Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey88 Lipman Drive, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8525

Phone: 732.932.5000

Cooperative ExtensionDeborah Pinto, Rutgers Master Gardener of Burlington County

Meredith Melendez, Horticulture Consultant, Burlington County

Incorporating Native Plants in Your Residential Landscape

Fact Sheet FS1140

What are Native Plants?The term native plant is fluid and can have many different meanings. In general, native plants are species that were present at the beginning of the European settlement of North America. These plants , over time, have evolved to grow in a specific region. Native plants have established complex relationships with other native plants, insects and animals, some of which are dependent on one another to thrive. Generally, native plants naturally occur within a radius of 100 miles of your area and many can do well with a minimum of care once established.

Why Consider Native Plants?Native plants have evolved to thrive in a specific region, and within specific ecosystems. These plants, when situated in the proper environment, support their ecosystems more diversely than exotic plantings. While many homeowners have incor-porated flowering plants in their landscapes to attract certain birds and butterflies, the habitat needed to support insect life is greatly needed. Exotic plants may offer a nectar source for wildlife, but in many cases their leaves, fruits, pollen and nectar are not the preferred food of our vital native insects and wild-life. The lack of proper habitat and food sources for native birds and insects is one factor in the decline of many of these species in the United States.

The reliance on standard exotic landscape plants leads to predictable landscapes regardless of the region. This creates a loss of regional aesthetic identity. Homeowners who desire for pristine landscapes have created residential properties devoid of leaf and plant litter. With proper planning you can maintain a more natural landscape using native plants, saving money on fertilizers and achieving a lower maintenance landscape.

When considering the use of native plants in your residential garden, it is necessary to identify your landscape goals and to assess conditions in your landscape to guide your selection of the most appropriate native plants for your property.

Identify Your Landscape Goals • Reduce maintenance and use of fertilizers and pesticides. • Incorporate native plants by replacing plants that are not

doing well; adding natives to an existing landscape; or systematically replacing exotic plants with natives.

• Transition the landscape to reflect the native plants of my region.

• Provide habitat for certain native species to successfully reproduce.

• Provide a food source for native wildlife and insects.

Native Landscape Planning ConsiderationsThe key to success is to prepare a working plan and amend it as you progress. Here are some things to consider:

• Determine the desired length of time to transition your landscape to native plants.

• Inventory what plants, native or exotic, you already have on your property.

• Set a goal of the number or percentage of natives you want in your landscape, and identify the exotic plants you want to replace.

• Take into consideration any special uses you would like to highlight in the plant such as producing food for you and/or wildlife, seasonal color and textures, fragrance, etc.

• Know the growth habit of the plants, including their mature size, rate of growth, and ability to spread or stay where planted in the landscape.

• Strive for a mixture of plants that provide continuous color in the garden, thereby offering more nectar and pollen sources, resulting in a more sustainable landscape.

Assessing Current Landscape ConditionsThere are three elements to successful planting that you must consider for each specific space on your property. These individual assessments are necessary since conditions can vary on your property depending on the location.

1. Is the soil mostly sand, silt or clay textured? Wet, or well drained? Is the soil acidic, neutral or alkaline? If you don’t know, contact your county Cooperative Extension office for a soil test for a minimal fee.

2. What amount of sun light is available throughout the day? Full sun equals 6+ hours of direct sunlight, part sun equals 4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight, part shade equals 2 to 4 hours of direct sunlight and shade equals less than 2 hours of direct sunlight.

3. How much water is available by natural means? You must be willing to commit to watering any new plants when there’s inadequate rainfall to get them established the first year.

Picking the Right Plants Now the fun part begins by identifying what native plants you’d like for your landscape. Table 1 identifies native plants that tend to be more readily available through local nurseries and plant catalogs. Keep in mind that your native plants, if situated properly, will grow readily so consider buying smaller sized plants. Smaller sized plants also adapt better to their new locations and often catch up in size to larger sized plants within a few years.

Where to Buy Native PlantsIt is important to emphasize that you should not acquire native plants from the wild. Purchase your plants from a reputable dealer using plant species native to your area. If you’re having trouble finding any of these plants, you can either ask your local nursery if they can order it for you, or check out one of the website links provided.

Suggested ReadingField Guide to Wildflowers of North America, D.M. Brandenburg, 2010, Sterling Press. Armitages Native Plants for North American Gardens, A.A. Arimitage, 2006, Timber Press. Bringing Nature Home, Douglas Tallamy, 2009, Timber Press. Plant Communities of New Jersey, K.H. Anderson and B.R. Collins, 1994, Rutgers Press. Native Plants of the North East, Donald J. Leopold, 2005, Timber Press.

Suggested WebsitesNative Plant Society of NJ, www.npsnj.org National Wildlife Federation; Backyard Wildlife Habitat; www.nwf.org/habitatsNational Parks Service, Plants Conservation Alliance, www.nps.gov/plants/Wild-Ones, Native Plant Landscaping, www.for-wild.orgUSDA Plants Database, www.plants.usda.govNew Jersey Natural Resource Conservation Service, www.nj.nrcs.usda.gov/plants.html

Figure CaptionsPage 1 (l-r): Eupatorium purpureum, Geranium maculatum, Asclepias tuberose. Page 2 (t-b): Cornus sericea, Lobelia cardinalis, Clethra alnifolia

Tab

le 1

. Nor

thea

ster

n U

.S.,

Mid

-Atla

ntic

Sta

tes

Nat

ive

Plan

t Re

com

men

datio

ns

Com

mon

Nam

eLa

tin N

ame

Soil

Type

Sunl

ight

Hei

ght &

Gro

wth

Com

men

ts

TREE

S

Am

eric

an E

lmU

lmus

am

eric

ana

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ceto

n'A

vera

geFu

ll su

n10

0 ft

., ra

pid

New

cul

tiva

r re

sist

ant t

o D

utch

Elm

dis

ease

.

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eric

an H

olly

Ilex

opac

aA

vera

geFu

ll su

n-p

t. sh

ade

30 f

t, sl

ow

Ever

gree

n. N

eed

mal

e &

fem

ale

for

red

berr

ies.

Am

eric

an H

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Car

pinu

s ca

rolin

iana

Ave

rage

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t. sh

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30 f

t., s

low

Can

't to

lera

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roug

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smal

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d C

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ll.

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