At Prickly Ed's we don't promote the importance of native plants because that's what we sell. We sell native plants because of their importance to functioning ecosystems. Native plants are the foundation of sustainable, resilient, life supporting gardens and landscapes. Despite this, horticultural surveys have shown that less than 15% of plants sold in traditional garden centers are Native Plants. The majority of them are actually imported exotic / ornamental plants. In Rhode Island, even non-native, invasive plants may be found on garden center shelves. This leads to tremendous confusion about what a native plant actually is. Many people - entirely logically - assume that plants that are commonly seen in area landscapes or that are hardy in their "growing zone" are native plants. But native plants have a very specific definition and categorization. Native plants are sometimes referred to as "indigenous" since they are largely the plants that existed in our area all on their own before humans began introducing plants for gardening purposes. So essentially, plants defined as native occur naturally in the region in which they evolved. This is important because the insects, birds and other wildlife who co-evolved with these plants over millions of years need them in order to survive. While pollinators, birds and other creatures may visit other plants, for example for nectar, it is native plants that support them throughout their entire lifecycle, allowing species to survive and thrive. Native plants are the foundation of our web of life.
Native plants are indigenous to a particular region or ecosystem, having evolved in concert with local wildlife, soils, and climatic conditions over hundreds of thousands of years. They are essential components of thriving ecosystems and are critical to the biodiversity of our state. These plants are also essential tools for stormwater management, climate mitigation, and coastal preservation. Despite their enormous value to our state, less than 20% of plants sold through the nursery trade are native species and our region’s landscapes are heavily dominated by nonnative plants.
Nonnative plants—also termed exotic, introduced, or ornamental species—are those that have been brought to an area outside their natural range by human activity, either intentionally or accidentally. These are predominately used in ornamental gardening and have also been used historically in forestry and agriculture. Many nonnative plants have cultural or sentimental value and a history of human uses. While nonnative plants do not support our local ecosystem in the same way as native species, most do not cause any harm and do not need to be managed in any particular way.
Invasive plants are a specific subset of nonnative species that not only successfully establish themselves in a region but also spread aggressively, causing environmental degradation, economic loss, and, in some cases, harm to human health. Invasive species diminish biodiversity by supplanting native plants, thereby undermining wildlife habitats and ecosystem resilience. They often alter soil chemistry and hydrology, resulting in lasting ecological change. Not all nonnative plants are invasive. According to the Non-Native Species Secretariat, only 10-15% of introduced plants have historically become invasive and begun to cause ecological harm. However, these plants require diligent and thoughtful management, including legislative and regulatory efforts.
Ready for a blend of inspiration and practical advice? Spend a few minutes reading our April, 2024 East Bay Life in the Garden article about wild spaces and places popping up around our region and their significance to us all.
We highly recommend the "Know Your Landscape" Tab on the Grow Native Massachusetts website. Once there you can dig in on native plants, invasive plants and the science of plant terminology. These learnings will serve you well when shopping for plants for your landscape.
