The wild forests and mountain ranges of the Catskills are home to a plethora of unique and interesting native plant species. On February 15th, 2022 Catskill Mountainkeeper joined experts on our native ecology for a virtual tour of Mountain Top Arboretum, and a conversation about where to purchase native plants and how to introduce them around our homes. Our panelists for this webinar were:
- Marc Wolf, Director of Mountain Top Arboretum; and
- John Thompson, Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership (CRISP) Coordinator at the Catskill Center.
Click "Read More" for a fantastic resource list, native plants list, and responses to all the questions we weren't able to answer due to time constraints.
Native Plant Information and Resources
The following links are great places to start your search for native plants and learn more about the unique role each species plays in our Catskills ecosystem. Keep scrolling for our panelists’ responses to our Q&A. As requested, we’ve also included a list of the many plant species that can be found at different sites within Mountain Top Arboretum.
Cornell Cooperative Extension (by local office)
WEBINAR Q & A
Can anyone visit the arboretum?
Yes, anyone can visit. You can find hours and directions here.
Where do you source your native plants from? Do you ever direct sow seeds?
We only direct sow on bare soil that may have been disturbed. We are working on a project to direct sow seed in the near future.
Are there any endangered species in the Arboretum?
The Arboretum does not have naturally occurring endangered plant species.
What sort of interesting native plants are in the bog? Are there any insectivorous plants?
The bog has typical woodland wetland plants that tolerate acidic soils. There are Drosera rotundifolia (insectivorous sundews) growing in Hidden Marsh.
How tall does the speckled alder grow?
Michael Dirr, a source I trust, says 15-25'. Ours grow to 8-15'
How can we avoid introducing invasives like jumping worms?
If you don't already have invasive jumping worms, you need to be very careful about bringing in any mulch or soil and don't bring in any of unknown origin. If you want to add plantings, seeds are safe. You could plant bare root stock, but the jumping worm cocoons can stick to roots and are difficult to see. The Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership (CRISP) has more resources here. You can also visit Mountainkeeper’s website to watch a recorded webinar made in partnership with CRISP which is dedicated to the topic of jumping worms.
In selecting exotics for the gardens, do you make certain that they are not invasive?
Yes, though one must keep an eye on them in case a non-invasive exotic becomes invasive. Alternative plants can be found here.
What are some of the plants that can compete with Asian Honeysuckle?
If you find out, please let us know! That is a tough plant to outcompete. We have not come up with an answer.
Do you have resources for landscaping when the land is at the water table, or when lots of large puddles after a rain need to be redirected?
The handout will have some plants that can take pooling of water. I can't think of a resource to recommend specifically for plants in wet areas. Leopold's Native Plants of the Northeast is a good place to start, though it's not only wetland plants.
What are some good deer resistant plants?
Flowering plants that deer don't prefer include bergamots, alliums, and jack in the pulpit. Including less palatable species with a good deer fence is the best way to preserve your plantings. Learn more about gardening with deer here, and look out for a recording of Mountainkeeper’s Oh Deer webinar with the Cary Institute, which we are working to make available in the near future.
Do most native plants grow on clay which will form most of my new garden?
All plants have different site requirements, though many native species are adapted to clay soils.
Are there plants you would eliminate for planting at lower elevations, e.g., 1000 ft
None that I can think of. I think they'd all do fine at 1,000 elevation.
Is ‘toothache plant’/’eyeball plant’ considered a native? We have it in Bethel NY, it's beautiful but not sure how it got here.
Apparently from a quick web search it is native to South America.
What’s your opinion of Burning Bush? Foreign & invasive, yet an arborist told me it’s ok?
Burning bush is a regulated invasive in NYS. Alternatives can be found here.
