Once you have a list of the general types of plants you are seeking, the next step is to screen your initial list to ensure the species are native to specific geographic region. The more granular you can be, the better. Native to your neighborhood is preferable to native to your county, which is preferable to native to your ecoregion, which is preferable to native to your state, and so on. Visit our main Native Plants page for an explanation of the importance of eco-regions and a list of resources for finding plants native to Anne Arundel County and the Coastal Plains eco-region.
A word of warning!
DO NOT RELY ON NURSERIES to offer only geographically appropriate native plants. While Maryland is in the process of creating a list of Maryland Native plants and certifying the nurseries that carry them via the Maryland’s Best Native Plants program, it is up to you to determine if the plant is native to your specific ecoregion in Maryland (coastal plains vs. Piedmont etc). A short drive can land you in a different type of landscape altogether, as is illustrated by the wetland pictures above. We recommend taking a local hike in a preserve or other undeveloped area to observe what native landscapes look like in your specific geographic area, and then using these observations to help identify which native plants are likely to thrive in your specific locale.