Mario Bautista
Let’s assume, since you chose to read a gardening article you have an interest in plants. You know there is a ton of information out there on plants: books, magazines, TV shows, seminars, social media, and yes, newspaper articles!
There is a plethora of ideas on garden design, style, different techniques, and of course followers of all these various trends. Gardening do’s and don’ts vary as much as the gardeners giving the advice. It is always fun to listen to other gardeners and glean their wisdom, but often you get a mixture of truth and fiction, tradition and research, trial and error, and of course, superstition. How can you discern which is which?
There is actually plenty of factual, science-based, easy to use information, if you know where to look. Of course, one of your best resources is your local Penn State Extension Office, offering free information, low-cost learning opportunities, and sound advice. They should be your go-to for high-quality knowledge.
By becoming an educated gardener using scientific research to make your plant decisions, you can look beyond the soil, sun and shade, and water requirements and grow what benefits pollinators, wildlife and our environment. Native plants fit this bill. Plants that grew in Pennsylvania before European settlement include more than 2,100 ferns, grasses, sedges, trees, shrubs, vines and flowers.
The PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) offers a wonderful list of native plants, available as a hand-out at the Penn State Extension office or online at http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/plants/nativeplants/index.htm. This is an excellent place to start if you’re interested in adding native plants to your yard but aren’t sure how to take the leap.
Current research led by entomologist and Professor Doug Tallamy from the University of Delaware describes how native plants that give you the most bang for your buck and contribute significantly to ecological health are called keystone plants. As a leading researcher and collaborator with Garden for Wildlife, part of the National Wildlife Federation, he and his team examine the native ecosystem’s many symbiotic relationships. Like the keystone in Pennsylvania’s emblem and the keystone that holds together the Roman arch, these plants are “key” to our ecosystems, holding together the lifecycles of local flora and fauna.
Native plants have evolved within the local environment over the millennia; they provide what’s needed by the local birds, insects, pollinators, and wildlife, adapting over time together. That synergy is the key to the success of the whole circle of life and is why invasive plants pose such a threat to upsetting that balance.
The use of native and keystone plants will form a beautiful and well-balanced garden. These plants add not only beauty, but also food, nectar, habitat, nesting sites, and erosion control. Keystone plants vary from region to region; to find species that are best for western Pennsylvania, visit: https://homegrownnationalpark.org/keystone-trees-and-shrubs/ or Google “Keystone native plants ecoregion 8” to find a very helpful list of keystone species for eastern temperate forests.
Adding these plants to your existing gardens is the easiest way to begin and can be done in gardens of any size, including containers! When you have a choice, buy a native plant, and better yet. When you are replacing landscaping, do your homework before you shop. Make a list with detailed botanical (Latin) names, because common names add confusion and can be misleading.
An extensive plant list is beyond the extent of this article, but I can tell you one of my favorite groups of natives has the disadvantage of being called “weeds:”
· Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
· Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
· Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
· Iron Weed (Veronia noveboracensis)
· Joe-Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum)
· Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis)
· Pokeweed (Phytolacca Americana)
I won’t say “Go Wild!,” but I certainly advise you to “Go Native!”
If you’re intrigued by these concepts but are confused about where to start in your yard, join the Master Gardeners for the final installment of the Environmental Field Studies series, “Landscaping with Natives” on Sept. 7.
This class will give a hands-on and in-depth look at how to incorporate native plants into every size landscape, no matter how well-maintained or wild. You don’t need acres of property to make a positive ecological impact! To learn more and register, visit https://extension.psu.edu/environmental-field-studies-landscaping-with-natives or call our Garden Hotline at 724-371-2062.
Martha Murdock is a Penn State Master Gardener in Beaver County.
