by Carol Bradford

Beginning with the first colonist that set foot in America, human development has drastically changed the plant communities in New York and across the country. Many of the plants that are familiar to us today are actually not native, but introduced! By growing native plants in your garden and home, you can help restore biodiversity (both plants and the animals that depend on them), and protect our natural heritage.

Not only are many native species attractive in their own right, they are also uniquely adapted to New York’s ecosystems. They are generally more tolerant of the seasons, require less watering or fertilization, and they often have evolved effective defenses against pests common in their habitat. As a result, less pesticide is required to maintain native plant gardens in good condition. Natives also tend to grow more slowly than traditional imported ornamentals and require less gardening chores such as mowing, pruning, fertilizing and dividing. Spend more time enjoying your garden and less time maintaining it!

Sounds Great...Now What?

Now that invasive species are on the minds of the masses (we hope), it's much easier to find out what kind of plants are native to your area. Many local nurseries are beginning to specialize in native plants, and employees can help guide you to make the right choices. A partial list of nurseries can be found here, compiled by the Invasive Plant Council of New York State. ("American Beauties" is a new line of plants native to the Northeast that are labeled as being suitable either for dry shady or moist sunny spots in the garden.)

State and local parks often have plant checklists that descrive the plant communities in the park; there may be a naturalist on staff who can help you with difficult decisions.

The New York Flora Atlas is an online native plant database, searchable by county and plant. Keep in mind that the data is based on herbarium specimens - if the county you are searching does not have an herbarium, records may be scarce. Try searching a nearby county for a more complete profile.

There are also regional guides to native plant communities. Guide to the Plant Communities of the Central Finger Lakes Region by Charles L. Mohler, Peter L. Marks, and Sana Gardescu is available online at Cornell's Digital Repository. Native plant societies and national organizations such as Wild Ones and the National Wildlife Federation also have great resources.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Gardeners often ask, when considering the purchase of a new plant, "What conditions does it like?" For native species, the answer is simple: they like it here! There are species adapted to each and every soil and climate type of New York. There are native plants that will thrive in wet spots, dry sunny spots, rocky soils or the edges of woodlands. Native Plants of the Northeast: A Guide for Gardening & Conservation, by Donald J. Leopold, has information about the cultivation and propagation, ranges, and hardiness of nearly 700 species of native trees, shrubs, vines, ferns, grasses, and wildflowers from the northeastern quarter of the U.S. and eastern Canada.

Sometimes, urban and suburban areas have been so thoroughly developed that there's no trace of the original vegetation. But restoration is possible! A good place to start is by removing known invasive plants. Some may have drifted in by the wind or were planted by the birds. Many invasives were originally introduced as ornamentals, and nurseries in New York continue to sell plants that have been labeled as invasive weeds in neighboring states and provinces, including Norway maple, Japanese barberry, yellow flag, burning bush, and Hall's honeysuckle.

Don't feel you have to restore your entire property to a pristine, pre-colonial state. Take it as far as you like. You can simply add a few native perennials, ferns, grasses or shrubs to your garden. And, you don't need a lot of space. A native plant garden can consist of a single tree, surrounded by the understory shrubs, ferns, sedges and wildflowers, such as trillium, Jack-in-the-pulpit, bloodroot, and Solomon's seal.

Give the natives a chance!

<< Back to Nature New York Spring/Summer 2007

Nature picture credits: Photo © istockphoto / Constant Gardener (greenhouse); Photo © John Maier (seedling); Photo © Steve Young (pursh sea pink).