Native or not?

Debate about invasive plants continues to make headlines. The ongoing discussion is prompting many people to look at alternatives, including native plants. Which begs the question, just what is a native plant anyway?

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The answer isn’t as clear as you may think. The Federal Native Plant Committee offers this definition: “a native plant species is one that occurs naturally in a particular region, state, ecosystem and habitat without direct or indirect human actions.”

This broad description is only marginally helpful to retailers trying to determine which plants belong in its natives department. To further complicate matters, some diehard enthusiasts believe only plants that grew in the United States prior to the arrival of Europeans (and their imported plants) should be considered native.

Plant parameters

Selecting true native plants is a chief concern for Michael Thilgen, cofounder of Four Dimensions Landscape Co. in Oakland, Calif. His company specializes in designing and building native gardens.

For Thilgen, geopolitical boundaries don’t play much of a role in plant selection. (California is a huge state, after all.) Instead, he uses plants native to the local watershed. He also takes into account very localized environmental conditions.

“For example, we expect to see one group of plant species on a south-facing slope, and an entirely different group on the other side of the ridge, facing north,” he said. “Plants found next to a creek are quite different from those on a grassy hillside exposed to sun and wind.”

Thilgen relies on specialty growers to supply plants for his projects. But lately he’s found that more retailers are stocking native plants.

“We’re now seeing the industry begin to respond to changing demand, and more natives are appearing in retail nurseries,” he said. “To my mind, the ideal is for retail nurseries to stock the major species of the state, and the major species of several local plant communities.”

Expert input

Wholesale nursery Prides Corner Farms sought advice from the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) in determining which plants should be included in its natives program. The company’s American Beauties series features plants that are particularly appealing to local wildlife. A portion of proceeds from these plants is donated to NWF.

“There can be some cultivars in the program,” said Tim Kane, sales and marketing manager for Prides Corner Farms. “What they [NWF] don’t want are crosses. So even though Echinacea is a native plant, they’re not wanting things like the Big Sky hybrids.”

Currently, the American Beauties program has a strong focus on plants native to the Northeast. Kane said Prides Corner recently added some Midwest nurseries to the grower network, and they have introduced plants suited for their area.

“That’s what’s nice about the American Beauties program is its regionality,” he said. “It actually mirrors what happens in gardening in America. It’s truly a regional activity just because of the wide range of climatic zones. The program fits perfectly with that.”

Retail matters

Winnowing down selections is one part of creating a native plant department. The other is making sure the product is appealing to customers. The push toward sustainability and green living has increased awareness about native plants. And consumers seem to be receptive to the concept.

“We have experienced a dramatic increase in popular interest in native plant gardens over the last five years,” Thilgen said. “Most of our new clients now mention ‘native plants’ in their list of desired elements. Ten years ago that was rare.”

Growers like Prides Corner Farms are trying to capitalize on this interest.

“It think the American Beauties program has turned some plants that have been strictly landscape and rehabilitation plants into plants consumers are embracing,” Kane said. “They’re good plants, but they’re not sexy plants.”

Kane concedes that some natives have problems with “bench appeal.” Several popular selections reach their peak late in the sales season. Prides Corner compensates by offering early bloomers in its program. The company also offers marketing materials to help catch customers’ eyes and spark curiosity about native plants.

“Sometimes a garden center has to work a little harder to sell them,” Kane said. “But they’re in customers’ minds. With the whole green movement people know -- even subconsciously -- that they’re there.”

For more: Four Dimensions Landscape Co., (510) 893-1999; www.fourdimensionlandscape.com. Prides Corner Farms, (800) 437-5168; www.pridescorner.com.

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- Sarah Martinez

July 2008