Native Species by State
Each state nursery in the Growing Native network requires specific native hardwood and shrub seeds. Select your state below to view the list of target species for your local nursery. Proper identification of tree species is essential before collecting seeds.
Maryland & DC
View the native species list for Maryland and the District of Columbia, including oaks, walnuts, and other hardwoods needed by the state nursery.
Pennsylvania
Browse the Pennsylvania species list to identify target hardwood and shrub seeds for collection in the Keystone State.
Virginia
Explore Virginia's native species list — the trees and shrubs most needed for restoring streamside forests across the Commonwealth.
West Virginia
Check the West Virginia species list for native hardwoods and shrubs accepted by the state nursery program.
Additional Identification Resources
For detailed information on native hardwood tree species, browse the angiosperm families on Virginia Tech's Tree Fact Sheets. This external resource provides in-depth botanical descriptions and photographs to support accurate field identification.
Once you've reviewed the species list for your state, visit our How to Collect Seeds page for guidance on gathering and handling seeds, or explore Educational Resources for lesson plans and activities that bring tree identification into the classroom.
Proper identification of native tree species is the essential first step for anyone participating in seed collection across the Potomac watershed region. Before a single seed is dropped into a collection bag, volunteers must be confident they are gathering from the right hardwood and shrub species that each state nursery depends upon. Learning to recognize key features such as leaf shape, bark texture, and overall tree form takes practice, and the Growing Native project offers educational resources to help volunteers build these skills. Taking time to study the species lists before heading out into the forest ensures that collected seeds will be viable and useful for restoration efforts.
The Growing Native network spans Maryland, the District of Columbia, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, with each state nursery specifying its own target species for collection. Oaks, walnuts, and other hardwoods figure prominently on these lists, along with the shrubs that help restore healthy streamside corridors. Volunteers who learn to identify these species confidently become more valuable to the project, whether they are collecting seeds at public stations, assembling kits, or serving as ambassadors and coordinators in their communities. The identification guides and curriculum materials provided through the project help ensure that everyone works from a shared understanding of what to look for in the field.
Beyond simply naming a tree, understanding its role in the local ecosystem helps collectors make better decisions about when and where to gather seeds. The collection season runs primarily in the autumn months, when mature seeds are ready to drop naturally from their parent trees. By learning the distinctive characteristics of each target species and respecting the health of the parent trees, volunteers help sustain the forests that the Growing Native project works to restore. Watching the project engage thousands of volunteers across hundreds of collection sites, it becomes clear that careful identification is the foundation of a healthy, thriving restoration effort.