Let DC’s Native Plants Have Home Rule

by Mary Farrah
Extension agent, UDC CAUSES Urban Gardening & Forestry Outreach

When the empires of yore explored new lands and relentlessly expanded their territories, it was all the rage to import the strange and beautiful flora of these conquests into the finest gardens of Europe. This long-standing tradition of treasuring only the most exotic visage of our gardens is upheld to this day, but what is the price we pay for our foreign preferences? And what consequences do the absence of the native flora have on this once exotic, vast and stunning land?

In Europe, the introduction of the newly-discovered exotic plant species was reaching its zenith by the 19th and mid-20th centuries with the expeditions of botanist-adventurers like Joseph D. Hooker, Robert Fortune and others who imported thousands of species into Europe and the U.K. This trend took longer to catch on here in America, and only a few exotic ornamental gardens dotted the landscape. But by the 1900s, America had produced its own prominent plant explorers.

In the U.K. today, only six percent of the flora is native. The U.S. is not too far behind with our 17,000 native plants comprising only a quarter of our total plant population. Of the 50,000-plus species of exotic plants that have been introduced since European settlement, 10 percent escape cultivation and establish in natural areas, becoming serious pests. These are collectively known as invasive plants, and in spite of the $35 billion they cost annually in damage and associated management, many continue to be landscaping favorites. So prevalent and entrenched are these species (PDF), that they’re more recognizable to people than our own native plant species.

Why go native?

Imported plant species have some great qualities that we like, such as large, fragrant, showy flowers or cold-hardy, shade-tolerant, evergreen leaves, but they are no substitute for our native flora. Native plants, though not always as ostentatious, play a critical role in our ecosystem. They provide the foundation of the food web as the first trophic level (or position in the food chain), converting the sun’s rays into food. Yes, exotic plants also photosynthesize, but our native herbivore insect species rely almost exclusively on the native flora they co-evolved with for food.

In addition to their important function as pollinators, these herbivore insects are the second trophic level in the food web and provide a much-needed protein-rich diet to our native bird species. This is of particular importance during nesting season as it creates strong eggshells. By planting species that are native to the region you can invite a host of wildlife, from various insects and spiders to birds and mammals, and increase biodiversity right in your backyard. For example, a single oak tree can host up to 534 butterfly and moth species!

That is not to say that your property will have to look like a meadow, wetland or forest. With an attractive landscape design that incorporates use of appropriate native plants for your site as the foundation, your yard can be transformed into a functional part of the ecosystem while maintaining curb appeal.

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There are also other benefits for the sustainably-minded. Less water is needed once the plants have established because they are adapted to this climate, which also means less overall maintenance. And since insects are recognized as an important part of the food web and not just a pest, insecticides will not be needed.

Native plant guides and resources

To learn more about the concept of landscaping with native plants and its ecological importance, Bringing Nature Home by Douglas W. Tallamy is an invaluable resource.

Chesapeake Natives (PDF) is very useful guide for plants native to the Chesapeake Bay watershed from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is an interactive online resource for native plants.

If you want to find if you have invasive plants in your yard, this comprehensive regional guide by the National Park Service will help.

If you own a home in Washington, the District Department of the Environment (DDOE) offers BayScaping (landscaping with plants native to the Chesapeake Bay watershed) as part of its RiverSmart Homes program.

The Rock Creek Conservancy has some backyard habitat programming in the works so keep your ears out.

It’s not too late to plant! Actually, if you’re planning ahead, fall is a great time to plant as the roots have a chance to establish before being hit with summer heat and droughts – not to mention great end-of-season sales! Here is a list of local plant nurseries that carry native plant selections.

Garden Center	Address	Phone	Carries Native Plants
Earth Sangha	Located in Franconia Park off of Cloud Drive in Springfield, Virginia. Behind the community garden.	703-764-4830	Biggest variety of local ecotypes in the metro area. All plants are from seed collected in Virginia. Schedule an appointment and co-founder Lisa Bright can assist. Extensive native plant knowledge and worth trip. lbright@earthsangha.org
Johnson’s Flower & Garden	4200 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016	202-244-6100	Yes, carries some. Getting more in June.
American Plant	5258 River Rd, Bethesda, MD 20816	301-656-3311	Yes, whole section
American Plant	7405 River Rd, Bethesda, MD 20817	301-656-3311	Yes
Behnke Nurseries Company	9545 River Road, Potomac, MD 20845	301-983-9200	Yes, whole section
Old City Farm and Guild	925 Rhode Island Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001	202-412-2489	Carries native perennials and shrubs
Ginkgo Gardens	911 11th St SE, Washington, DC 20003	202-543-5172	Yes, they’re not in a separate section but are dispersed throughout. Some are labeled; staff can assist
Frager’s Hardware	1323 E St SE, Washington, DC 20003	202-543-6157	Yes, carries some; willing to accommodate if people bring a list of what they want

Native plants used in landscaping

Grasses: Little bluestem, River oats, Switchgrass, Eastern gama grass
Perennials: Canada, Wood and Turk’s Cap lilies; Virginia bluebells, Butterfly milkweed, Goldenrods, Oxe-eye daisy, Black-eyed Susan, Bee balm, Horsemint, Blazingstar, Wild Ginger, Wild blue indigo, Evening primrose, Joe-Pye weed, Cardinal flower, Moss phlox, New England aster, Spring beauty, Lobelia, American bellflower, Yarrow, Columbine, Woodland poppy, Coreopsis, Lizard’s tail, Christmas fern, Beardtongue.
Vines: American wisteria, Trumpetcreeper, Passionflower, Trumpet honeysuckle.
Shrubs: Arrowwood viburnum, Strawberry bush, Maple-leaf viburnum, Partridgeberry, Inkberry, Highbush blueberry, Wild hydrangea, Oakleaf hydrangea, Flame azalea, Pinkster azaelea.
Trees: Redbud, Fringetree, Sugar maple, Post or White oak, Elderberry, Serviceberry, Winterberry holly, American plum, American crabapple, Sweetbay magnolia.