Meadowsweet

Spiraea alba

Meadowsweet is a native deciduous shrub growing to 3-6' tall and wide. It is in the rose family, and isn't invasive like its relative the Japanese Spiraea. The shrub is made up of many unbranched erect stems and blooms white to pale pink clusters of flowers in summer (blooming now!). The flowers produce pollen and nectar which attract bumblebees, other bees, butterflies, wasps, moths, adult long-horned beetles, etc. Meadowsweet is a larval host for the spring azure butterfly. For the best results, plant in part shade to full sun location in an area that gets plenty of moisture. Meadowsweet is tolerant of wet soils and does well near ponds, streambanks, in low boggy areas of a yard, or in a cottage garden that gets regular watering. If Meadowsweet gets leggy, prune in late winter and it will send out a denser flush of growth that season. Zones 5-9.

Eastern Hophornbeam

Ostrya virginiana

Eastern Hophornbeam is a native deciduous understory tree naturally found in dry and sloped locations. It is related to the Birch tree, which isn't surprising due to the similar leaves. The fruit is a cluster of inflated sacs around a bony seed resembling hops, hence the common name. The nutlets are eaten by songbirds, wild turkeys, quail and small mammals. The catkins (the flowering spikes that droop down from the stems) bloom in late winter and serve as a food source for grouse. It's also a host for Red-Spotted Purple and Eastern Tiger Swallowtail. Deer find the leaves unpalatable and rarely browse the tree. Eastern Hophornbeam is a relatively slow grower and reaches 35' tall with a broad top extending up to 50' wide. The wood is extremely hard and isn't used for lumber due to the small size of the tree, so it's often harvested to make posts, golf club handles, and mallets. When Eastern Hophornbeam is a young sapling it initially grows fast, which makes it a great tree to plant in an area needing vegetative cover on disturbed land. It is a very tough, dense tree - the branches resist wind, snow, and ice damage. Prefers a location with part shade to full sun, zones 5-9.