What makes native plants so great? According to some experts, it’s because these plants are practically perfect: They are built to thrive in the conditions of a specific region without complaint and are an essential component in wildlife preservation. Yet the topic of native plants can spark a debate unlike any other in the gardening world. Some gardeners claim that natives are easier to grow and require less water than non­natives. Other gardeners dispute these broad claims and assert that not all natives are created equal—some may actually require more TLC than their imported counterparts.

Regardless of this ongoing discussion, there is no escaping the fact that land across the country is being over­developed. Why would this matter to the average gardener? For starters, we need to do our best to make way for nature in our landscapes if we want to do our part in preserving biodiver­sity. The overload of information, however, has left many of us wondering what native plants are worth buying. With this question in mind, Fine Gardening reached out to several native-plant experts from across the country to ask them. The following are their top picks for nearly every region—native plants that are built tough and have a wide variety of aesthetic and environmental benefits.

Northeast

Summersweet offers delicious-smelling flowers and good fall color

Summersweet is a wonderful shrub that offers 3- to 5-inch-long, spiky white flowers that possess a strong spicy fragrance in late summer. The dark green foliage turns pale to golden yellow in fall, and old seed heads will persist through winter, giving this plant some off-season appeal. Summersweet is an adaptable species, growing in moist, shady woodland conditions as well as hot, dry, sunny exposures in sandy soils. This shrub generally works well in mixed borders and is a great companion for most herbaceous plants. It will also attract a wide variety of pollinators to the garden. If you simply don’t have the space for the straight species, try ‘Compacta’, which features a dense habit that’s only 5 to 6 feet tall and wide but has the same magnificently fragrant flowers as well as unusually dark green foliage.

Name: Clethra alnifolia and cvs.

Butterfly weed thrives under less-than-ideal conditions

Name: Jeffersonia diphylla

Zones: 5 to 7

Size: 12 to 18 inches tall and 1 foot wide

Conditions: Dappled to full shade; moist, rich, slightly acidic to slightly neutral, well-drained soil

Check out more picks here: Midwest Native Plants

The expert: Jim Ault is a plant breeder and the director of ornamental plant research at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe, Illinois.

Despite what its two common names—wafer ash and hop tree—might lead you to believe, this plant is neither an ash nor a hop but rather a member of the citrus family. Hop tree, however, is a mainstay for the orange dog, the citrus-orchard pest name for the ravenous caterpillar of the otherwise beloved giant swallowtail butterfly. Feeding the anticipation and delight of humans and small pollinators alike, scrumptious vanilla-clove aroma perfumes the air come spring, when this understory tree unfolds its clusters of tiny, yellowish green flowers. Its true elegance lies in the ascending, interwoven, light gray branches, which look their best under the skilled hands of a master pruner. At its mature height, hop tree won’t interfere with power lines. And its bitter papery fruit, called a samara, has been used as a substitute for hops in brewing beer. What more could you ask of just one plant?

Name: Ptelea trifoliata

Zones: 5 to 9

Size: 15 feet tall and 10 feet wide

Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; moist to dry, well-drained soil

Check out more picks here: Southern Plains Native Plants

The expert: Andrea DeLong-Amaya is director of horticulture at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas.

Myth: The label at the nursery says a plant is “native,” so therefore it is.

Reality: Because the popularity of natives has increased twofold in the last decade, plant breeders and marketers have, of course, hopped on the bandwagon. You can’t always trust the label. Just as “natural” foods might be natural but aren’t necessarily organic, you can’t trust a plant that is labeled a “native beauty” to be necessarily a true native.

Bigtooth maple provides blazing autumn color

With a wide but scattered range—from Idaho to northern Mexico—bigtooth maple reaches its zenith in the Wasatch Range of Utah. It may go unnoticed much of the year, mingling quietly with box elder, oak, and aspen in shady ravines or open meadows, but in fall, it cannot be overlooked. This is the Interior West’s answer to the blazing sugar maple (A. saccharum and cvs., Zones 4–8) of the Northeast, illuminating the canyons in every shade of yellow, rose, orange, and red. Its moderate size makes it ideal for smaller properties, and its drought tolerance makes it suitable even in xeric gardens. In open conditions, expect a dense oval form. Partial shade will create an open, irregularly shaped tree with softer autumn shades. This is one of the West’s most underused gems.

Name: Acer grandidentatum (syn. A. saccharum subsp. grandidentatum)

Zones: 4 to 8

Size: 20 to 40 feet tall and 15 to 30 feet wide

Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; well-drained soil, drought tolerant when established

Check out more picks here: Mountain West Native Plants

‘Howard McMinn’ manzanita is stunning—from its blooms to its bark

With its chocolate-red bark, architectural branching pattern, and winter display of flower clusters, this plant exemplifies the beauty of California’s chaparral. It remains a mystery to me why this shrub isn’t more popular. ‘Howard McMinn’ manzanita puts to rest all myths regarding the finicky nature of this genus. It adapts well to many soil types and microclimates and to pruning; it even tolerates occasional summer irrigation under the proper conditions. This manzanita also boasts wildlife value as a nectar source for the monarch butterfly. It is known for attracting hummingbirds, too, which is sure to make it a focal point for any Southern California garden.

Name: Arctostaphylos densiflora ‘Howard McMinn’

Zones: 7 to 9

Size: 6 to 10 feet tall and wide

Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; well-drained soil

Check out more picks here: Southern California Native Plants

Evergreen huckleberry has edible berries for you and the birds to adore

Evergreen huckleberry should be high on the list as a champion in the native gardener’s landscape. Rows of small, intricate, urn-shaped, cream to pale pink flowers bloom in late spring, eventually giving rise to shiny, black to dark purple berries that burst from beneath the stems in fall. The berries have been, historically, an important food source for indigenous peoples of the Northwest; today, wildlife and people alike seek out the berries to eat. Hummingbirds, butterflies, and bumblebees visit the flowers, while the berries are foraged by numerous species of native birds. Evergreen huckle­berry will not reach its full height if grown in a sunny location, although direct sun may cause the plant to produce more berries and the leaves to take on a crimson hue. This shrub thrives in acidic, well-drained soil and, once established, requires little to no maintenance.

Name: Vaccinium ovatum

Zones: 7 to 9

Size: 2 to 10 feet tall and wide

Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; moist to slightly dry, acidic, well-drained soil