What exactly are native plants? They're plants are plants that have lived in a particular environment for many years without human influence.
They offer many benefits for humanity, wildlife, and the ecosystem.
Unfortunately, many people use exotic plants(alien plants) which may be invasive.
By invasive, I mean they tend to be very competitive and spread throughout the land.
In many suburban communities there are more exotic plants than natives, which is why there is less wildlife.
Did you know that many of our beautiful birds and other wildlife populations are threatened as a result of habitat loss? Some have even gone extinct like the Passenger Pigeon or the Carolina Parakeet.
Not only that, but some of our popular trees such as the American Elm or the American Chestnut have practically been extirpated from the landscape as a result of foreign insects which came from exotic plants.
If more people use native plants, we can benefit in many ways.
Save Money.
Did you know that by growing native plants you won't have to do nearly as much watering or other types of maintenance? Don't forget that they have been in your environment for thousands of years before you, so that means they can survive on their own.
Usually you only need to water them when getting them established and they are very drought tolerant.
Just think about how much money you could be saving.
Wildlife.
Native plants have coevolved with native animals for millions of years.
Many birds, mammals, and insects depend on native plants for survival.
If you plant a variety of natives in your yard, you can expect to see many different types of birds and butterflies.
You'll never have a dull moment.
You'll also be contributing to helping insure the survival of many species.
It's a win-win for you and the animals.
Ornamental Value.
Believe it or not, many native plants are just as uniquely beautiful as a lot of exotic plants.
However, they're not as popular because they aren't sold as much in nurseries.
We have lots of trees for fall foliage (Sugar Maple) and for flowering (Flowering Dogwood).
We also have many beautiful flowers like the famous Purple Coneflower, Black Eyed Susans, or the California Poppies.
The sad thing is that many Americans rarely even see these plants because they aren't as popular.
Some tourists have gone to gardens in other countries and marveled over the plants only to learn that they were American native plants.