Mountain Top Arboretum Education Center Planting Areas List
(updated 9-20-19 / corrected 6/12/20)
Barn North
Betula papyrifera
Carpinus caroliniana
Sassafras albidium
Ceonothus americanus
Comptonia peregrina
Diervilla lonicera
Viburnum cassinoides
Aquilegia canadensis
Asclepias verticillata
Symphyotrichum ‘Snowflurry’
Danthonia spicata
Monarda fistulosa
Penstemon hirsutus
Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
Zizia aurea
Rain Garden 1
Aquilegia canadensis
Asclepias incarnata
Symphiotrichum novi-belgii
Carex grayi
Carex rosea
Carex vulpinoidea
Chelone glabra
Iris versicolor
Juncus effusus
Juncus tenuis
Lobelia cardinalis
Lobelia siphilitica
Lysimachia terrestris
Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
Scirpus atrovirens
Scirpus cyperinus
Verbena hastata
Zizia aurea
Rain Garden 2
Carpinus caroliniana
Carex grayi
Carex rosea
Carex vulpinoidea
Chelone glabra
Gentiana andrewsii
Geum rivale
Juncus effusus
Lobelia cardinalis
Lobelia siphilitica
Rain Garden 3 & 4
Carex grayi
Carex rosea
Carex vulpinoidea
Gentiana andrewsii
Geum rivale
Houstonia caerulea
Juncus effusus
Lobelia cardinalis
Lobelia siphilitica
Mimulus ringens
Potentilla tridentata
Saxifraga pensylvanica
Scirpus atrovirens
Rain Garden 5
Viburnum lentago
Carex grayi
Carex rosea
Carex vulpinoidea
Chelone glabra
Iris versicolor
Juncus effusus
Lobelia cardinalis
Lobelia siphilitica
Lysimachia terrestris
Mimulus ringens
Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
Scirpus atrovirens
Scirpus cyperinus
Zizia aurea
Rain Garden 6
Alnus incana subsp. rugosa
Aronia melanocarpa ‘Low Scape’
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Rhododendron prinophyllum
Asclepias incarnata
Symphiotrichum novi-belgii
Carex grayi
Carex rosea
Carex vulpinoidea
Chelone glabra
Geum rivale
Iris versicolor
Juncus effusus
Juncus tenuis
Lobelia cardinalis
Lobelia siphilitica
Lysimachia terrestris
Penstemon hirsutus
Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
Scirpus atrovirens
Scirpus cyperinus
Verbena hastata
Zizia aurea
Fir tree path
Rhododendrun prinophyllum
Carex appalichica
Deschampsia flexuosa
Penstemon hirsutis
Symphyotrichum divaricatus
Tiarella cordifolia
Ahrens Boulder Slope
Aronia melanocarpa ‘Low Scape’
Potentilla tridentata
Prunus depressa var. ‘Catskill’
Rhododendrun prinophyllum
Antenarria neglecta
Antnearia plantaganifolia
Aquilegia canadensis
Aralia racemosa
Carex eburnea
Danthonia spicata
Deschampsia flexuosa
Fragaria virginiana
Houstonia caerulea
Penstemon hirsutus
Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
Sugar Maple Fir MA Road transition
Antenarria neglecta
Antnearia plantaganifolia
Aquilegia canadensis
Asclepias verticillate
Danthonia spicata
Fragaria virginiana
Houstonia caerulea
Penstemon hirsutus
Potentilla tridentata
Solidago bicolor
Solidago puberula
Sugar Maple
Viburnum acerifolium
Aralia racemosa
Antenaria plantaginfiolia
Aquilegia canadensis
Carex appalachica
Carex eburnea
Carex pensylvanica
Carex plantaginea
Deschampsisa flexuosa
Potentilla tridentata
Solidago caesia
Symphyotrichum cordifolia
Symphyotrichum divaricatrus
Tiarella cordifolia
Viola canadensis
Viola labradorica
Ferns
Athyrium angustum
Dryopteris marginalis
Polystichum acrostichoides
EC North-Sunny area
Prunus depressa var. ‘Catskill’
Comptonia peregrina
Aquilegia canadensis
Asclepias verticilatta
Danthonia spicata
Monarda fistulosa
Penstemon hirsutus
Solidago bicolor
Solidago caesia
Solidago puberula
Symphyotrichum cordifolia
Symphyotrichum divaricatus
MA Road EC sign
Comptonia peregrina
Aquilegia canadensis
Asclepias verticilatta
Danthonia spicata
Monarda fistulosa
Penstemon hirsutus
Solidago puberela
Barn South
Acer pensylvanicum
Amelanchier ‘Autumn Brilliance’
Nyssa sylvatica
Viburnum acerifolium
Aquilegia canadensis
Asclepias verticilata
Carex eburnea
Danthonia spicata
Lobelia syphilitica
Penstemon hirsutus
Solidago bicolor
Solidago puberula
Symphyotrichum divaricatus
Verbena hastata
Edge of Parking Lot South
Acer pensylvanicaum
Ostraya virginiana
Viburnum acerifolium
Aquilegia canadensis
Aralia racemosa
Carex eburnea
Carex plantaginea
Deschampsia flexuosa
Solicago caesia
Symphyotrichum cordifolius
Symphyotrichum divaricatus
Tiarella cordifolia
Ferns
Athyrium angustum
Dryopteris marginalis
Polystichum acrostichoides
Red Maple
Acer rubrum ‘Frank’s Red’
Asclepias verticilatta
Danthonia spicata
Lobelia siphilitica
Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
Solidago puberula
Verbena hastata
Larch
Larix laricina
Aronia melanocarpa ‘Low Scape’
Prunus depressa var. ‘Catskill’
Penstemon hirsutus
Solidago bicolor
Danthonia spicata
Sassafras
Sassafras albidum
Carex plantaginea
Deschampsia flexuosa
Staff Entrance
Viburnum nudum
Asclepias verticilatta
Pycnanthemum tenuifolium
