Bluebells, Dogwoods, Redbuds and More!
Who amongst us isn't captivated by the outdoors at this time of year? April is an ideal time for adding native plants. The weather typically remains cooler and allows time for plants to begin to establish before the heat of summer. In February, we talked about ways to add life to your garden by planting natives: adding a new layer of trees, shrubs or perennials, creating a new garden bed or perhaps adding one plant to start! The next step is finding your native plants. It's easy and fun but proceed with intention!
Local Ecotype Plants
First, it's helpful to know the type of native plants you want. If you are searching for the highest ecological value, you will want to look for a native plant nursery specializing in local eco-type plants -- plants indigenous within a fifty or so mile radius and grown from seed to preserve genetic diversity. We are fortunate to have four nurseries who sell these types of plants: Bona Terra (Washington DC), Chesapeake Natives (Rosaryville MD), Earth Sangha (Springfield VA) and Wildflower Native Plant Nursery (Bethesda).
Native Plants and CultivarsIf you are looking for plants generally native to our region, you might look to native plant nurseries selling regional natives and cultivars. These nurseries typically include plants like oak leaf hydrangeas, native to the southeast, and northern white cedars, native a bit farther to the north. Herring Run Nursery (Baltimore), Lauren's Garden Service (Ellicott City MD) Unity Churchill Nursery (just south of Chestertown MD) and Watermark Woods (Hamilton VA) have a nice array of these plants.
Garden CentersIf you have a favorite large garden center, like American Plant, Merrifield Gardens or Patuxent Nursery, you can find native plants here as well but do be prepared to do a bit of double checking. The majority of plants sold at large garden centers are ornamental, not native. All of these nurseries have either a native plant section or a native plant labeling system. You can't rely solely on sections or labels though. Customers move plants around amidst the hustle and bustle of busy days. Your phone and the latin name on the plant tag are your best allies. Googling the latin name along with "Missouri Botanical Garden" will quickly tell you where the plant originates from. Also, please note a plant will sometimes be labeled "US Native." This really doesn't tell us anything useful. A tree native to Colorado will not support wildlife like one native to the mid-Atlantic will. You can also be on the lookout for "American Beauties," a line of plants always native to the Chesapeake region.
Plants by MailMail order is a great option. Check out directnativeplants.com, izelplants.com, thepollennation.com and plantmorenatives.com.
Our nurseries who make a go of it selling only natives are treasures to support! To the extent you are able, supporting nurseries selling native plants helps grow their market which is good for the Chesapeake Watershed! For more information about where to buy native plants, please visit nutsfornatives.com.
Happy Planting!