Many of the wonderful plants native to the Mid-Atlantic
region are virtually unknown to the average gardener. And with so many well-known
exotic garden perennials like Astilbe, foxglove, or Helleborus readily available
to gardeners today, one might wonder why anyone would plant native. There are,
in fact, a number of good reasons why a gardener should consider natives.
First, natives offer food and protection to wildlife that many common
ornamentals do not. Second, native plants do not pose an environmental threat
while many ornamentals can turn invasive. And lastly, native plants have
evolved to live in our local climate, making them much easier to grow than many
fickle exotics.
Natives offer services to wildlife
The Mid-Atlantic region is home to thousands of specialist
insect species requiring very specific native plants to feed. The larvae of the
Spicebush Swallowtail Butterfly, for example, only feed on the leaves of the
native spicebush (Lindera benzoin), and a species of long-horned bee, Melissodes
fimbriatus, only feeds on the flowers of the evening primrose (Oenothera).
Planting a non-native would offer nothing to any of these specialist insects.
Also, many exotic plants are sterile, meaning they produce no seeds that would
be a great source of food for songbirds. Exotic ornamentals offer no food for
many of our specialist insects and songbirds, taking up space in gardens that a
beneficial native plant could otherwise occupy.
Natives are non-invasive
Many popular exotic plants, like Euonymus, English ivy, and
Japanese barberry have no natural predators present in the Mid-Atlantic. This
allows them to grow unchecked, taking over large areas of forest and displacing
native plants. This leaves specialist insects without sources of food, driving
many of them close to extinction and decreasing local species diversity, which
has a devastating effect on our ecosystem.
Natives are well-suited to our climate
Native plants, having millions of years to evolve and adapt
to our local conditions, are naturally better suited to our climate than non-natives.
This makes natives more resistant to drought, pests, and diseases that commonly
afflict and often kill exotics. For example, milkweed (Asclepias) has developed
toxins in its leaves and sap that make it unpalatable to deer, while many
common garden plants like Hosta are as good as deer salad. Our native cactus, Opuntia
humifusa, is highly drought tolerant and will grow in sunny, sandy
locations where most ornamentals might wither and die.
Next time you go to buy plants for your garden, consider a
native, or two. If deer and drought resistance aren’t good enough reasons to
plant natives on their own, then consider the benefits you can provide to our
native wildlife and the ecosystem as a whole by planting natives.
Below is a summary of three native perennial plants with
spring interest, some of their appeal to pollinators, and their garden
cultures.
Jacob’s Ladder (Polemonium reptans)
Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata)
Creeping phlox is a sprawling semi-evergreen perennial that
covers the ground with a sea of pink flowers for a few weeks each spring.
Creeping phlox is perfect for rock gardens and requires full sun and good
drainage to thrive, but it still needs a good amount of moisture to stay
healthy. Creeping phlox provides ample nectar for bumblebees, butterflies, and
even hummingbirds.
Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica)
Virginia bluebells are an amazing spring ephemeral in the
Borage family, that can spread to form large colonies in wooded areas. The
plant bears racemes of nodding, trumpet-shaped flowers, which are frequented by
butterflies in early spring. Virginia bluebells will thrive in full shade and
need moist soil to thrive. Once the weather starts to get hot, however,
Virginia bluebells will lose their leaves and enter dormancy, remaining hidden
underground until the following spring.
