Native plant species are vital to the environment because they support local ecosystems in ways non-native plants cannot. They provide food and habitat for native wildlife, including pollinators like bees and butterflies, and help maintain biodiversity. Native tree species soak up runoff which cleans our water and provides a natural source of shade. These plants are adapted to the local climate and soil, so they require little maintenance making them sustainable and better suited for protecting natural resources.
Below is a list of the species found in the garden:
Flowering plants/grasses:
- Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
- Early WildRye (Elymus macgregorii)
- Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum)
- Greencut Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata)
- Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea)
- Golden Ragwort (Packera aurea)
- Goldenrod (Solidafogo spp.)
- Hairy Beard Tongue (Penstemon hirsutus)
- New York Ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis)
- Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium fistulosum)
- Narrow-leaf Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum virginianum)
- Orange Coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida)
- Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris)
- Purple Lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis)
- Whorled Tickseed (Coreopsis verticillata)
- White Wood Aster (Eurybia divaricata)
- Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoides)
- Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana)
- Narrowleaf Sundrops (Oenothera fruticosa)
- Late Purple Aster (Symphyotrichum patens)
- Common Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)
- Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
- Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia)
- Foxglove Beardtongue (Penstemon digitalis)
- Wild Indigo (Baptisia australis)
- Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
Trees/shrubs:
- Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa)
- Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)
- Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)
- Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)
- Red Bud (Cercis canadensis)
- Silky Dogwood (Cornus amomum)
- Smooth Sumac (Rhus glabra)
- Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)
- Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
- Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)
- Common Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)*list is subject to change based upon new donations and durability of plants
You can protect native species easily by planting only native flowers, shrubs, and trees to create a sustainable environment in your own home. Additionally, you can remove invasive species that crop up and reduce pesticide use. To promote and protect native tree species, make sure to remove invasive vines that will smother trees, avoid over-mulching (greater than a 3 inch layer) which causes the bark to rot, and plant groundcover instead of grass beside the base of trees. Even small changes, like planting a few native plants, can help restore and protect local ecosystems!