this appealing groundcover are Pussytoes, Everlasting, Mouse Ears, Ladies’ Tobacco, and even Dog Toes. Who…Read more
Hepatica Heralds Spring
By Betsy Washington, Northern Neck Native Plant Society Chapter One of the earliest signs of spring is the bloom of the Round-lobed Hepatica or Liverleaf, Hepatica americana. The lovely small flowers of this woodland wildflower look fragile but this hardy perennial blooms in the face of winter often as early as February. An array of…Read more
American Hazelnut, Corylus americana
By Betsy Washington, Northern Neck Native Plant Society Our February Plant of the Month, American Hazelnut or Filbert, Corylus americana, is one of our earliest blooming native shrubs, a true harbinger of spring often flaunting its flowers as early as February. As a member of the Birch (Betulaceae) family, American Hazelnut is monoecious, meaning it…Read more