native substitutes

I would like to know which native plants can be used as substitutes for more commonly used non-natives. I had been unsuccessful until recently growing wood phlox (P. divaricata) but now that my slug problem has been reduced I think this phlox and creeping phlox (P. stolonifera) would be a good substitute for all the forget-me-nots in my garden. What plants have you used ?
Pixie

I've substituted Fothergilla for Burning Bush. The Fothergilla has superior fall color and is about the same size and shape. The spring blooms are far more beautiful on the Fothergilla.

Substitutes for Norway Maples and all of their cultivars such as the very popular 'Crimson King' are relatively easy because many nurseries are now producing cultivars of the North American natives. The natives have more brilliant fall color than the Norway Maples so that's a no brainer.

Calleryana Pears (Bradford, Cleveland Select, Redspire) were relatively easy to substitute with just about anything appropriate that blooms white that will be around for the long haul. I just planted a Franklinia where one last Bradford is standing that will come down. Barring the invasiveness of the Callery Pears, they are structurally inferior and I didn't want them anywhere near my house or on my property. They grow far too fast to be a long lasting addition to any landscape and I truly didn't want to have to be replacing trees when they reached the end of their lifespan at 15-20 years anyway.

White Mulberry I replaced with Whitebud and Red Mulberry. Red Mulberry does not have the white spring blooms but the form is very similar and the leaves are virtually indistinguishable from the White Mulberry. The Red Mulberry fruits as prolifically as the White Mulberry and the added bonus is that I am planting a species that is now threatened and endangered in many areas. The Whitebud has a beautiful spring display of blossoms.

Russian and Autumn Olives were a problem child for me to replace. I had wanted those for their silvery foliage. I ultimately went with Kentucky Coffeetree and American Yellowwood for their superior spring displays of blossoms. In their own right, those two trees were far more beautiful in my opinion but they weren't as popular and were hard to track down to purchase.

The English Ivy that I had planted here...never did find an actual substitute for that but the native Pachysandra might work for some people. I've gone with an assortment of plants to fill in where all of that was removed. Same deal with the Vinca I had planted here. It actually is starting to look better where I removed the English Ivy and Vinca and there is considerably more visual interest to the area in the area from which I removed them.

Chinese Wisteria was replaced with Kentucky Wisteria which is more graceful and elegant and it actually blooms in my area which is an added bonus.

Woodland Phlox and Wild Geranium were my substitutions for Dame’s Rocket.

Echinacea ‘White Swan’ was my substitution for Ox-Eye and Shasta Daisy.

Purple Loosestrife is being replaced with Lobelia.

Ribbon, Pampass, and all the other really nasty grasses are all too easy to find substitutions for and this is one area in which the native substitutions are not only exceedlingly more attractive but additionally far more beneficial to wildlife.

Chicago Ditch Lilies and those Stella D'oros were easily replaced with more well behaved day lilies.

When I start walking around and looking at what all I removed, I'll try to take note of what I put back in the ground.

Lily of the Valley is one I'm looking for a substitute for right now. I've got hundreds of them that need to go. They are contained by a 4' sidewalk but they need to go to plant heaven. I'd be interested in substitutions for that myself.

Your question can be a toughie. One reason is that many of the exotic invasive plants that are injurious to the environment and public health are so intoxicatingly beautiful that often times there is no "lookalike" substitution. It's just not out there to be had. The other deal is how many of these purchases are compliments of aggressive marketing campaigns that we fall for? I look around and see waves of Bradford Pears at Home Depot, entire lengths of tables offering Japanese and European Barberry at Lowes, Menards has Privet, WalMart's got all of the same garbage out the ying yang, ShopKo is selling Russian Olives, and they all are offering Burning Bushes by the boatloads and it almost seems as if these places go out of their way to offer nothing but the most hideously invasive. Toss the English Ivy and Vinca in to the mix and it's hard to shop at those stores any longer. Almost backs you into a corner to mail order or travel long distances to get to nurseries that do order plants other than that which the big box stores sell.

Equilibrium,
Thanks for the extensive list of your substitutions. I find it really helpful and would love to hear what others use also.

I see on your list you use wood and creeping phlox instead of dames rocket, maybe also some of the taller phlox ( paniculata & maculata) would work. This week is the local garden club plant sale and I can use this information to offer sugestions when I help out.
What about merrrybells (Uvualaria grandiflora) (native range Maine and southern Quebec to Minnesota and N. Dakota) or crested iris ( Iris cristata) (native range Maryland to Oklahoma and Georgia) instead of lily of the valley?
Pixie

I dunno what to put where the Lily of the Valley is yet. It hasn't struck me just yet what to use. I hope I will know it when I see it. I've been considering Campanula... why I don't know but that seems pretty tough.

Equilibrium, zonewise you've given me a wonderful selection to pick from. I've wondered about the hardiness of some listed, but if you've tried it, it helps all of us in zone 5.

You will rue the day you plant campanula. Yes, it's native. it's also very aggressive. You'd be better off with the Iris Cristata and Uvularia. Heck, you'd be better off with Hostas and snapdragons and marigolds!