Suggestions for Northeast zone 5, sunny, well drained, slope

I want a native, wildlife-friendly shrub for my site requirements. Also, I'm open to any native grasses and perennials that are good for wildlife. This is my site: Northeast, Zone 5, 1/4 mile away on the upslope of a minor river. Alot of paper birch and alder are seen in the area. The slope is walkable but really too steep to mow safely. Soil, well drained.The area is exposed to winter road salt. Measures about 15 feet by 70 feet. Thanks.

Sounds like arrowood (Viburnum dentatum, et al) calling...

Not much you can do about the area into which the salt will spread given your property is right up to the road. You might want to consider temporary silt fencing. I've seen people put that up before the snows come to help protect their plantings. Not exactly consistent with its intent but whatever works works and you can always take it down easily enough in spring when the ground thaws. The people I know sunk lengths of pvc in the ground to be able to accommodate the stakes for the silt fencing. They leave the pvc in the ground year round. I've looked at the area and you barely notice it in the ground. Rather creative and allows them to re-use the same silt fencing year after year. Considerably easier than putting a string of lights on a Christmas tree.

Birch and Alder can be wetlands indicators but they are also indicative of a birch/alder community. That's a really good bit of information to know.

For shrubs, see what you think of these:
Lindera benzoin
Diervilla lonicera
Rhododendron canadense
Clethra alnifolia
Corylus cornuta (personal favorite)
Cephalanthus occidentalis
Rosa carolina
Amelanchier stolonifera (another decent slope stabilizer)
Viburnum lantanoides
V.opulus var. americanum
V. nudum var. cassinoides
Euonymus atropurpureus
Spiraea tomentosa
Cornus alternifolia
Acalypha rhomboidea
Ceanothus americanus
Ilex verticillata
Sambucus nigra ssp. canadensis (another decent slope stabilizer)
Comptonia peregrina (personal favorite)
Lonicera dioica
And your Photinia melanocarpa (you know it as Aronia melanocarpa)

For grasses and sedges, see how you like the looks of these-
Eriophorum virginicum
Bromus ciliatus
Panicum virgatum
Spartina pectinata
Alopecurus aequalis
Eragrostis spectabilis
Dichanthelium xanthophysum (elegant)
Agrostis mertensii
Anthoxanthum monticola
Elymus hystrix
Sorghastrum nutans
Milium effusum
Carex echinata (very pretty)
C. pensylvanica (common but extremely functional)
C. bicknellii
C. bebbii
C. muehlenbergii (also very pretty)
C. radiata
and of course your Schizachyrium scoparium!

These you might like-
Solidago caesia
S. squarrosa
Liatris scariosa
Sisyrinchium angustifolium
Cirsium pumilum (sort of ducking for cover on this but it is a great plant)
Lupinus perennis
Houstonia caerulea
Corallorhiza spp.
Symphyotrichum laeve var. laeve
Lilium canadense
Thalictrum pubescens
Aralia racemosa
Asclepias syriaca
Asclepias purpurascens
Geum macrophyllum
Zizia aurea
Agastache nepetoides
Symphyotrichum ericoides
S. undulatum
Epilobium ciliatum
Chimaphila umbellata ssp. cisatlantica
Campanula rotundifolia
Castilleja coccinea (strikingly beautiful)
Eurybia macrophylla (you may know this by Aster macrophyllus)
Baptisia tinctoria
Monarda didyma
Antennaria howellii
Sanicula canadensis
Lactuca biennis (sort of ducking for cover on this one too but it has its place)
Desmodium cuspidatum
Circaea alpina ssp. alpina (if you locate a place to buy this, please let me know)
Lobelia inflata
Halenia deflexa
Scutellaria lateriflora

Have you any shade on your property to play with? If you do anywhere on your property, that will provide you with some really great opportunities in the future.

Enjoy! Have fun looking them all up!

Wow, what a list EQ, thanks. This should keep me occupied while waiting for the snow t melt. Thanks VV (may I call you that?) I even looked at those last summer and I'm considering them for a decidous screen elsewhere on my property.

