The following are a selection of “weedy” native species broken out by potential benefit or use. The goal of these lists is to provide insight about plants that might be worth preserving rather than eradicating and how to utilize their value.

Weeds with Large or Showy Flowers

  • Achillea millefolium – Yarrow
  • Ageratina altissima – White Snakeroot
  • Asclepias syriaca – Common Milkweed
  • Calystegia sepium – Hedge Bindweed
  • Bidens sp. – Beggarticks sp.
  • Campsis radicans – Trumpet Creeper
  • Erigeron annuus complex – Annual Fleabane complex
  • Eupatorium serotinum – Late Boneset
  • Euthamia graminifolia – Grass-leaved Goldenrod
  • Nuttalanthus canadensis – Old-field Toadflax
  • Oenothera biennis complex – Common Evening-primrose Complex
  • Potentilla canadensis/simplex – Cinquefoil sp.
  • Prunella vulgaris – Self-heal
  • Robinia pseudoacacia – Black Locust
  • Solidago canadensis complex – Canada Goldenrod complex
  • Solidago rugosa – Rough Goldenrod
  • Symphyotrichum lanceolatum – Panicled Aster
  • Symphyotrichum pilosum – Old-field Aster
  • Symphyotrichum racemosum – Small White Aster
  • Triodanis purpurea – Clasping Venus’s looking-glass
  • Viola sororia complex – Common Blue Violet complex

Weeds for Lawn Diversity

  • Achillea millefolium – Yarrow
  • Aristida oligantha – Prairie Threeawn
  • Dichondra carolinensis – Carolina Ponysfoot
  • Euphorbia maculata – Spotted Spurge
  • Hydrocotyle sp. – Marshpennywort sp.
  • Juncus tenuis – Path Rush
  • Lobelia inflata – Pukeweed
  • Nuttalanthus canadensis – Old-field Toadflax
  • Oxalis sp. – Yellow Sorrels sp.
  • Phyla lanceolata/nodiflora – Frogfruit sp.
  • Plantago rugelii – American Plantain
  • Plantago virginica _ Virginia Plantain
  • Potentilla canadensis/simplex – Cinquefoil sp.
  • Prunella vulgaris – Self-heal
  • Symphyotrichum racemosum – Small White Aster
  • Triplasis purpurea – Purple Sandgrass
  • Viola sororia complex – Common Blue Violet complex

Weeds for Green Mulch

  • Achillea millefolium – Yarrow
  • Aristida oligantha – Prairie Threeawn
  • Clinopodium vulgare – Wild Basil
  • Dichondra carolinensis – Carolina Ponysfoot
  • Euphorbia maculata – Spotted Spurge
  • Geranium robertianum – Herb Robert
  • Geum canadense – White Avens
  • Hydrocotyle sp. – Marshpennywort sp.
  • Juncus tenuis – Path Rush
  • Lobelia inflata – Pukeweed
  • Nuttalanthus canadensis – Old-field Toadflax
  • Oenothera laciniata – Cut-leaved Evening Primrose
  • Oxalis sp. – Yellow Sorrels sp.
  • Phyla lanceolata/nodiflora – Frogfruit sp.
  • Pilea pumila – Clearweed
  • Plantago rugelii – American Plantain
  • Plantago virginica _ Virginia Plantain
  • Potentilla canadensis/simplex – Cinquefoil sp.
  • Triodanis purpurea – Clasping Venus’s looking-glass
  • Viola sororia complex – Common Blue Violet complex

Weeds for Understory Herb Layer

  • Acalypha rhomboidea complex – Three-seeded Mercury complex
  • Ageratina altissima – White Snakeroot
  • Apocynum sp. – Dogbane sp.
  • Clinopodium vulgare – Wild Basil
  • Dennstaedtia punctilobula – Hay-scented Fern
  • Geranium robertianum – Herb Robert
  • Geum canadense – White Avens
  • Hackelia virginiana – Virginia Stickseed
  • Juncus tenuis – Path Rush
  • Lobelia inflata – Pukeweed
  • Oxalis sp. – Yellow Sorrels sp.
  • Parthenocissus quinquefolia – Virginia Creeper
  • Persicaria virginiana – Jumpseed
  • Phryma leptostachya – Lopseed
  • Phytolacca americana – Pokeweed
  • Pilea pumila – Clearweed
  • Pteridium aquilinum – Bracken
  • Solidago canadensis complex – Canada Goldenrod complex
  • Solidago rugosa – Rough Goldenrod
  • Symphyotrichum lanceolatum – Panicled Aster
  • Symphyotrichum racemosum – Small White Aster
  • Potentilla canadensis/simplex – Cinquefoil sp.
  • Viola sororia complex – Common Blue Violet complex

Edible and Medicinal Weeds

  • Achillea millefolium – Yarrow
  • Asclepias syriaca – Common Milkweed
  • Clinopodium vulgare – Wild Basil
  • Cyperus esculentus – Yellow Nutsedge
  • Lobelia inflata – Pukeweed
  • Oenothera biennis complex – Common Evening-primrose Complex
  • Oxalis sp. – Yellow Sorrels sp.
  • Phytolacca americana – Pokeweed
  • Plantago rugelii – American Plantain
  • Plantago virginica _ Virginia Plantain
  • Pteridium aquilinum – Bracken
  • Prunella vulgaris – Self-heal
  • Robinia pseudoacacia – Black Locust
  • Urtica dioica – Stinging Nettle
  • Viola sororia complex – Common Blue Violet complex
  • Vitis sp. – Grape sp.

Weeds for Pollinators

  • Achillea millefolium – Yarrow
  • Ageratina altissima – White Snakeroot
  • Agrimonia sp. – Agrimony sp.
  • Asclepias syriaca – Common Milkweed
  • Bidens sp. – Beggarticks sp.
  • Campsis radicans – Trumpet Creeper
  • Clinopodium vulgare – Wild Basil
  • Erigeron annuus complex – Annual Fleabane complex
  • Eupatorium serotinum – Late Boneset
  • Euthamia graminifolia – Grass-leaved Goldenrod
  • Geum canadense – White Avens
  • Nuttalanthus canadensis – Old-field Toadflax
  • Oenothera biennis complex – Common Evening-primrose Complex
  • Oenothera laciniata – Cut-leaved Evening Primrose
  • Parietaria pensylvanica – Pennsylvania Pellitory
  • Parthenocissus quinquefolia – Virginia Creeper
  • Phyla lanceolata/nodiflora – Frogfruit sp.
  • Potentilla canadensis/simplex – Cinquefoil sp.
  • Prunella vulgaris – Self-heal
  • Robinia pseudoacacia – Black Locust
  • Solidago canadensis complex – Canada Goldenrod complex
  • Solidago rugosa – Rough Goldenrod
  • Symphyotrichum lanceolatum – Panicled Aster
  • Symphyotrichum pilosum – Old-field Aster
  • Symphyotrichum racemosum – Small White Aster
  • Viola sororia complex – Common Blue Violet complex