Native Plants: How to Get Started this Spring

With the onset of spring, I wanted to return to the topic of native plants. I have been reading a book titled "Bringing Nature Home" by Dr. Doug Tallamy, who can be considered the foremost expert on native plants and has been the loudest voice of concern regarding how invasive plants are killing our native species. Please watch the following interview, during which Dr. Tallamy highlights the urgency for planting native plants.

Dr. Tallamy discussed several important points regarding the need to promote native over invasive plant growth and how many people often misunderstand native plants to be weeds that can spread uncontrollably. As a weed is often viewed as a plant that doesn't belong, native plants cannot possibly fit this definition as they represent the original plants that evolved alongside all other parts of nature in a particular location or area. Invasive plants, on the other hand, fit this definition well as they did not evolve at their present location and therefore have no connection to the other plants and wildlife (including insects) around them.

A point that is brought up multiple times in "Bringing Nature Home" is the fact that invasive plants are ecological deserts that in no way support their surrounding environment. Invasive ornamental trees and plants, including common turf grass, were brought to the US not only because they look nice, but also because they (particularly the leaves) do not get eaten by insects. The problem is that a plant that does not support insects will support no other type of wildlife as insects represent a primary source of nutrition for larger insects and birds; if the food isn't there, they will not come.

How do you know whether a plant is native or invasive? Find an app for your phone that is able to accurately identify plants in your yard. The most accurate app I have been able to find is titled "Picture This." This app has been extremely helpful in identifying the plants and trees in the forest behind our house. If it wasn't for this app, we would not have been able to distinguish a native vine (northern dewberry) from the many invasive vines we have been removing from the forest over the last two years.

Northern Dewberry (Rubus Flagellaris). Source: Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses

If you are wondering how to get started, I would not recommend trying to re-create the gardens shown in the video. Start small just to get your hands dirty. Purchase up to 3 native plants from a local nursery or online (e.g., Arbor Day Foundation). During this time of year, you can also search for native plant giveaways in your local neighborhood. St. Andrew Apostle Catholic Church in Silver Spring, MD, for example, will be hosting one such giveaway on May 4; in order to receive plants at the giveaway, you will just need to pledge to plant native plants at home here. One last idea is to let your grass grow a little longer than usual at times throughout the spring and summer and then use the plant identification app to identify any plants other than grass that pop up. I was able to add two native plants to our developing garden this way last summer. And with just a few plants, you can begin to create a nice garden. The many black-eyed Susan flowers shown in the photo below come from just four plants that we planted two years ago!

Helpful Hints

• Make a commitment to plant three native plants this spring.

• Use the "Picture This" app to identify at least three native plants (including trees) in your yard or in a nearby park.