What’s a native plant?
Natives occur naturally in the area of focus without human intervention. They have natural checks and balances, such as wildlife that uses them as a source of food. If your plant is being eaten, it’s most-likely valuable to the the ecosystem! Native plants are the foundation of a healthy, functioning ecosystem.
Ecotypes are natives (local species) with distinctive characteristics that other populations won’t have.
Why plant natives?
You can better our local ecosystem just by using natives in your outdoor space. Natives improve water quality. They slow and infiltrate storm water, and they provide habitat and biodiversity.
Wildlife and plants have co-evolved. If you want to continue to see the beautiful butterflies and birds that you love to watch, 7ou need to ensure that native plants in your landscape.
- Birds have learned over time which plants have the most nutrition, where to find them, and when to look for them.
- Much more likely to provide the right mix of foods and support the insect populations that birds need to flourish
Minimal maintenance
- Less susceptible to pests & diseases
- Minimize insecticide/pesticide use
- Spraying pesticides for insects or diseases is generally not necessary for native plants. Insects that feed on local plants rarely eat enough to hurt the plant as the insects need to come back another time to feed again. One saves time and money not having to spray chemicals. Seeing butterflies, dragonflies, birds and lightning bugs around your plants is much more pleasing than seeing nothing at all.
Drought-tolerant
Better adapted to local conditions. More-likely to perform better than non-natives. adapted to local temperature and rainfall fluctuations
Provide beauty all-year long
healthy watershed: Local native plants provide oxygen and habitat for fresh and salt water ecosystems, or communities. Plant roots absorb nutrients and prevent sediment from entering our local waterways; reducing pollution and improving water quality.
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