Maine Native Plants, State Flower & State Bird

Hello native plant enthusiasts! In the list below, you will find popular native plants and wildflower seeds, available from American Meadows, that have a native distribution in your state. You’ll also find information about your state bird, state flower, and state wildflower!

• The links will take you to a single plant or seed selection for the plant listed -- but in many cases, we offer multiple cultivars for each plant, and we may offer both seeds and potted plants to grow the plant on your list. This list is a work in progress as we expand our native plant educational resources. 
• The list for your state is a great place for getting started with native plants - but it is by no means a comprehensive listing of the hundreds of native plants growing in each state. 

Grow our Native Northeast Wildflower Seed Mix

Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica)

Wrinkleleaf Goldenrod (Solidago rugosa)

Perennial Lupine (Lupinus perennis)

Black Eyed Susan or Gloriosa Daisy (Rudbeckia hirta)

Pale Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida)

Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)

Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)

White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum)

Red Trillium (Trillium erectum)

Painted Trillium (Trillium undulatum)

Long Beaked Sedge (Carex sprengelii)

White Tinged Sedge (Carex albicans)

Appalachian Sedge (Carex appalachica)

Yellow Prairie Grass (Sorghastrum nutans)

Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)

Lowbush Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium)

Lanceleaf Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)

Bee Balm (Monarda didyma)

Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)

Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum)

Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)

Phlox subulata (Creeping Phlox)

Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana)

Red Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)

Meadow Anemone (Anemone canadensis)

Lacy Phacelia (Phacelia tanacetifolia)

Bottlebrush Grass (Elymus hystrix)

Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)

Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)

Tufted Hair Grass (Deschampsia cespitosa)

Smooth Blue Aster (Symphyotrichum laeve)

New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)

Common White Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Heliopsis (Heliopsis helianthoides)

Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium purpureum)

Common Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)

Chickadee ~ Parus atricapillus
This gentle little bird takes its name from its clearly spoken call note, chick-a-dee-dee-dee. With the coming of spring it also whistles a high-pitched fee-bee. Chickadees are year-round residents in Maine. They rove the winter woodlands in small flocks, examining bark, twigs, and branches for spider eggs, cocoons, and other dormant insect life. This Chickadee can easily be distinguished from the other, small birds. Their white cheeks shine out, separating the solid black cap above from the fringed black bib below.

White Pine Cone and Tassel ~ Pinus strobus
The White Pine Cone and Tassel grows on the White Pine, a beautiful evergreen tree which grows rapidly and sometimes reaches a height of two hundred feet. Through centuries of evolution, the White Pine's leaves have changed to three-sided needles. The strongest of winds cannot harm them. In fact, wind is necessary to pines and to many other trees, for it scatters pollen grains. The White Pine Cone lacks the lovely color and the sheer beauty of some flowers. Yet, the White Pine Cone and Tassel magnificently reflects Maine's stern climate, her rugged soil, and her independent people.

From The Wildflowers of the 50 States U.S. stamps issued July 24, 1992:

• Native plants are essential for healthy ecosystems and habitat. They have evolved over time with local wildlife and climate conditions. Many pollinators have special relationships with native plants that they rely on for survival. For instance, some bees are specialists and require nectar and pollen from specific native plants to survive; and butterflies and moths often have specific host plants needed to nourish their caterpillars. For example, Asclepias (Milkweed or Butterfly Weed) is the host plant required for Monarch caterpillars to survive and grow into Monarch Butterflies!
• It’s OK to grow native plants in your yard that may not be native to your state or region. Remember – just because a plant is not native, does not necessarily mean that it is invasive or harmful. In fact, growing well-behaved introduced plants that are suited to your growing conditions can still provide many benefits to your yard (especially when compared to a traditional turf lawn).  
• Know before you grow – It's always a good idea to learn what plants are native, well-behaved, and invasive or aggressive in your region before digging in.
• Learn More: All About Native Plants

Explore our full selection of native plants and seeds