by Mitch Russell
Part one of this article (in the April newsletter) focused on making space in your garden by removing exotic invasive plants. This month we’ll try to align the garden with what was found in our region when the Cherokee roamed unmolested: a wonderful variety of native plants.
Now that you’ve removed some English ivy, Chinese privet, garlic mustard, and other newcomers to free up space, it’s time to discover the benefits and beauty of natives. There are great traditional alternatives that are better adjusted to our climate and won’t take over your yard, your neighbor’s, or all of Montford.
Instead of Leland cypress consider arborvitae, a relative of eastern cedar. Arborvitae snags have been found near Linville Gorge dating back more than 600 years. Replace liriope—AKA monkey grass or several other names—with a sedge, such as seersucker sedge. Many of us already know about purple coneflower echinacea, black-eyed Susan, dogwood, and crossvine—all natives and easy to establish in your yard.
What advantages do natives provide over exotic invasives? Using native plants contributes to the health and often the restoration of an ecosystem. Planting natives in an urban setting helps restore the character of the land and places fewer demands on resources. Additionally, they are uniquely adapted to local conditions and the area’s wildlife, including important pollinators and migratory birds. One such native species is the tulip poplar (profiled in the April article) that provides a nectar source for bees.
Native Plant Resources
Books
- www.ncwildflower.org/neatstuff4you/books.htm#wildflowers. A great list, but it’s quite exhaustive and cumbersome, so also check out these individual books:
Nurseries
These companies agree not to sell kudzu, English ivy, Chinese privet, and such whereas other nurseries may sell natives but also sell exotic invasives. For a master list, visit www.ncwildflower.org/natives/sources.htm
- Burnsville (retail and wholesale): www.carolinanativenursery.com
- Pineola-Linville Gorge area (retail and wholesale): www.gardensoftheblueridge.com
- Murphy (wholesale): strawn@webworkz.com
- Candler (wholesale): www.southeasternnatives.com
