Welcome to the Maine Audubon Native Plant Finder
Find the best Maine native plants for your area, whether it’s a large planting, backyard garden, or one container!
By growing more native plants in our gardens, yards, and neighborhoods, we can restore the ecology and other values that make Maine landscapes so special for birds and other wildlife. Native perennials, shrubs, and trees have served as the foundation for habitat that has attracted and will support more wildlife for thousands of years.
This online tool is designed to help you find the Maine native plants best suited for specific sites, that provide the greatest ecological function and benefit, and will complement your landscape design. Wherever you are in Maine, the smallest planting and maintenance choices you make can have a profound impact on your local food web.
Many of these plants are available for purchase seasonally at Maine Audubon. Plant sales will begin June 16, 2022. Order online for pick-up in Falmouth (Greater Portland) and Holden (Greater Bangor). Check here for updates on plant sales and availability.
This project is about restoring and rebuilding Maine’s natural biodiversity by planting the native wildflowers, shrubs, and trees that support the widest array of wildlife. It culminates each spring with our annual Native Plants Sale & Festival at Gilsland Farm, featuring thousands of native plants we sourced ourselves and which are perfect for your yards and gardens.
The concept for “Bringing Nature Home” comes from the book of that title by Dr. Doug Tallamy, an entomologist at the University of Delaware. Dr. Tallamy studies the number of insects attracted by various plants and trees, particularly those common in urban and suburban landscapes. He then connects that research to the birds and other wildlife that depend on the abundance and diversity of those insects to feed their young.
The Maine Audubon Native Plant Finder is part of Maine Audubon’s “Bringing Nature Home” project, made possible by the generous support of Jim & Ann Hancock.
