Native Plants—Practical Information:

• Native to where?

North America, Mid-Atlantic Chesapeake Bay Watershed

• What are invasives?

Invasives have no natural predators (insects, grazing animals, or diseases) to control them as they would in their home environments. This allows them to compete, sometimes aggressively, with native plants for natural resources—water, nutrients, space, sunlight. Additionally, local insects, birds, and grazing animals that are not adapted to these invasive species can suffer as the invasive species crowd out the native plants upon which they depend (e.g., through loss of food or water source, loss of habitat area).

• Some examples of invasives:
• Garlic mustard
• Crown vetch
• Garden ornamentals
• People have attachments to specific invasive plants-(ex: in the case of our meeting house, the Norway Maple) 

• There are many reasons to choose native plants for landscaping/gardening:

• They are suited perfectly to the climate and growing conditions of an area. "Matching the right plant to the right location" becomes easy with native plants
• Once established, they require less care—few or no pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers.
• Native plants help preserve characteristics that make an area unique.
• Native plants provide food and habitat for birds, insects, and animals that depend on them.

• For more information on landscaping with plants native to our area: