Wildflower Wednesday: Plant More Natives

Salvia azurea

You won't regret it~Especially, if you choose carefully among the many plants offered  on the Internet and at local nurseries.

Rudbeckia fulgida var fulgida

More are available ~I saw rudbeckias, coreopsis cultivars, gaura, ex-asters, salvias,  agastaches and rhododendrons for sale this morning when I ran to the local big box store for  fence posts.

Keep in mind that even if they are native to where you garden~They might not grow in your garden.

A garden filled with former asters~symphyotrichum and eurybia, Goldenrods/solidagos and Mistflower/conoclinium

Or, they might grow too well.

Physostegia virgiana

Thus, getting erroneously named~invasive.   

a native ex-aster and Chasmanthium latifolium

 It's true,  many natives can be thuggish, aggressive or colonizing.  But,  please don't use invasive to describe their behavior. I like to save that powerful word for exotics that are on the state noxious and invasive species  list.   Instead,  I refer to them as colonizers, aggressive natives or just plain thugs. 

If you garden on a difficult spot like I do,  then aggressive native plants are not a problem.  They are welcome.  In fact, they are my fall garden workhorses.  They're essential to my garden and being  rough and tumble wildflowers means they're  unfazed by shallow clay soil.   They bloom until a killing frost and  they attract  bumbles,  butterflies and other critters to the garden. They also make me happy. What more could you ask for in a garden plant. 

So, plant more natives~They really do make sense.  In case,  I haven't convinced you consider this: native plants are adapted to our unique garden climate; they're less susceptible to pests and disease; we generally don't have to greatly modify the soil characteristics; and,   they provide  beauty for humans and food and shelter for  visiting  butterflies, bees and other pollinators.

Symphyotrichum paten

But, if you garden on rich, deep soil, colonizing native plants, like woodland asters,  False Dragonhead, Goldenrods, Mistflower and River Oats  might not be what you want to invite into the garden.  Remember, they spread by, seed,  roots and rhizomes to make a large and dramatic impact.   

Trust me there are many native plants that are not thugs~You might want to consider planting a sweet native like Salvia azurea.  It occasionally reseeds but isn't a thug by any stretch of the imagination.


So go ahead, plant more natives, just be sure to research what makes sense in your garden.

xxoogail

Welcome to Clay and Limestone's Wildflower Wednesday celebration. I am so glad you stopped by. WW is about sharing and celebrating wildflowers from all over this great big, beautiful world. Join us on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Remember, it doesn't matter if they are in bloom and, it doesn't matter if we all share the same plants. It's all about celebrating wildflowers. Please leave a comment when you add your url to Mr Linky.