Going Native – A new spin on sustainable landscaping
September 9, 2008 – 6:34 am
In a recent seminar I heard someone admit that they love invasive plants because they grow so easily, can be cut over and over for flower arrangements and still produce full-bodied plants for our landscapes. I had to admit that I did too. Until recently whenever I went to the garden centers to buy plants my selection criteria included plants that were easy to grow, required little water and could stand the harsh environment of our Charleston heat and humidity.
So when our National Garden Club president suggested that we Go Native and Grow Organically, I was at a loss. Organic growing is easy, but natives? They only ones I knew that grew well were the weeds! Asking other gardeners made it even more difficult. Many of the plants that we think are natives are actually naturalized: Camellias, Crape Myrtles, the “Wild” Rose. The difference? Here’s another area of confusion and it really depends on who you ask.
A stand of native pines
Most experts agree that Native Plants are those species that were living and growing here before we colonized the New World. Think about Native American foods and you may begin to get the picture: squash, pumpkins, beans, maize, etc. Also think back to your grade school history classes. Remember the blight of the American Chestnut? How about George Washington cutting down the Cherry Tree? Think it was the Asian varieties that now grace our nation’s Capital? Nope, if it happened at all, chances are it was the Wild Black Cherry that colonials used to make early American furniture. And let’s not forget the gorgeous black walnut trees that once filled our hardwood forests from Maine to Florida, or the Oak that was voted our National Tree. Native species abound once you really think about it. But so do naturalized plants.
The eyed click beetle - A favorite food of Pileated Woodpeckers
Naturalized plants are those species brought by our ancestors that grew so well they are almost commonplace now. Joking with a fellow club member yesterday I explained that Naturalized plants are like Yankees who stayed long enough to acquire a Southern accent. Most of these plants were brought for sentimental reasons, like the climbing roses I brought from my Dad’s garden when I moved here. Others, were brought as a familiar food source like okra, tomatoes, cucumbers and cabbage.
So what’s the big benefit to growing native plants if all of our favorites are imports or hybrids? Wildlife and sustainability.
Due to the overwhelming growth and development of our country, American suburbia is now the most dominant source of wild plants, flowers and trees for our native wildlife. Sure there are still a great deal of forests but they have become separated by urban developments in between, making it impossible for wildlife to sustain itself without our assistance. In his recent book, Bringing Nature Home, entomologist Douglas W. Tallamy states that in his research, native plants are more prone to insect damage for good reasons; they are all part of the bigger picture. The oak, for example, can support 517 unique species of butterfly and moth larva. These caterpillars are the number one food source for our native birds and the acorns are an important food sources for our native squirrels, birds and deer.
Great White Egret in Native marsh grass
Understanding this important cycle is the crux of responsible gardening. It has also become a new standard in “green building and development” as more and more neighborhoods are opting for native plantscapes. In fact, some developments in Upper Mount Pleasant have made it part of their covenants and restrictions that homeowners only landscape with native plants.
Although I love exotics as much as anyone, I have a new appreciation for natives. Knowing why they are important to the grand scheme of things, I am more apt to choose them in my plant selections. If you would like to learn more about native plants, go to the South Carolina Native Plant Society’s website at www.scnps.org
