3 Reasons Why Native Plant Species Are Underrated

The exotic plants at big box homegoods stores? They look cool in the planter but can’t compare to native plant species.

Native Plant Species LOVE Your Yard & Want To Live

Your house and your yard are already their home. You don’t have to do some insane watering, feeding, tending routine combined with a sky dance just to get them to live. They are the most low maintenance plant roommate you could hope for – it’s like they just moved from down the street. They love the rain, sun, and soil exactly how you already have it.

There Are Many More Native Plants Than You Think

You don’t see many native plant species because you’re probably noticing the 3 species that humans plant along roads and in parking lots. We’re not super creative…we’re cheap. And we’ve completely lost touch with nature around us. There are so many cool species just a little ways off the road, in the mountains, or along creeks whose only publicity fault is that they don’t have an Instagram account. 

Native Plant Species Are a Perfect Way To Learn Natural History

So you’ve got a native plant and all of the sudden there are butterflies around it. Why? I don’t know – but now you have a reason to look up at the butterfly and learn more about the actual place you live in and why it’s different than every other place on Earth. You’re on your way to learning about bioregionalism!

Next time you need a plant, look up the “native plant substitute” – there are so many University websites that will help you out. You’ll probably save a ton of money too. We recently chose an Inkberry and a Yaupon instead of a generic green shrub and they are delightful.