Beat overwhelm with these native plant pairings

Some native plants just go together – like peas and carrots. Here are some classic plant pairings… and the reasons why.

Dry meadow

Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Grey Goldenrod (Solidago nemoralis)

Late-summer and fall bronze clumps of little bluestem provide the perfect backdrop for grey goldenrod’s one-sided yellow sprays. The grass’s fine texture contrasts with bold golden plumes, which weave through the grass blades. This pairing extends interest from August through to Thanksgiving.

Narrow-leaf Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium) and Side-oats Grama (Bouteloua curtipendula)

Mountain mint spreads through underground stems in the top foot of soil, creating a dense aromatic patch. Side-oats grama forms tight clumps with deep roots reaching 3-4 feet down, so they don’t compete. The grass provides stable vertical structure while the mint weaves horizontally between clumps, creating natural-looking layers. Both offer strong, contrasting textures, thanks to the grass’s unusual seeds and the mountain mint’s seed heads.

Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum) and Hairy Beardtongue (Penstemon hirsutus)

Both thrive in the same harsh, dry prairie conditions with well-drained soil and full sun. Prairie smoke blooms in May with pink flowers, while hairy beardtongue follows in June-July with lavender blooms, creating continuous colour.

Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea) and Rough Blazingstar (Liatris aspera)

Both do well in the same dry, poor soils but occupy different niches: rough blazingstar grows from a deep corm as stable vertical spikes, while pearly everlasting spreads through shallow rhizomes as flowing silvery patches. Their purple-and-white blooms overlap in late summer, creating classic prairie colour with minimal root competition.

Woodland glade

Canada Violet (Viola canadensis) and Early Meadowrue (Thalictrum dioicum)

The meadow rue’s delicate, cilantro-like leaves look great above the violet’s bold heart-shaped foliage. Plus, the meadow rue blooms early in May, then the violet keeps flowering through early summer.

Bottlebrush Grass (Elymus hystrix) and Plantainleaf Sedge (Carex plantaginea)

The sedge’s bold, pleated evergreen leaves create year-round groundcover below the grass’s fine, arching stems, flowers and seeds. Their roots occupy different soil depths, so they don’t compete. Together, they provide layered texture and three-season interest.

Graceful Sedge (Carex gracillima) and Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides)

The fern’s deep clumping roots and bold evergreen fronds contrast with the sedge’s shallow spreading roots and fine arching texture. The fern provides almost permanent structure, which pairs with the sedge’s groundcover perfectly.

Blue Wood Aster (Symphyotrichum cordifolium) and Zig-zag Goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis)

The aster and goldenrod are natural woodland edge partners that bloom closely together—goldenrod’s yellow flowers then aster’s blue-lavender. Both spread through rhizomes at similar rates and tolerate the same light and soil conditions, so they intermingle naturally without one dominating the other.

Moist shoreline

Fox Sedge (Carex vulpinoidea) and Common Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)

Both thrive in identical wet conditions—saturated, anaerobic soils and flooding. Their root systems complement each other: sedge spreads horizontally through shallow rhizomes while boneset forms deeper, upright clumps. Foliage contrast is striking: sedge’s narrow, arching leaves against boneset’s bold leaves joined around the stem.

Harlequin Blueflag (Iris versicolor) and Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)

These wetland plants bloom at different times—iris in late spring, cardinal flower in late summer. Their roots work at similar depths but grow differently (spreading rhizomes vs. stationary crowns), preventing direct competition. Both need consistently wet soil and attract different pollinators: iris draws insects while cardinal flower is a hummingbird magnet.

Turtlehead (Chelone glabra) and Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)

Swamp milkweed blooms mid-summer while turtlehead blooms late-summer to fall, extending the flowering season. Swamp milkweed grows taller (3-5 feet) creating a backdrop for turtlehead’s 2-3 foot height. Both need wet soil and attract different pollinators—swamp milkweed supports monarchs, turtlehead attracts bumblebees. Their root systems don’t compete since swamp milkweed roots deeper.

Bebb’s Sedge (Carex bebbii) and Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata)

Bebb’s sedge’s fine-textured, low-growing foliage creates a stable groundcover matrix, while blue vervain’s tall purple flower spikes rise through it as vertical accents. They share identical wet-soil requirements but occupy different vertical layers, so they don’t compete. The sedge provides early-season structure while vervain delivers late-summer pollinator support, extending seasonal interest.