In modern landscapes, there tends to be a plant palette that is accepted as the norm, meaning that deviations from that norm are viewed as unusual, plain, or sometimes downright unattractive. In actuality, many of the plants included in more traditional designs are holdovers from the gardening culture of the Eastern US – which, in turn, got many of their plants from the peoples of Western Europe (who adopted gardening for aesthetic purposes from the Middle East and China!)
The Beauty of Native Plants
But what happens when these typical sensibilities are confronted by the realities of living here in northern Utah? Not only is the climate dramatically different here in the Western US, so is the culture, in regards to gardening or otherwise. There is also a surprisingly diverse palette of plants with native connections that offer different options for landscape design. Native plants may have different aesthetics and care from the “traditional” suite of plants used in gardening, but we live in such a beautiful place, known throughout the world for its unique natural beauty, so why do we design our outdoor spaces to pretend like we live somewhere else?
Our plants and our designs ought to differ. We ought to expand our design horizons away from the more typical norms and toward those with deeper connections to our unique environment.
In other words, we should start to think, and plant, NATIVELY.
What are Native Plants?
Native plants are those that evolved in an area before humans ever started intentionally planting and cultivating them, and certainly before we introduced plants from other regions of the continent/planet. These plants, and the other organisms that co-evolved with them, are uniquely adapted to the conditions present where they are from. The geology, hydrology, sunlight, elevation, etc. – along with all of the other components of the biosphere – influence every organism in both subtle and grand ways: the chemistry of the soil being alkaline or acidic; the presence or lack of abundant moisture; whether the plant is growing on a sunny, rocky ridge at 10,000 ft. or down in a shaded riparian corridor at 3,000 ft; which pollinators exist in an area, and when they are active; these are just some of the conditions that select for certain traits in a plant. And the plants we see today are the result of millions of years of these selective pressures, meaning they are supremely adapted to the unique and sometimes extreme growing conditions we have here in Utah.
These plants stand opposed to noxious and invasive plants, which evolved elsewhere, have naturalized here, and are outcompeting native plants for resources. Well-known examples include Russian Olive, Siberian Elm, and Tree-of-Heaven. Invasive species are fine where they are from, but here, they have none of the checks and balances that would keep their population at a healthy level. With no competition, they run rampant, causing a chain of effects whose consequences we have yet to truly understand..
Native Plants and Our Ecosystem
Here’s one big reason to plant native: all of the other beings that evolved right alongside these plants rely on and need these plants to survive. Insects are perhaps the most important group of organisms that need these plants. For instance, Utah has over 1,000 species of native bees, more than the entire coast of the Eastern US. Anywhere from 30-50% of native bees are highly specialized, meaning they feed on just one species of plant. And those are just the bees! We can’t forget the butterflies, moths, beetles, etc. Habitat loss due to development, resource extraction, climate change, and the introduction of non-native and invasive species have led to a decline in insect populations, which, in turn, lead to a decline in nearly every other metric. Plant and insect populations form the foundation of the entire food web, and those losses have cascading effects on the rest of the world. Due to these factors, it is important to conserve what small pieces of habitat that we can. Even a few plants in your yard can make a difference!
Why plant Natives in your Yard?
There are more practical considerations for choosing native plants: For one, they can be extremely easy to grow. Since they are used to our natural conditions, they don’t need special soil, fertilizer, care, watering, pruning, etc. Many of them are quite heat and drought-tolerant as well. They are perfect for the hands-off gardener! Secondly, we have an immense diversity of colorful and beautiful plants that can fit perfectly into the typical landscape. Using our limited resources, particularly water, wisely is especially prudent in today’s climate, but your yard doesn’t need to look like you don’t water much. Many native plants need little to no supplemental water, and will perform gracefully under such conditions. Watering even occasionally throughout the warmer months can give these plants a big boost, however. One can still have a lush, verdant yard when using native plants.
There is a native plant for every niche of your yard, no matter how challenging or unique. There are plants that grow in every part of Utah, from alpine meadows to salty desert basins. Many folks along the Wasatch Front have planting sites that are hot and may be struggling to find plants that will survive along a south-facing brick wall or parking strip. The answer? Plant native! Not only will they survive, they will thrive. Do you have a planting bed in partial sun that is too hot for shade plants, but too dark for full-sun plants? Plant native! Plants like sticky cranesbill, meadow blazingstar, and golden currant will love it there. Is your soil just rocky, heavy clay? Plant native! No need to amend your soil when there are plants that prefer or even need that tough love.
Native plants just make sense!
Taking Care of Native Plants
Native plants are tough and durable once established. This doesn’t happen overnight. Some plants, particularly trees and other slow-growing specimens, may take a couple of years to be properly established. Many smaller perennials can become well-established in a matter of weeks or months. For the initial establishment phase, plan on keeping a closer eye on them. Once established, many native plants need minimal maintenance.
Pruning
- Many plants, not just natives, perform best when pruned in early spring, not in the fall. Right before your plants wake up is a great time to start cutting back or shaping. Pruning before winter can be difficult for some plants to recover from. Also, the winter garden can be quite attractive! Colors may be muted, but textures, structures, and movement are still present. Wildlife will benefit from winter forage and shelter, as well.
- Gardening with native plants implies somewhat of a less formal design, in order to imitate our natural ecosystems more fully. But if one prefers a more neat or manicured look, that is still possible. You can get out there and deadhead your flowers, or prune your shrubs into a hedge, if you want to. With native plants, you have much more flexibility. Unlike other plants that have been domesticated, native plants don’t need to be hands-on to look good. Even with a more natural look, it isn’t a bad idea to have a few “cues to care” in your garden. Laying a pathway, placing a bench or bird-bath along the border, and having varying tiers of height to your garden will make a big difference in convincing your neighbors that you haven’t just given up on your yard and let the weeds grow.
Watering
- Not all natives are drought-tolerant, but many of them are – and that is the reason most get into planting native in the first place. It must be emphasized again: drought-tolerance comes with establishment. Frequency and volume depends on the type of plant, the age of it, your soil conditions and sun exposure, etc. Consistency is key, regardless. Generally, drought-tolerant plants prefer to be watered deeply but infrequently.
Soil Amendments
- As previously mentioned, many native plants actually prefer poor soil, especially those that are native to the lower elevations of the Great Basin and the Mojave. Some may prefer soil with ample drainage (more sandy), while others prefer soil that retains more moisture (more clayey), but generally the fertility of the soil ought to be low. So, no need to amend your soil significantly. Unless, of course, the draining capability of the soil does not match what you have. A little organic matter never hurts, but don’t add in manure or peat. Peat should stay in the bogs!
- An appropriate soil amendment, however, would be a product like Utelite. Utelite is a locally produced amendment. It is inorganic, and thus will not alter the fertility of the soil. But it will immensely help with soil texture – Utelite is effective at increasing soil drainage and reducing compaction in clay soils, and conversely it also helps with water and nutrient retention in sandier soils.
Placement
- Many plant tags may say the plant needs “full-sun”. This does not necessarily mean unmitigated sun for the entire day, but rather at least 6-8 hours. Even cacti don’t mind a little shade. A south or west facing aspect of your landscape would be great for more desert-oriented plants, while an east or north facing aspect could work well for mountainous plants that might only need half a day or less of sun. Take advantage of the natural microclimates in your yard! You would be surprised how much it varies.
