Why Is There So Much Talk About Natives?

​It’s rare to watch a gardening program or read a gardening article these days without running across the term “native” plant.  What exactly IS a native plant?  Generally, a “native” is described as something that grew naturally and locally in an area long before human involvement, whether from European or other contact.  
Native plants have coevolved with the variety of life forms at all levels that sustain the biodiversity of a region.  Biodiversity is the term for every living thing in an area, all the various species, including bacteria, plants, insects, birds, animals and humans, that are dependent upon each other for survival.  
Incorporating native plants into any landscape has several advantages.  Because they have already adapted to local soils, newly planted natives will establish themselves quickly.  They are generally quick growing, super tough, and long lived without a lot of fuss.  Natives are tolerant of regional climate challenges such as drought, flood, humidity, heat, frost, etc.  Once established, natives have reduced maintenance needs.  They require less fertilizers and, because of their natural protections, are more resistant to disease, drought, and pests.  Due to the growth habits and denser root structures, native plants aid soil and water conservation by keeping soil in place and storing water where most needed.  Perhaps most important, natives create natural wildlife habitat in your garden by providing fruit, nectar, seeds and nuts year round for local and visiting mammals, birds, butterflies, and insects needing food and shelter.
There are native plants to choose from for all the various site conditions, whether your garden has shaded woodland or full sun, boggy wetlands or dry shady areas, or a mixture of these. You will find a dazzling variety of natives to choose from that provide all-season interest in the form of perennials, vines, wildflowers, ground covers, trees, evergreens and shrubs.  And as a bonus to being usually hardier than non-native choices, native plants are generous about reseeding, spreading, and being easy to divide, saving the expense of replacing or buying more plants to fill more area.
Whether you are just getting into gardening or are a veteran, learning more about native plants and ways to incorporate them into any new or older landscape is worthwhile.  If renovating an older garden, think about replacing non-natives that have died or passed their peak attractiveness with native species.  There is a plethora of information online and in print to help you. 
My main purpose when starting my gardens 20+ years ago was to create butterfly habitat.  That goal gradually expanded into creating pollinator habitat, and lately has morphed into being honey bee friendly as well.  I love finding plants that are unusual and that not everyone else has.  The following are just a few of the plants that I am particularly fond of:

​Perennials

Spigelia marilandica (Indian Pink) --- blooms in early summer; red outer tubular flower with bright yellow inner part; does best in light shade.

Erigeron pulchellus ‘Lynnhaven Carpet’  (Fleabane, Robin’s Plantain) --- discovered near the Lynnhaven River in Virginia Beach on property owned by Clarice Keeling; blooms in early May; about 12” tall, flowers are lavender with yellow eyes; leaf clusters stay about 6” tall and form dense groundcover; does best in full sun to part sun.

Saururus cernuus  (Lizard’s Tail, Swamp Lily) --- fragrant, unusual white blooms July-August; needs moist/damp soil, good choice for water garden edges.  Planting near rain gutter downspout and where rain barrel overflows is an option.
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Lobelia siphilitica  (Great Blue Lobelia) --- blooms July-October; flowers are lavender-blue to bright blue on 2’ to 4’ stalks; prefers moist to wet locations; does best in full sun to part sun.

Spigelia marilandica

Erigeron pulchellus 'Lynnhaven Carpet'

Saururus cernuus

Lobelia siphilitica

​Vines

Gelsemium sempervirens  (Carolina Jessamine) --- fragrant, yellow blooms late winter to early spring; all parts of plant toxic if ingested; does best in full sun to part sun.

Lonicera sempervirens  (Coral Honeysuckle) --- tubular flowers are red outside with yellow inside; most blooms from March to July, but flowers almost year-round in full sun.  Hummingbirds in my yard visit this plant before going to feeders.

Bignonia capreolata  (Crossvine) --- trumpet-shaped blooms are red to red-orange outer with yellow inner color March-May; does best in full sun.
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Decumaria barbara  (Climbing Hydrangea, Wood Vamp) --- fragrant, showy white flowers May-October; least known and only native climbing Hydrangea, only blooms on new wood or when climbing tree or support; does best in partial or full shade.

Gelsemium sempervirens

Lonicera sempervirens

Bignonia capreolata

Decumaria barbara

​Shrubs

Hamamelis virginiana   (Common Witch Hazel) --- fragrant yellow blooms October-November, may be hidden by yellow/orange fall foliage; bark is source of witch hazel liniment; best in full sun to part sun.

Hamamelis vernalis   (Ozark Witch Hazel) --- fragrant salmon/peach or yellow blooms January-March; long-lasting bright yellow fall foliage; best in full sun to part sun.

Hypericum prolificum    (Shrubby St. John’s Wort) --- yellow flowers in summer have showy sunburst of stamens in center; underused small shrub; best in part sun to shade.
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Hydrangea quercifolia    (Oakleaf Hydrangea) --- beginning in late spring-early summer, long-lasting white blooms turn pale pink, then an attractive beige/tan; bronze or crimson foliage in fall; best in full sun to part sun.

Hamamelis virginiana

Hamamelis vernalis

Hypericum prolificum

Hydrangea quercifolia

​Trees

Quercus alba    (White Oak) --- new leaves appear in March-April, acorns mature in autumn; tolerates moist to dry soils; best in full sun.  Besides all the support for mammals and birds, the Oak species overall support more than 534 species of moths and butterflies, with the White Oak topping the list by providing support for 517 species of moths and butterflies.

Liriodendron tulipifera    (Tulip Poplar, Tulip Tree) --- large, showy yellow and orange flowers in April-June, star-shaped foliage turns bright gold in fall; tolerates full sun to part sun to shade.  Insect and disease free; a favorite nesting tree.  Host plant for Eastern Tiger Swallowtail.

Robinia pseudoacacia    (Black Locust) --- fragrant, white flower clusters late April-June; fast-growing, with new branches showing thorns not found on older wood; best in full sun.  Sought after by honey beekeepers as bees make delicious honey from its flower nectar.  With pruning and training in its early years, can be a handsome tree with minimized colonizing.  Host plant for Silver-Spotted Skipper.

Asimina triloba    (Pawpaw, Indian Banana) --- large purplish to brownish flowers in spring before fully leafed out; does best with shade for first few years, but then tolerates more sun; soft-fleshed fruits (even in shade) are roughly oval, 3-5” long, tasting like a cross between banana and mango.  Only host plant for Zebra Swallowtail.

Quercus alba

Liriodendron tulipifera

Robinia pseudoacacia

Asimina triloba

​No Pollinator Garden Should Be Without Them

Pycnanthemum species    (Mountain Mint) --- There are several different ones worthy of planting; in my garden, mountain mints attract the most variety and highest numbers of pollinators of all types to flowers that last 6 to 8 weeks.

Cephalanthus occidentalis    (Buttonbush) --- slow-growing, deciduous shrub or small tree, with unusual white, thin-tubed flowers crowded in 1-1.5” balls in late summer – a favorite of numerous pollinators and hummingbirds; tolerates wet areas; best in full sun or light shade.
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Clethra alnifolia    (Sweet Pepperbush, Summersweet) --- problem-free shrub with 4-6” fragrant white flowers in summer attractive to numerous pollinators; prefers part shade, but adaptable.  Best to prune in early spring as flowers are produced on new growth.

Pycnanthemum species

Cephalanthus occidentalis

Clethra alnifolia