Native Plant Priority List

Native plants are the building blocks of a thriving ecosystem. They support local wildlife like birds, pollinators, bats, and other native insects; provide multiple environmental benefits like clean air and water; and contribute to a healthy, biodiverse environment. To be resilient to the impacts of climate change, New York’s ecosystems need to rely on native plants. However, with a market brimming with non-native ornamentals, in can be challenging to find native plants.

Increasing the Supply of Resilient Native Plants

New York has a goal to plant 25 million trees by 2033. To meet this goal, the State will need an increased supply of trees. To help reforest New York, the young trees planted today need to be ecologically suited to their environment and resilient to the changing climate. As a result, the New York State Legislature passed Senate Bill 794 in 2025, launching the New York Native Plant Seed Supply, Development and Enhancement Program to increase the amount and diversity of native plants in the supply chain.

Planting and Planning for Climate Change

Woody and herbaceous plants (grasses, flowers, etc.) native to New York and near-native plants were considered for the New York Native Plant Priority List (the List). Near-native plants are considered non-invasive plants native to the Northeastern United States that are anticipated to shift or expand their range into New York State in response to climate change.

Over time, plants may adapt to changes in climate, resulting in their geographic ranges growing or shrinking. 

• Some plants are expected to expand or move their range due to changing climate conditions.
• Some native plants will be less resilient under changing climate conditions, resulting in a smaller range where they grow.
• Other plant species will be more adaptable and resilient to changing climate conditions, allowing them to expand into larger or different ranges.
• Resilience and adaptability of these plants have been chosen based on field observation and currently available data.

It is difficult to anticipate all future climate change impacts and how complex biological systems will adapt, but experts and analysts from across New York State thoughtfully considered what factors might play into a species’ ability to adapt to New York State’s environment. Factors considered are listed below.

• Adaptability: Species that are heat tolerant, drought tolerant, and other factors that make them more adaptable to climate change were included on the List.
• Carbon banking potential: Trees and shrub species have a higher capacity to absorb carbon from the atmosphere and store it long-term in plant tissues (which helps mitigate the effects of climate change) were included on the List.
• Pollinator and Wildlife: Species that enhance habitat and benefit the animals and insects in ecosystems were included on the List.
• Production Feasibility: Species were included if their seeds were easy to collect, germinated readily, or had a high probability of surviving to seedling stage.
• Commercial demand: Species that are commonly sold or used for reforestation and restoration projects.
• Vulnerabilities: Species that are significantly at risk to pests and diseases, climate change, or that have issues with seed collection were not included on the List.

How to Use the New York Native Plant Priority List

• The List is intended to be used by nurseries to increase the number of available native and near native plants, improve propagation, and advance the ability to sustainably collect, store, and commercially produce seeds and plants.
• The List may also be useful to the public, not-for-profit organizations, municipalities, natural resource professionals, and private entities working on planting projects that incorporate climate adaptability.
• The List can be used for planting projects including roadside and landscape management as well as habitat restoration and improvement.  

Updates to the List

This list will continue to be updated with input from academic institutions, plant industry representatives, and others including the Invasive Species Council and the Invasive Species Advisory Committee. Senate Bill 794 calls on the Program Agencies to review and update the list every three years. Over time, research and observation of how these plants perform in the nursery production setting, as well as in their final planting location, will help update the species included on the List.

Collaborating Partner Agencies

The New York Native Plant Priority list was developed in partnership with the following Partner Agencies:

• DEC’s Division of Lands and Forests and Division of Fish and Wildlife;
• The New York State Seed Testing Laboratory;
• The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets (AGM) Division of Land and Water Resources, and Division of Plant Industry; and
• The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation’s (OPRHP) Division of Environmental Stewardship and Planning.

Additional Resources

For natural resource professionals and ecologists:

Developed by the New York Natural Heritage Program and DEC, the Species Selection Tool provides a list of recommended native tree, shrub, and herbaceous plant species to improve habitats, increase biodiversity, and benefit wildlife across New York State.