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Definition of native species Why use native plants in landscaping? To learn more about using native plants in landscaping To plan native landscaping To hire a native-friendly landscaper To buy or trade native plants or seeds
To prepare, construct, plant and maintain my site
Native species are plants, 🍄︎ fungi or 🐟︎ 🐢︎🐇︎ animals that:
The advantages of wildscaping are many:
The effects of replacing exotic landscaping with natives are dramatic. For a few years, we have seen an increase in the number of butterflies and 🐦︎ birds in our yard. I expected that — my wife (with some muscle from me) had been slowly replacing some of our plants with natives. Nothing radical, but if a non-native died or was doing poorly, we replaced it with a native. Part of our lawn morphed into a small prairie. Some plants got moved. One day, I realized it had been three years since we had put out traps for those big green hard flying Japanese beetle Popillia japonica. Weird. I looked around, and saw that we had crossed some threshold, maybe from 30% natives to 50% natives, and we no longer had any issues with the annoying green bug. Apparently, you don't need perfection to restore some balance to your local ecosystem. And my wife recalls that during the Drought of 2013, our Wild Area was the only part of our yard that didn't suffer. Extraordinary!
On a larger scale, our local Ranger Steve — and family — turned part of their larger property into an unofficial Ody Brook Nature Sanctuary, named after their dog. Here are Ranger Steve's tips to restore biodiversity where you live.
On a smaller scale, perhaps you have an apartment, with room only for a few pots. Even a single pot containing a native wildflower (in my area, perhaps butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa ) could refresh a tired migrator (in my area, perhaps monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus ), allowing it to reach someone else's yard down the street, and then a larger project — perhaps at a park or school. Small steps can still help!
A society grows great when old [wo/]men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in. ― Greek Proverb.
Combining private efforts like the above with public efforts like parks and wildlife sanctuaries, The Half Earth Project seeks to allocate half the area of our planet for nature's use. I do not yet understand the details, but the concept is intriguing!
Some people plan their landscaping to attract local 🐦︎ songbirds and charismatic megafauna, by using native plants that will feed them:
Some people plan their landscaping to enhance ecosystem diversity and complexity.
Both groups may plan out their landscaping using several layers:
NWF's Trees for Wildlife guide: Planning, Planting and Caring for Trees (.pdf) Ten Steps to a Successful Wildflower Planting Rain garden (and prairie) site selection, design, 🚧 construction and maintenance (.pdf).
In North America
Mapping tools
Begin with as much biodiversity as you can fit or afford. ― Steve Keto.
In North America, to help 🐝︎ pollinators, 🌳︎🐝︎ Trees for Bees recommends planting native big-leaf maple Acer macrophyllum, hardy catalpa Catalpa speciosa, eastern redbud Cercis canadensis, flowering dogwood Cornus florida, tulip tree Liriodendron tulipifera, southern crabapple Malus angustifolia, staghorn sumac Rhus typhina and black willow Salix nigra.
Also in North America, the Pollinator Partnership offers recommendations for Selecting Plants for 🐝︎ Pollinators.
In North America's Midwest, native examples of small trees forming the "middle story" of the woodland plant community include American hornbeam / ironwood Carpinus caroliniana, dogwood genus Cornus, American witch-hazel Hamamelis virginiana and American hophornbeam / ironwood Ostrya virginiana.
In 🇺🇸 USA, Audubon's recommendations of 🐦︎ bird-friendly butterfly-friendly native plants > your zipcode > button Search.
Bloom dates for native perennial beneficial-insect-attracting plants (.pdf page 58).
Wisconsin's Best Native Plants for Attracting 🐦︎ Birds (.pdf).
The Right Native Plants in the Right Landscape Means Fewer Allergies (.pdf).
In West Michigan near Grand Rapids, please see a designer in the Native Plant Guild.
In 🇺🇸 USA:
This author recommends you get plants and seeds that are truly native to your region / ecosystem / habitat, and avoid nativar cultivated varieties. Nativars generally do not share the same genetics, reproduction nor ecological functions as their parent stock.
For example, if red maple Acer rubrum is native to your region:
Wild Ones Guidelines for Selecting Native Plants: The Importance of Local Ecotype (.pdf). Wild Ones Nativars Position Statement (.pdf). Nativars: Where do they fit in? (.pdf) with references (.pdf). Guidelines and position paper from Wild Ones, with discussion of hardiness zones and ecoregions.
This author also recommends you get plants and seeds that are not treated with neonicotinoid neonic insecticides. I read that it could be months before your plants are visited by pollinators, or can provide food for your local birds. Seeds from these plants are probably OK.
When you buy, ☑ check the tag:
Sources of information, plants and seeds:
Local (please verify 📅︎ dates with applicable organization!):
Statewide:
Year-round: A grower in the Native Plant Guild.
In-person native plant sales of which we are aware (please verify 📅︎ dates with applicable organization!):
Ten Steps to a Successful Wildflower Planting Rain garden (and prairie) site selection, design, 🚧 construction and maintenance (.pdf). NWF's Trees for Wildlife guide: Planning, Planting and Caring for Trees (.pdf page 13)
Mowing my 🌾︎ grass lawn
In West Michigan near Grand Rapids, please see a landscaper/restorer in the Native Plant Guild.
The 🔥︎ prescribed fire/controlled burn plan for my own area is 🚧 under construction. Until published, please see 🔥︎ Prescribed burns ignite Michigan wildlife habitat growth and 🔥︎ prescribed burn video from TNC. 🔥︎ prescribed burn videos. If you are still serious, contact your local agencies, and study applicable parts of NWCG training courses S-130 🚒︎ Firefighter Training and S-190 🔥︎ Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior and S-212 🔥︎ Wildland Fire Chain Saws student handbook (.pdf).
native gardening terminology Discover Life Encyclopedia of Life Google Google images USFS Wikipedia
🏠︎ home page invasive plants 🏠︎ home page for EricPiehl.com and …
northern bush honeysuckle Diervilla lonicera American witch-hazel Hamamelis virginiana wild rice Zizania aquatica northern wild rice Zizania palustris