The month is nearly over, but it got me thinking about why native plants are important and the language we use to talk about them.
What do we mean when we say a plant is ‘native’?
We mean that a plant evolved in a particular geographic area, with its climate, and with other living things that are also native to that area. Every living creature is native to some places, and not others.
Simply describing a plant as ‘native’ doesn’t tell you the full story. Native to where? Often, we mean ‘to the geographic area I am currently occupying.’ But at what scale? A state or province? A country? A region? A continent? Plants don’t care about human boundaries (states or countries).
Just because a plant is native to one area doesn’t mean it will always thrive there. Our climate and weather patterns are changing, and the USDA recently updated its hardiness zone map. (Here’s a cool web-based app to help you compare your USDA hardiness zone in 2012 vs. 2023, but I found that it worked only in some browsers. In Geneva, NY we shifted from 6a to 6b.) Conservationists and ecologists are wondering if we should consider future changes in weather and climate when selecting “native” plants, especially long-lived plants like trees. By the time they mature, their historical native range may no longer have optimal growing conditions.
Non-native does not mean invasive
An invasive plant has very specific characteristics; it is not native to an ecosystem and it causes harm (economic, environmental, or human health). Only some plants that are not native to a geographic area are invasive in that area. And some plants that are native to an area have very “vigorous” (some might say, aggressive) growth habits, tending to crowd out other native plants. I’m looking at you, Canada anemone (Anemone canadensis)!
What’s so great about native plants?
There are many benefits to native plants. Some insects (and other animals) depend on a relatively small number of plant species – ones they co-evolved with – for food. Assuming they continue to be well-adapted to an area as climate changes, native plants may be more resistant to local pests (diseases, insects, and herbivores). This can mean fewer pesticide applications to keep the plants healthy. Native plants can also be more resilient to abiotic stressors. For example, in a geographic area prone to drought, native plants will likely require less water.
Are native plants better than non-native plants?
Short answer: no.
Plants not native to a geographic area can still be important for the local ecosystem. For example, while some bee species are specialists and require pollen or nectar from only certain plants, others benefit from more pollen and nectar, regardless of the plant. And it’s not just plants that move around. Insects move, too. Honey bees are not native to the U.S., even though there are many established wild and domestic populations. Honey and other bees face a variety of threats and benefit from more available pollen and nectar.
And when you choose plants, the enjoyment you derive from growing a beautiful flower (perhaps one with sentimental value, even if it isn’t native to where you live now) is important, too. I never want to “garden shame” someone by implying they should feel guilty for wanting to grow some daffodils (native to northern African, Europe, and parts of Asia) in NY. A few weeks ago, I even found some minute pirate bugs enjoying daffodils I had cut for the dining room table. Just please don’t plant invasive species in your garden.
This idea is not original to me, but sometimes I worry that when we focus too much on the benefits of native plants, we might accidentally be communicating that similar principles apply to people. People who have lived in a particular geographic area longer are not better or more valuable than those who have moved there more recently. Few people who live in the U.S. now are native to their current geographic area. Only about 3% of the population identify as Native American or Alaskan Native. But there are too many places and situations where people born in the U.S. get better treatment than those who moved here. That’s not right.
Happy Native Plant Month!
So, by all means, let’s celebrate native plants. Let’s appreciate their beauty and the (sometimes unique) roles they play in our ecosystems. Let’s plant more of them. Let’s plant more flowers, shrubs, and trees in general! And let’s stop judging – people and plants – only by where they’re from.
Article originally published as ‘April is National Native Plant Month in the U.S.‘ by Amara Dunn-Silver. Reprinted with permission.