Written by: Charlotte Glen, Horticulture Agent

Interest in gardening with native plants is increasing in the southeast for many reasons, but chief among these is a desire to provide food and shelter for native wildlife such as song birds, beneficial insects, pollinators, and hummingbirds. Research has shown that native animals survive and reproduce more successfully on native plants than on introduced species. Unfortunately we are losing large areas of native vegetation to development, especially in coastal areas. By including native plants in your yard, you can replace some of what is being lost so future generations can enjoy the diversity of plants and animals that enrich our area.

Meet the Natives

Thousands of species of native plants occur throughout southeastern NC, in areas that range from sandhills and coastal dunes, to swamps and river banks. To find natives that will thrive in your yard first determine what your growing conditions are then choose plants adapted to your site. For example, do you have poor sandy soil or heavy clay soil that drains slowly? Is your yard sunny or shady? Some readily available native plants that thrive in poorly drained areas include Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica), a medium size shrub with fragrant white blossoms in spring and beautiful burgundy fall color; swamp mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos) a perennial hibiscus producing large pink, white or red flowers in summer that hummingbirds adore; and Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium dubium), a late summer blooming perennial with clusters of pink flowers that are frequently visited by butterflies.

Native plants available from local garden centers that prefer sandy soils include pink muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris), an extremely drought tolerant native grass that produces airy masses of iridescent pink flowers in fall; beautyberry bush (Callicarpa americana), a deciduous shrubs whose late summer ripening masses of bright magenta berries are relished by birds; and butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa), a tough and long lived perennial with orange summer blossoms often visited by butterflies and other pollinators. Butterflyweed and its relatives are the only plants the caterpillars of monarch butterflies can survive on, and are essential to this butterflies survival.

Designing for Wildlife

Simply planting a few natives in your yard may have some benefit for wildlife, but to really make an impact you need to design plantings with wildlife in mind. A key feature is to plant trees, shrubs and wildflowers in groups and clusters rather than as single specimens, and to include many different types of plants with different flowering and fruiting times to provide food sources throughout the season. Include plants of varying heights, such as tall trees, understory trees and shrubs, and wildflowers to provide habitat at many different levels. Plant evergreens for winter cover and have a source of fresh water, such as a small pond. All of these things help to create a more diverse landscape capable of supporting many different kinds of wildlife.

To help you learn more about landscaping for wildlife with native plants, specialists with NC State University’s Wildlife Extension Program have created the website ‘Going Native: Urban landscaping for wildlife with native plants’, http://www.ncsu.edu/goingnative/ . This extensive site offers expert advice and step by step instructions on how to create wildlife habitat with native plants in your yard, and includes a searchable plant database that allows you to create a personalized list of native species for your landscape. The database includes large and small trees, shrubs, wildflowers, ferns and grasses. Most importantly, it lets you search for plants based on the growing conditions found in your yard. You can also search for plants that will provide habitat for specific types of wildlife, such as nectar for hummingbirds, larval food for butterflies, or seeds and fruits. You will also find links to lists of sources of native plants to help you find nurseries where you can buy them.

If you have gardening questions, contact your local Cooperative Extension Office. If you live in Pender County, call 259-1235. In New Hanover County, call 798-7660 and in Brunswick County call 253-2610, or visit https://www.ces.ncsu.edu/