Native Plants

By slowly building a native backyard ecosystem one or two plants at a time, (or more, if you have the capability), home gardeners can help replace dwindling food and habitats, and attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators.
Our insects and animals rely on the plants around them for survival as they have evolved over time to be able to use different parts of these plants for food and shelter. Local fauna cannot easily adapt to non-native plants. For example, milkweed is the only food source for monarch butterfly caterpillars. When we clear these ‘weeds’ and plant pretty annuals or something else, these butterflies cannot lay their eggs or survive in that area.

What exactly does it mean to be a “native plant”?

Native plants are generally recognized as a specific species that has been growing in a particular area (in our case, Northern New Jersey or the ‘mid-Atlantic area’) prior to European colonization, and have adapted to the local climate and soil conditions, providing food for native species.

Cultivars are created by cross-pollination between two different varieties of a plant, creating new colors, shapes, or fragrance. Although this can happen naturally, most cultivars exist because of human intervention. Even if the ‘parent plants’ are native, there are varying views on the inclusion of cultivars in native gardens. We feel that if the local insects or birds can eat or use these cultivars, it can be included in your native garden without concern. Hybrid plants are the intentional cross-pollination of two different species. Though they may be very pretty, or interesting, they don’t generally support the ecosystem they live in as the insects and animals cannot use them for survival.

We make it easy to incorporate native plants into your garden

Our native/pollinator display makes it easy to see what’s native to our local area at a glance. (Including cultivars that are known to be some pollinator’s favorites). We also include native plants throughout our other displays. Stop by the garden center and ask for a native plant list that you can refer to as you shop. You can also visit our plant finder page or click on our North Jersey Natives plant list. Make sure to read "how to use this resource".