Fall Is the Time to Plant Natives!

By Jade Greene

What are Native Plants?

Native plants have been growing here since before the colonizers arrived  – they are indigenous to our area and naturally grow here (note, every place on Earth has its own unique native plant communities). These plants evolved to thrive in our specific soil and climate conditions. All native animals (from solitary mason bees to black bears) have co-evolved with these plants and depend on them. Native plants also evolved alongside all the other native plants, creating unique native communities that are vital to ecosystems and soil health.

Unfortunately, for generations after Europeans arrived, native plants have been declining as land use changed – forests and meadows were felled for crops and development and landscaping preferences favored foreign plants. Native plants, and the animals they support, have been in struggling ever since.

Why Are Native Plants Important?

Native plants play a huge role in keep our environment balanced and supporting biodiversity, here’s some reasons why they are so important:

• Biodiversity Support: native plants provide habitat and food for a wide variety of wildlife (including pollinating insects, birds, and mammals). Some organisms require a specific host plant to survive (eg, monarch caterpillars require milkweed plants, if there is no milkweed, they can not reproduce). 
• Soil health and erosion control: native plants are adapted to live in our soil and weather conditions, which makes them excellent at maintaining healthy soil. Their often deep roots protect soil from erosion, they improve organic matter, and host bacteria and fungi that are key to a healthy soil food web.
• Water conservation: as mentioned, native plants are adapted to local weather conditions. During this hot, dry summer, which plants survived with minimal watering? The natives. They need less watering than non-natives and therefore help conserve water.
• Cultural and historical significance:  native plants hold cultural and historical significance to indigenous communities. They are often integral to traditional practices, including food, medicine, and art. By preserving native plants, we also honor and sustain these cultural traditions and knowledge.
• Aesthetic value: besides benefiting the environment, native plants are great for your garden! With varying seasonal blooms and foliage, they make a wonderful addition to any landscape. 

Why Plant Now?

Native plants are a perfect addition to any landscape that you manage. Add them to your vegetable garden to attract pollinators and around your home’s garden beds. Fall is an ideal time to plant perennial natives. The cooler temperatures of autumn create the perfect conditions for root growth, which will help establish the plants and prepare them for spring and summer’s seasons of bounty! So plant now!

Want to learn more, attend our What’s the Buzz About Natives program with Penn State Master Watershed Stewards Paula & Jim Walter on 10/15! Register for this free event here!

Which Plants?

Need help deciding what plants to get for your garden? Let your garden do the talking, consider the following:

• Sun: Observe how much sun and shade your garden gets
• Soil: What time of soil do you have? How wet is your soil? 
• Other plants: What other plants are already there? Which type of plants are thriving? 

Once you understand the conditions of your garden, you can match the conditions to native plants that will thrive.

It is also worthwhile to consider how many different organisms each plant can support. Some plants are known as keystone species, which means they are critical to the ecosystem and provide resources to many different wildlife species. Without a keystone species, the ecosystem is not as robust and there is less biodiversity. Keystones are pollinator superstars – attracting many types of bees and butterflies, which other plants do not support as many. A great example is an oak tree, which supports over 534 different species of caterpillar compared to a nonnative Callery pear tree which supports less than a dozen. This guide lists some keystone plant species that are available locally.

Where to Get Native Plants?

The Bucks County area is home to many local native plant nurseries. Buying from a local nursery is best for native plants, just like buying produce! Local nurseries often provide straight species and local genotypes that will thrive in our region’s conditions. 

• Archewild Native Nurseries, Quakertown
• Bowman’s Hill Wild Flower Preserve, New Hope
• Gino’s Native Plant Nursery, Newtown
• Kind Earth Growers, Ottsville (wholesale)
• My Backyard at Nectars, Titusville NJ
• Peace Tree Farm, Kintnersville
• Schuylkill Center, Philadelphia
• Toadshade Wildflower Farm, Frenchtown NJ
• Wild Ridge Plants, Alpha NJ