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To: Bluedot Living
From: Polly Hill Arboretum
Subject: MV Wildtype – Native Shrubs Grown from Local Island Seeds
Martha’s Vineyard hosts significant habitat that supports biodiversity. But our natural habitats are fragmented by development. Restoring habitat connections across the Island is critical for protecting its biodiversity. Your backyard can act as a stepping stone to help support wildlife.
Here are some native plants you could plant in your Island yard.
Common Name: Sweet Pepperbush
Clethra alnifolia
Type: Deciduous Shrub
Zone: 3 to 9
Height: 3 to 8 feet
Spread: 4 to 6 feet
Bloom Time: July to August
Bloom Description: White
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Maintenance: Low
Flower: Showy, fragrant
Tolerates: Heavy shade, erosion, clay soil, wet soil
Common Name: Swamp Azalea
Rhododendron viscosum
Type: Deciduous Shrub
Zone: 4 to 9
Height: 3 to 5 feet
Spread: 3 to 5 feet
Bloom Time: May to July
Bloom Description: White to pale pink
Sun: Part shade
Maintenance: Medium
Suggested Use: Hedge
Flower: Showy, fragrant, good cut
Tolerates: Rabbit, wet soil
Common Name: American Hazelnut
Corylus americana
Type: Deciduous Shrub
Zone: 4 to 9
Height: 10 to 16 feet
Spread: 8 to 13 feet
Bloom Time: March to April
Bloom Description: Male plants are brown, and female plants are red
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Hedge
Flower: Showy
Tolerates: Clay soil, black walnut
Common Name: Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
Type: Perennial
Zone: 4 to 8
Height: 1 to 2 feet
Bloom Time: August to October
Bloom Description: Purple, blue
Sun: Sun, part sun, and part shade
Water: Low
Suggested Use: Rock garden plant, deer resistance, drought tolerant, cut flowers
Tolerates: Average soil, loam, sand, gravel/rock
Polly Hill’s Visitor Center and Plant Sales open for the season on Saturday, May 25. Check out their online plantfinder guide.
