The Greenbelt Native Plant Center (GNPC), a facility of the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, is a 13–acre greenhouse, nursery, and seed bank complex located on Staten Island, NY.

Drought-Tolerant Species

The following species are able to tolerate prolonged periods of dryness. Some of their native habitats may occur in wetland areas but their tolerant nature will enable them to withstand a drought period.

Download the Drought–Tolerant Species List (PDF, 50 KB)

Trees

  • Acer negundo– Boxelder
  • Acer rubrum– Red maple
  • Acer saccharinum– Silver maple
  • Acer saccharum– Sugar maple
  • Betula populifolia– Gray birch
  • Carya glabra– Pignut
  • Carya ovata– Shagbark hickory
  • Carya tomentosa– Mockernut
  • Celtis occidentalis– Hackberry
  • Diospyros virginiana– Persimmon
  • Fraxinus pennsylvanica– American ssh
  • Juniperus virginiana– Eastern Red cedar
  • Liquidambar styraciflua– Sweetgum
  • Nyssa slyvatica– Black tupelo
  • Ostrya virginiana– Hop hornbeam
  • Pinus echinata– Shortleaf pine
  • Pinus rigida– Pitch pine
  • Pinus virginiana– Virginia pine
  • Platanus occidentalis– American sycamore
  • Populus deltoides– Eastern cottonwood
  • Populus grandidentata– Big Toothed aspen
  • Populus tremuloides– Quaking aspen
  • Prunus serotina– Black cherry
  • Quercus bicolor– Swamp white oak
  • Quercus coccinea– Scarlet oak
  • Quercus palustris– Pin oak
  • Quercus prinus– Chestnut oak
  • Quercus rubra– Red oak
  • Quercus stellata– Post oak
  • Quercus velutina– Black oak
  • Sassafras albidum– Sassafras

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Shrubs

  • Alnus serrulata– Smooth alder
  • Amelanchier arborea– Common serviceberry
  • Arctostaphylos uva–ursi– Bearberry
  • Aronia arbutifolia– Red chokeberry
  • Comptonia peregrina– Sweetfern
  • Cornus racemosa– Gray dogwood
  • Corylus americana– Hazelnut
  • Gaultheria procumbens– Eastern teaberry
  • Gaylussacia baccata– Black huckleberry
  • Ilex glabra– Inkberry
  • Kalmia angustifolia– Dwarf laurel
  • Kalmia latifolia– Mountain laurel
  • Lyonia mariana– Staggerbush
  • Myrica pensylvanica– Bayberry
  • Prunus maritima– Beachplum
  • Quercus ilicifolia– Scrub oak
  • Quercus prinoides– Dwarf chestnut oak
  • Rhus aromatica– Fragrant sumac
  • Rhus copallinum– Winged sumac
  • Rhus glabra– Smooth sumac
  • Rhus typhina– Staghorn sumac
  • Rosa carolina– Pasture rose
  • Rosa virginiana– Low Pasture rose
  • Rubus allegheniensis– Allegheny blackberry
  • Rubus occidentalis– Black raspberry
  • Sambucus canadensis– Black elderberry
  • Spiraea alba var. latifolia– White meadowsweet
  • Spiraea tomentosa– Steeplebush
  • Vaccinium angustifolium– Lowbush blueberry
  • Vaccinium pallidum– Blue Ridge blueberry
  • Viburnum dentatum– Southern arrowwood
  • Viburnum lentago– Nannyberry

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Vines

  • Clematis virginiana– Virgin's bower
  • Lonicera sempervirens– Trumpet honeysuckle
  • Parthenocissus quinquefolia– Virginia creeper

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Herbs

  • Asclepias incarnata– Swamp milkweed
  • Asclepias tuberosa– Butterfly weed
  • Aster linariifolius– Stiff aster
  • Baptisia tinctoria– Wild indigo
  • Chrysopsis falcata– Atlantic golden aster
  • Chrysopsis mariana– Shaggy golden aster
  • Eupatorium purpureum– Sweet–scented joe–pye–weed
  • Eupatorium rugosum– White snakeroot
  • Euthamia graminifolia– Flat–top goldenrod
  • Euthamia tenuifolia– Buttonhead goldenrod
  • Helianthus divaricatus– Woodland sunflower
  • Lobelia siphilitica– Indian tobacco
  • Monarda fistulosa– Wild bergamot
  • Oenothera biennis– Common evening primrose
  • Solidago canadensis– Canada goldenrod
  • Solidago nemoralis– Gray goldenrod
  • Solidago odora– Anise–scented goldenrod
  • Solidago rugosa– Tall hairy goldenrod
  • Solidago sempervirens– Seaside goldenrod
  • Solidago speciosa– Showy goldenrod
  • Symphyotrichum ericoides– White wreath aster

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Graminoids

  • Andropogon virginicus– Broom sedge
  • Carex pensylvanica– Pennsylvania sedge
  • Deschampsia fleuxosa– Common hairgrass
  • Elymus canadensis– Canada wildrye
  • Elymus hystrix – Bottlebrush
  • Eragrostis spectabilis– Purple lovegrass
  • Panicum virgatum– Switchgrass
  • Schizachryrium scoparium– Little bluestem
  • Sorghastrum nutans– Indian grass
  • Spartina pectinata– Prairie cordgrass
  • Tridens flavus– Tall redtop

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Ferns

  • Dennstaedtia punctilobula– Hay–scented fern
  • Polystichum acrostichoides– Christmas fern
  • Pteridium aquilinum– Western Brackenfern

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