Native plants don't grow in isolation — they belong to communities shaped by light, moisture, and soil. These habitat profiles group the guide's plants by the places they come from, so a planting can be read, and built, as a whole rather than one species at a time.
Woods & Edge
From the open, fire-shaped savanna through the layered edge to the deep shade beneath a closed canopy — a gradient of light through the woods.
Transition Zone
Woodland Edge
The graded, layered band where forest meets open ground — the busiest, most plantable ground in many landscapes.
LiveOpen Woodland
Oak Savanna
Scattered, open-grown oaks over sunny grassland, historically kept open by fire — almost all edge.
<Closed Canopy
Woodland Understory
Beneath the closed canopy — spring ephemerals, ferns, and shade groundcovers in cool, moist, part-to-full shade.
Sun & Prairie
Full-sun communities, from lean dry prairie to a maintained garden border.
Open Meadow
Sunny Meadow
Prairie grasses and sun-loving wildflowers in full light, peaking through summer and fall.
Lean Prairie
Dry Prairie
Lean, sandy or gravelly ground for drought-tolerant, deep-rooted prairie plants.
Maintained
Sunny Border
A traditional garden border in full sun — natives arranged for a tended, ornamental setting.
Water & Wet Ground
Communities of stormwater, stream banks, and pond margins, from a designed rain garden to a periodically flooded floodplain.
Stormwater
Rain Garden
A designed depression that catches and soaks in runoff — medium to wet, planted for both extremes.
Wet Ground
Wet Edge
Naturally wet areas — stream banks and pond margins — for plants that like their feet damp.
Water's Edge
Pond Edge
The immediate edge of a pond or water feature, where moisture-loving plants meet open water.
Riparian
Stream Edge
Stream banks and riparian ground, periodically flooded and shaded by overhanging growth.
Low Ground
Floodplain
Low ground subject to periodic flooding — rich, deposited soil and flood-tolerant plants.
Built & Disturbed
The toughest sites — compacted, hot, and exposed — where only the most resilient natives hold on.
Urban
Street Tree
Urban and street plantings — compacted soil, reflected heat, and salt, for the toughest of natives.