What are “native plants” and why should we care?

The term “native plants” generally refers to plants that existed in the region before settlement (European settlement, in the case of North America). It is important to remember that life on this planet and in each region has been shaped over hundreds of millions of years. Insects have been on this planet for about 479 million years. Flowering plants have been on earth for around 130 million years. Butterflies evolved around 100 million years ago and birds evolved around 65 million years ago. As you can imagine, these tens of millions of years of coexistence have shaped the trajectory and relationships of many species.

You’ve probably heard of the monarch butterfly and its dependence on milkweed (Asclepias sp.), but did you know that this is more of the norm in insect/plant relationships than it is unique? Thousands of species, from the endangered Karner blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis, which relies on “sundial lupine” (lupinus perennis)) to the Denticulate longhorn bee (Melissodes denticulatus, which specializes on ironweed) have coevolved to depend on and mutually benefit each other. Without host plants (plants that an organism lives on and/or depends on for its life cycle), many species on this planet would go extinct. This is important to notice, as many of the plants we have in our very own yards are not indeed native to this region. Think of the fall greenhouse staple “hardy mums”, for example … they’re primarily native to east Asia. They do not have North American host species as they have been in North America for too short a time to have relationships with our native insects. Tulips? They’re native to Asia as well. The same is true for countless other species sold in your local greenhouses and hardware stores. As our country has become more and more developed, non-native species have supplanted the native plants that our pollinators and our food webs depend upon, and this is a big problem.

Did you know that 96% of birds raise their young on insects? Did you know that three-fourths of the world’s plants and 35% of the world’s food crops depend on animal (insects are animals, in case your didn’t know) pollinators? Are you getting the gist here? Native plants are essential to life as we know it, and they have become very scarce. For example, according the the Michigan Natural Features Inventory, Michigan consisted of over 2 million acres of savannah circa 1800. Today only about 8,000 acres (<0.4%) remain. Only through eradication of invasive species and “re-wilding” with native plants can we help our dwindling populations of birds, bees, butterflies, and more beloved creatures that depend on them.

Oh, but the benefits do not end there! In the process of saving our earth’s biodiversity, you can also save money on water and fertilizer (native plants are drought tolerant and thrive in natural soil), spend less time/money on maintenance (cut them back once or twice a year if you like, or just leave them natural), and sequester carbon (native grasses suck up 2-5 tons of carbon per year, per acre)! It’s a win, win, win, win, win! At Magical Mystery Meadows, our mission is to improve, preserve, and experience the world with gratitude. If that appeals to you, we ask you to reach out for a free consultation! Order from our existing assortment of Michigan native trees, Michigan native shrubs, Michigan native grasses, and Michigan native and near native wildflowers! Request specific species that we don’t offer today! Join us in making the world a better place!