Foxglove Beardtongue
Penstemon digitalis
Punches its roots through dense clay where garden-center perennials sulk, at 2–4 ft tall — it flowers in May and Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
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- Massachusetts
- Clay soil
Massachusetts · Zones 5–7
Native Plants for Clay Soil in Massachusetts
Native plants that root happily into heavy clay — the dense, slow-draining soil that defeats so many garden-center perennials. For Massachusetts, the right natives are shaped by Northeastern Coastal Forest & Cape and a cool, humid continental climate. Every species below, from Foxglove Beardtongue and Purple Coneflower to the rest of the list, is genuinely native to Massachusetts and the wider flora of the Northeast and hardy through zones 5–7. Heavy clay is actually fertile and moisture-holding; the trick is choosing plants whose deep, muscular roots can punch through it and even improve it over time. Avoid working clay when it is wet, plant a little high to keep crowns from sitting in water, and mulch to keep the surface from baking into a crust. These natives do the soil-building for you.
The plants
39 native species for Massachusetts
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 5–7 · see this collection in other states.
Purple Coneflower
Echinacea purpurea
A clay-buster — thrives in the slow-draining ground, 2–4 ft tall, and it blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Smooth Hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens
A clay-buster — thrives in the slow-draining ground, 3–5 ft tall — it blooms Jun through Aug.
- Part shade
- Average
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
New England Aster
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
A clay-buster — thrives in the slow-draining ground, 3–5 ft tall — it flowers in Sep and Oct.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Dense Blazing Star
Liatris spicata
A clay-buster — thrives in the slow-draining ground, 2–4 ft tall, and it flowers in Jul and Aug.
- Full sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Great Blue Lobelia
Lobelia siphilitica
At home in the dense clay that defeats most perennials, 2–3 ft tall, and it flowers in Aug and Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis
A clay-buster — thrives in the slow-draining ground, 2–4 ft tall, and it blooms Jul through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Golden Alexanders
Zizia aurea
A clay-buster — thrives in the slow-draining ground, 1.5–2.5 ft tall, and it blooms Apr through Jun.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Apr–Jun
Short-Toothed Mountain Mint
Pycnanthemum muticum
Punches its roots through dense clay where garden-center perennials sulk, at 2–3 ft tall, flowering as it blooms Jul through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Spotted Joe-Pye Weed
Eutrochium maculatum
Punches its roots through dense clay where garden-center perennials sulk, at 4–7 ft tall — it blooms Jul through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 4–7 ft
- Blooms Jul–Sep
Common Yarrow
Achillea millefolium
At home in the dense clay that defeats most perennials, 1.5–3 ft tall, and it blooms May through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms May–Aug
Culver's Root
Veronicastrum virginicum
Punches its roots through dense clay where garden-center perennials sulk, at 3–5 ft tall, flowering as it blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Black-Eyed Susan
Rudbeckia hirta
Roots straight into heavy clay and even improves it, standing 1.5–3 ft tall, flowering as it blooms Jun through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 1.5–3 ft
- Blooms Jun–Sep
Arrowwood Viburnum
Viburnum dentatum
Punches its roots through dense clay where garden-center perennials sulk, at 6–10 ft tall, flowering as it flowers in May and Jun.
- Sun to shade
- Average–wet
- 6–10 ft
- Blooms May–Jun
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
At home in the dense clay that defeats most perennials, 5–10 ft tall, and it blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Eastern Redbud
Cercis canadensis
Roots straight into heavy clay and even improves it, standing 20–30 ft tall, flowering as it flowers in Mar and Apr.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 20–30 ft
- Blooms Mar–Apr
Wild Bergamot
Monarda fistulosa
Punches its roots through dense clay where garden-center perennials sulk, at 2–4 ft tall — it blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Trumpet Honeysuckle
Lonicera sempervirens
Punches its roots through dense clay where garden-center perennials sulk, at 8–15 ft tall; it blooms Apr through Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Dry–average
- 8–15 ft
- Blooms Apr–Sep
Serviceberry
Amelanchier canadensis
Punches its roots through dense clay where garden-center perennials sulk, at 15–25 ft tall; it flowers in Apr and May.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 15–25 ft
- Blooms Apr–May
Obedient Plant
Physostegia virginiana
Punches its roots through dense clay where garden-center perennials sulk, at 2–4 ft tall; it flowers in Aug and Sep.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2–4 ft
- Blooms Aug–Sep
Butterfly Weed
Asclepias tuberosa
At home in the dense clay that defeats most perennials, 1.5–2.5 ft tall, and it blooms Jun through Aug.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Winterberry
Ilex verticillata
At home in the dense clay that defeats most perennials, 5–10 ft tall, and it flowers in Jun and Jul.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 5–10 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Swamp Milkweed
Asclepias incarnata
Punches its roots through dense clay where garden-center perennials sulk, at 3–4 ft tall — it flowers in Jul and Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 3–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
Scarlet Beebalm
Monarda didyma
A clay-buster — thrives in the slow-draining ground, 2.5–4 ft tall, and it flowers in Jul and Aug.
- Full–part sun
- Average–wet
- 2.5–4 ft
- Blooms Jul–Aug
15 more also qualify: Common Boneset, Ninebark, Blue Vervain, Virginia Creeper, Red-Twig Dogwood, Common Milkweed, Spicebush, Fragrant Sumac, Inkberry Holly, American Elderberry, Little Bluestem, Big Bluestem, Switchgrass, Cinnamon Fern, Indian Grass.
Sourcing
Where to find these in Massachusetts
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.