The Benefits of Native Plants
Native plants are those that are indigenous to a specific region, and have evolved to support the ecosystems in that area. These plants have formed symbiotic relationships with native wildlife over hundreds or thousands of years, and therefore offer the most sustainable habitat. Click below to read more about the benefits of these plants.
Native plants help the environment the most when planted in areas that match their growing requirements. They will thrive in the soils and weather of regions that are similar to those they originate from. In places like New Jersey where temperature can go down to zero in the winter and then be in the 90s for weeks in the summer, native plants of the region have developed the ability to find water far below the surface of the ground. Planting native plants rather than exotic ones means less supplemental watering and fewer pest problems. Hence, less water waste and fewer toxic chemicals.
Native plants also assist in managing rain water runoff and help to maintain healthy soil as their root systems are deep. The picture above shows a great example of why native plants are so incredible. It's a fairly straight forward diagram showing the depth of many native plants compared to a standard lawn grass (fescue turf). Fescue turf has a root system that is less than 4 inches deep. The roots can't keep the grass alive in hot, dry times of the year because they aren't long enough to find water beyond their depth. This is why you have to water it so much. The other plants shown, such as Buffalo Grass, are natives. The roots of this grass can grow as deep as 8 ft. This allows the plant to stay healthy during hot and dry summers without excess watering.
Another benefit of native plants is the ecological services they perform. They help clean ground water with their deep root systems that anchor soil and act as filters, while absorbing water and decreasing flooding. Native plants also provide pollen, nectar, and homes for bees, butterflies and other many other pollinators.