There's a nice grower of native material in your state, Van Berkum Nursery, in Deerfield. Give them a call and see who sells their stuff near you. (They're wholesale)

Excellent (pdf doc) “Natural Communities of NH” describes ecological regions of NH and what grows there:

http://www.dred.state.nh.us/divisions/forestandlands/bureaus/naturalheritage/documents/Natural_Communities2ndweb.pdf

An overwhelming list of NH Natives, interestingly called, “Roadside Use of Native Plants” – I guess that would mean they are salt tolerant (?) If some overlap with Equil's list, they may be your best bets.

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/rdsduse/nh.htm

Very nice links CompostR! You folk out east are so progressive!

Yes, Equil, I see, looking at the list, it would be impossible for them all to be salt tolerant anyway.

Ah, yes, we are so progressive over here. : )

So, went on further searches and found:

Tolerant of Soil Salt:
Amelanchier arborea (Shadbush, Serviceberry)
Amelanchier canadensis (Shadbush, Serviceberry)
Amelanchier laevis (Smooth Serviceberry)
Aronia arbutifolia (Red Chokeberry)
Aronia melanocarpa (Black Chokeberry)
Betula nigra (River Birch)
Carpinus caroliniana (American Hornbeam)
Chamaecyparis thyoides (Atlantic White Cedar)
Hydrangea arborescens (Smooth Hydrangea)
Juniperus virginiana (Red Cedar)
Magnolia acuminata (Cucumber Tree)
Magnolia virginiana (Sweetbay Magnolia)
Myrica pensylvanica (Bayberry)
Nyssa sylvatica (Tupelo, Black Gum)
Quercus alba (White Oak)
Quercus bicolor (Swamp White Oak)
Quercus rubra (Northern Red Oak)
Rhus copallina (Shining Sumac)
Vaccinium corymbosum (Highbush Blueberry)
Viburnum dentatum (Arrowwood, Southern Arrowwood)
Viburnum prunifolium (Blackhaw Viburnum)

Oceanside, Roadside or Aerial Salt Tolerant:
Amelenchier canadensis (Shadbush, Serviceberry)
Aronia arbutifolia (Red Chokeberry)
Aronia melanocarpa (Black Chokeberry)
Clethra alnifolia (Sweet Pepperbush)
Hydrangea arborescens (Smooth Hydrangea, Seven Bark)
Juniperus virginiana (Red Cedar)
Myrica pensylvanica (Bayberry)
Nyssa sylvatica (Tupelo, Black Gum)
Quercus alba (White Oak)
Rhus copallina (Shining Sumac)
Vaccinium corymbosum (Highbush Blueberry)
Viburnum dentatum (Arrowwood, Southern Arrowwood)

sarahn - I copied the above lists from this EPA site. (Says native to Delaware Valley, but I would think they are native to your area too.)
http://www.epa.gov/reg3esd1/garden/nats-list.htm

These are pretty common and should be easy to find. I know they aren't all shrubs, but many are.

Thanks, compostr, I discovered both those sites last year and also recommend them. Thanks for doing the cross referencing. I love Dave's Garden. The info can help other new gardeners like myself.

Great, sarahn.

OK, no more site links, but personal experience: We have bayberry and black gum growing near the road and they are doing fine. Elderberries, flowering dogwood, and red-twig dogwood are also doing well near the road. All are in full sun.

Elderberry has been a consideration as it is human edible, too. Red-twig dogwood I'm considering for a different area as its wildlife friendly and winter interest. Decisions, decisions and spring is less than two weeks away!

Don't you have any deer to worry about? That might narrow down your list.

I'm not sure barbgers, if the deer come this far into town. We live in an old mill town with over 150 houses on small lots, .5 acres or less. Lots of streetlights, asphalt, and cars. I have several Canadian yews that have not been nibbled on, as do many neighbors. But deer resistance is a consideration.

Street lights don't bother the deer in the city of Poughkeepsie. They're everywhere!