Now, more than ever, people want to know what small, simple steps they can take to live a “greener” life. Choosing native plants offers important earth-friendly advantages over exotic nursery stock.
Plants propagated from native genotypes are easier to establish in your home landscape than non-native plants. Once established, they require no irrigation and no chemicals, and their natural hardiness makes it less likely that you’ll need to replace them. Also, given a little space of their own, many native plants act a lot differently when “tamed.” Plants that would be in serious competition in the wild suddenly become free in your garden to show off their attributes, and can put on a show to rival any cultivated species.
Native plants also help keep the ecosystem in balance, providing the food, shelter and cover that wildlife needs to survive. Many exotic plant species not only fall short on this critical function, but can also become harmfully invasive, choking out or hybridizing their native neighbors.
That bring us to the diverse beauty that natives provide. If you like exotics, you’d better really like them. Since so many of them are invasive, they may well take over the landscape, leaving you nothing else to enjoy.
Plan to attend Chippewa Nature Center’s Native Plant Sale in May. Even if you don’t purchase plants at CNC, it’s a great opportunity to get advice on what you should buy. You’d be surprised to learn how harmful many “common” nursery plants can be – to your garden and to the larger ecosystem. Learn more about the Native Plant Sale.