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.

Green Roof Species

The "green" movement has begun filtering into our everyday activities, providing a new perspective and new challenges. New York City has embraced this movement and through major initiatives such as PlaNYC, is taking steps to become one of the leading green cities in the world. Green roofs are an important contributor to the urban green movement. Native meadow and grassland plants are particularly adaptable to this new, manmade habitat. The following species should prove to be excellent candidates for green roofs in this area of the Northeast. These natives will be able to withstand the city heat, high winds, and varying moisture levels throughout the year. A native green roof will also provide habitat for wildlife, especially insect pollinators, adding to the biodiversity value of these efforts.

Download the Green Roof Species List (PDF, 44 KB)

Dry

Graminoids

  • Carex pensylvanica– Pennsylvania sedge
  • Cyperus echinatus– Globe flatsedge
  • Danthonia compressa– Northern oatgrass
  • Danthonia spicata– Junegrass
  • Deschampsia fleuxosa– Common hairgrass
  • Eragrostis spectabilis– Purple lovegrass
  • Schizachyrium scoparium– Little bluestem
  • Sorghastrum nutans– Indian grass

Herbs

  • Baptisia tinctoria– Wild indigo
  • Chrysopsis mariana– Shaggy golden aster
  • Eupatorium hyssopifolium– Hyssopleaf thoroughwort
  • Eurybia divaricata– White wood aster
  • Euthamia tenuifolium– Coastal plain flat–topped goldenrod
  • Monarda fistulosa– Wild bergamot
  • Oenothera biennis– Common evening primrose
  • Opuntia humifusa– Eastern prickly pear
  • Pycnanthemum tenuifolium– Narrowleaf mountainmint
  • Solidago caesia– Bluestem goldenrod
  • Solidago canadensis– Common goldenrod
  • Solidago juncea– Early goldenrod
  • Solidago nemoralis– Gray goldenrod
  • Solidago rigida– Stiffleaf goldenrod
  • Symphyotrichum cordifolium– Bluewood aster
  • Symphyotrichum ericoides– White Wreath aster
  • Symphyotrichum laeve– Smooth Blue aster

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Dry to Moist

Graminoids

  • Andropogon virginicus– Broom sedge
  • Juncus tenuis– Slender yard rush
  • Panicum clandestinum– Deertongue
  • Panicum virgatum– Switchgrass
  • Tridens flavus– Tall redtop

Herbs

  • Eupatorium serotinum– Late flowering thoroughwort
  • Euthamia graminifolia– Flat top goldenrod
  • Geum canadensis– White avens
  • Penstemon digitalis– Tall white beard tongue
  • Rudbeckia hirta– Black–eyed susan
  • Uvularia sessilifolia– Bellwort
  • Verbena urticifolia– White vervain

Shrubs

  • Rubus flagellaris– Northern dewberry

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Moist to Wet

Graminoids

  • Carex lurida– Shallow sedge
  • Carex scoparia– Broom sedge
  • Carex vulpinoidea– Fox sedge
  • Juncus effusus– Smooth rush
  • Scirpus atrovirens– Bulrush
  • Scirpus cyperinus– Woolgrass
  • Scirpus pungens– Chairmaker's rush

Herbs

  • Chamaecrista fasciculata– Partridge pea
  • Chelone glabra– Turtlehead
  • Eupatorium fistulosum– Trumpetweed
  • Eupatorium maculatum– Spotted joe–pye–weed
  • Helenium autumnale– Sneezeweed
  • Lobelia cardinalis– Cardinal flower
  • Lobelia siphilitica– Indian tobacco
  • Ludwigia alternifolia– False loosestrife
  • Pycnanthemum virginianum– Mountainmint
  • Solidago rugosa– Tall hairy goldenrod
  • Symphyotrichum novae–angliae– New England aster
  • Thalictrum pubescens– Late meadowrue
  • Verbena hastate– Blue vervain

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