WHY NATIVE PLANTS?

The importance of native plants is larger than choosing plants that will thrive in your outdoor space. Native plants are also a key part in cultivating a healthy ecosystem. Birds, bugs, and other animals in the local ecosystem need native plants in the area. It all comes down to the food chain. Plants, as well as bugs and other organisms, create adaptations to protect themselves. This can be anything from a funky taste to certain bacteria to break down food. Native animals and plants have created these adaptations around each other, which means sometimes certain bugs can only eat certain types of plants. Bugs play an important role in the food chain and if they disappear from an ecosystem, well the likelihood of the ecosystem collapsing is high. We want to protect and honor the land we live on, and one of the simplest ways we can do that at a micro-level is by planting native species on our land.

Native plants also thrive better in their suited environment. This will mean very low maintenance and beautiful, thriving plants for you. Their low maintenance can also save you money. Native plants are adapted to the amount of rainfall that occurs in their region, meaning they will need less watering. Same goes for soil with native plants. This is also one of the main reasons they will grow and flourish better than invasive species. 

You will also be benefiting the environment in several ways: restoring natural habitats, using less water, controlling runoff and erosion, and helping to lower CO2 levels. The environment built itself so why try to change that? Restoring natural habitats will allow your outdoor space to flourish and bring not just a beautiful space for you but also the ecosystem in your area. It also controls erosion as most native plants are deeply rooted and can stop rain or runoff from wearing down parts of your yard. 

So what plants are native to your area? If you’re looking at perennials in Wilmington there are tons of options, including butterfly weed, lanceleaf coreopsis, azure-blue sage, bonset, and many others. In terms of bushes and trees American Elm, Beech, Long-Leaf Pine, Live Oak, Azalea, Yellow Jessamine, as well as others. If you’re living in our other service area of Asheville, the native plants will vary slightly due to different soil texture/consistency. For Asheville popular native perennials include Black-Eyed-Susan, Butterfly Milkweed, Great Blue Lobelia, Trumpetweed, and others. For trees and bushes you can look at Catawba Rosebay, River Birch, Sassafras, and, of course, many others. Both regions, as well as most of North Carolina, have many of the same Native Plants as well. 

There are plenty of options when it comes to planting native plants in your space. From how many, to what type and even how you want them planted. Rain gardens are a great option to include more native plant life and help prevent high amounts of runoff pollution. Wildflower gardens are also beautiful options which could maybe even attract butterflies or other wildlife. Lots of creative possibilities await, staying with native plants does not mean you’re limited at all!