| Why Native Plants? | Native plants grew in your region prior to European contact. They evolved over a very long period. Any plant that couldn't tolerate your climate with its annual temperatures, droughts, rainfall, snowfall, standing water, sand, clay, salt spray, wind, storms, local pollinators, wildlife use or what have you, died. Plants that could tolerate your climate (with no human assistance!) flourished. | |
 Top Reasons a Gardener might want native plants: Once established in the proper area, a native plants needs: No Fertilizer No Pesticides No Watering No Maintenance
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  The native plants that flourished and evolved in your area did so because they had local native pollinators and seed dispersers. They also had ways of dealing with pests, such as attracting beneficial insects. They evolved by providing food, shelter and habitat for other native species, such as birds, butterflies, hummingbirds, bees, beneficial insects, and mammals. |
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Top Reasons an Environmentalist might want native plants: Native plants don't need fertilizer. Fertilizer runoff into lakes, streams, and bays cause excess algae growth, which depletes oxygen. Oxygen depletion harms marine life. Native plants don't need pesticides. Pesticides not only kill the bad bugs but the beneficial insects as well. And they have also been linked to cancer in humans and pets. And they harm wildlife.
Native plants require less watering. They increase the soil's
capacity to store water, therefore they can significantly reduce
water runoff and flooding. Did you know that one large tree can
absorb 800 gallons of water during the growing season? |
Native plants help reduce air pollution. Planting a natural landscape instead of a lawn, reduces your need for gas powered polluting garden tools. One gas powered mower emits 11 times the air pollution of a new car for each hour of operation. Excessive carbon from the burning of fossil fuels contributes to global warming. Plants, on the other hand, remove carbon from the air. Native plants provide food and shelter for wildlife. Because they evolved together, many wildlife species depend on native plants and vise versa. If you want butterflies, plant larval food plants as well as nectar plants. If the butterflies have a place to lay eggs, food for the caterpillars, and fresh water, as well as nectar, they will be more attracted and will remain in your yard, than if it was an acre of well manicured lawn. The same goes for other wildlife. |
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Are non-native plants really harmful? Many ornamental species are beautiful and useful in the garden. However, many also are invasive and will spread to natural environments where they out-compete or smother native plants. They can do this because their natural environment, pests, or diseases are absent here. Many of these plants provide little food and shelter for native wildlife. While the vine shown in the picture is not the vine that ate Georgia, it still will eventually kill the tree by robbing it of sunlight and pulling it down. Many plant nurseries will sell invasive plants to the unknowing consumer. We sell only native plants. If a native plant is aggressive, we tell you in the description. Please do not purchase plants that are listed as aggressive in your area. Questions about species in your area? http://plants.usda.gov/ |