A native deciduous canopy tree of eastern North American forests with the most distinctive bark of any temperate tree — long curling shaggy plates that peel away from the trunk in vertical strips. Edible nuts (one of the few hickories with sweet kernels rather than bitter). Slow-growing + long-lived (200-300+ years). Among Tallamy's keystone genera — Carya hosts hundreds of Lepidoptera species.

A small native understory tree of eastern North American forests producing the largest native fruit on the continent — a banana-custard-flavored tropical-tasting drupe in late summer. The canonical larval host for zebra swallowtail (Protographium marcellus, an Annonaceae specialist) per NC State; without pawpaw colonies the butterfly cannot reproduce. Self-incompatible — two genetically distinct trees are required for fruit set. Fly-and-beetle-pollinated via fetid maroon spring flowers.

A small native tree with white spring flowers, edible summer berries, and copper to red fall color.

A deciduous edible shrub for acidic soils, spring flowers, summer berries, pollinator value, and strong fall color.

A native eastern + central North American thicket-forming shrub producing arching thorny canes + clusters of large sweet black berries in mid-to-late summer. Among the most important wildlife fruit producers in eastern forests — birds, mammals, + insects all depend on the fruit. Like raspberry, biennial-caned (primocane year 1, fruits in year 2 as floricane, then dies back). Spreads via root suckers + tip-rooting cane tips; manage with annual pruning.

A clumping perennial onion-relative forming dense grass-like tufts of hollow tubular leaves + globular lavender-pink flowerheads in late spring. Edible leaves + flowers; among the easiest perennial vegetables for beginners. Globular flowerheads are major early-season nectar sources for honey bees + native bees.

A biennial Mediterranean herb in the carrot family (Apiaceae) grown as an annual for its leaves. The garden 'parsley worm' — caterpillar of the black swallowtail butterfly (Papilio polyxenes) — feeds exclusively on Apiaceae foliage; planting parsley is among the simplest ways to host a multi-year swallowtail population. Flat-leaf (Italian) selections have stronger flavor than curly selections.

A low-growing native eastern North American perennial groundcover producing small intensely-flavored red berries in early summer + white five-petaled flowers in spring. The genetic parent (with F. chiloensis) of the modern cultivated strawberry (F. ×ananassa). Berries smaller than cultivated but exceptional flavor. Spreads via runners (stolons); makes excellent edible groundcover under fruit trees.