Ella's Advice: Go Native

shrubs , Ella's Advice , Native Plants

We can all relate to those hard-to-grow areas, like heavy shade or those low spots that are mud most of the time. Here’s a few ideas using native plants that are incredibly easy to grow and also attract songbirds and butterflies.

What Do You Mean, Native Plants?

The simplest answer is: plants that have grown in this region of the globe even before colonial expansion. Over all that time, these plants adapted to various soil, water, weather and sunlight conditions as well as developed a strong tolerance to local common plant problems and diseases. Basically – native plants are tough!

Added Bonus

These plants are not only rewarding for you – but also for wildlife like songbirds and butterflies. Natives can provide an excellent source of food and shelter for many species all year long.

A Few Favorites

There are dozens to choose from - each with their own distinctive characteristics and qualities. Here’s a few that I enjoy: Happy Gardening!

Amethyst Falls Wisteria

A beautiful climbing vine, perfect for trellises and arbors. Its lavender-purple, grape-like flowers attract native butterflies and insects. Very easy to grow and blooms at a far earlier age than other Wisteria and it’s not as aggressive. Tolerates shade, but will only flower well in full sun.

Winterthur Viburnum

A compact cultivar with fragrant white flowers arranged in clusters April-May. The flowers provide nectar for butterflies, native bees and other pollinators. Flowers are followed by clusters of rounded berries that change color as they ripen from light pink to deep pink to blue to purplish-black. Glossy dark green leaves turn maroon or dark red-purple in fall. Plant in full sun to part shade.

Northern Bayberry

Very aromatic, dark green foliage with a thick branching habit form a wide, flowing shrub that thrives in a multitude of sun exposures and soils. In the winter, birds love the waxy gray berries and the dense twigs for cover.
Fun fact : Native strands of this plant provided an essential supply of aromatic oils that were historically used to manufacture soaps, candles and other household products even before colonial times. Even today, you can still find Bayberry candles.

Button Bush

NEW at Hoerr Nursery for 2011 - Tremendous source of nectar for hummingbirds, butterflies and other pollinators, and thrives in very wet conditions. Hundreds of tiny, creamy white flowers are packed into large showy flower heads, which dangle from the bush in August. The fragrant flower heads mature into round fruits each containing hundreds of nutlike seeds that are eaten by waterfowl and other birds.