The Must-Know List of Native Plants for Your Garden

December is one of my favorite months, not just because of the holidays and the time I am able to spend with my family. I get a break from gardening duties and beekeeping! Spring, Summer, and Fall are crazy. There’s always some garden or homestead task to do and it’s exhausting. With that being said, Winter is not idle time. It is time for planning the garden! Now, I have mostly installed the plants I have wanted to add to my property (fortunately). But, I know that there are others out there who have some Spring planting goals. This is for you.

Native Plants

I have an urban homestead in Durham that adheres to permaculture practices. In addition to harvesting rainwater with cisterns, building Hugelkultur beds, and composting, I am passionate about native plants. What are “native” plants? “Native” refers to flora and fauna that existed in North America before European settlement. “Non-native” plants are species that have been introduced to an area, either purposefully or accidentally. “Invasive” plants are non-native plants that compete with native species and whose growing habits pose an ecological threat as their natural controls (e.g. animals, competition, disease, climate) are missing. All invasives are non-native but not all non-natives are invasive.

As an admitted lazy gardener, I prefer low-maintenance plants that thrive in our increasingly warm North Carolina Piedmont climate, now officially Zone 8a. Inspired by Doug Tallamy’s “Nature’s Best Hope,” I dedicate at least 75% of my property to native plants, with the rest reserved for non-native ornamentals and edibles.

Native plants, when properly placed, demand less water and upkeep, contributing to a climate-resilient landscape. They’re naturally adapted to our local conditions, allowing me to largely leave them to their own devices. While some can be vigorous spreaders, like the Purple Passionflower, I’m willing to intervene occasionally to control their growth, prioritizing the support of biodiversity.

Native plants have evolved with native invertebrates and animals. As such, they have several functions in an ecosystem:

1. Provide cover and shelter

2. Provide food for birds, mammals, and other animals

3. Serve as larval hosts for invertebrates, including endangered/threatened pollinators

4. Provide nectar for hummingbirds and pollinators

To reinforce the importance of planting native, it is necessary to understand that some larval caterpillars have been adapted to only eat from specific host plants. The best example is the Monarch Butterfly. Milkweed is their ONLY host plant. The adults lay their eggs on the plants and then the caterpillars eat the foliage. No milkweeds, no monarchs.

The North Carolina Wildlife Federation (NCWF) has an initiative called The Butterfly Highway, a solution to declining pollinator numbers due to habitat destruction. The other factors contributing to the decline are pesticide and fungicide use, parasites, and diseases. The Highway aims to restore pollinator habitats by creating a network of native plants that support wildlife that runs across the state and will hopefully connect to highways in other states. My property is currently a “pitstop” on the Butterfly Highway. NCWF offers some tips on how to create your own pollinator pitstop, which does not have to be large. Even a container garden counts! The organization suggests:

1. Planting for several seasons

2. Diversifying nectar and larval sources

3. Starting small

4. Adding bird houses, bat houses, birdbaths, and butterfly puddlers as supplement

Speaking of supplemental actions, the New Hope Audubon Society – a chapter of the NC Audubon Society that covers Durham, Orange, and Chatham counties – has a Leave Your Leaves initiative, which has been endorsed by Durham County. By leaving your leaves on the ground, you are allowing them to break down, adding nutrients to the soil, and providing crucial shelter for insects and invertebrates in the winter, including pollinators and 94% of caterpillars. Coupled with native plants, leaving leaves is an effort to restore native wildlife habitats that are under threat from development.

Ready to create your pollinator garden? Begin by assessing your property’s sunlight and water conditions. Next, focus on “keystone” species, those that support the widest variety of caterpillars. Choose the ones that match your specific sunlight and water needs.

Plan for year-round blooms to provide a continuous source of food and shelter. Remember to use Latin names, not common names, when shopping at nurseries to avoid confusion. Opt for straight species over cultivars whenever possible to maximize ecological benefits. To learn more about why this matters, check out THIS ARTICLE.

**Some species have male and female plants so pay close attention to those plants and install both sexes in order to have pollination. Example: Inkberry (Ilex glabra)**

KEYSTONE PLANTS for birds in the NC Piedmont – these are are at the top of the New Hope Audubon’s Society’s list

Large Trees:

• Oaks (White, Willow, Red, Overcup, Scarlet, Shumard)Black Cherry (Prunus serotina)

• Plums (Wild, Chickasaw)

• Carolina Cherry-laurel (Prunus caroliniana)

Shrubs:

• Blueberries (Rabbiteye, Smooth Highbush, Sparkleberry, Deerberry)

• Tag Alder (Alnus serrulata)

• Roses (Carolina/Pasture, Swamp)

• Viburnums (Blackhaw, Southern arrowwood, Mapleleaf, Possumhaw, Downy arrowwood)

Perennials:

• Black Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida)

• Green-headed Coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata)

• Milkweeds (Swamp, Common, Butterflyweed, Whorled, Redring)

• Beebalms (Spotted Horsemint, Wild Bergamot, Scarlet Beebalm)

Grasses:

• Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)

• Bluestem (Andropogon spp.)

• Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)

Vines:

• Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens)

• Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)

• Lanceleaf Greenbrier (Smilax smallii)

WHAT TO AVOID and WHAT TO REMOVE –
Examples of Rank 1 (Severe Threat) Invasive Species

• Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata)

• Bradford Pear (Pyrus calleryana)

• Chinese Privet (Ligustrum sinense)

• Chinese Wisteria (Wisteria sinensis)

• English Ivy (Hedera helix)

• Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)

• Japanese Stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum)

• Kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata)

• Mimosa/Silk Tree (Albizia julibrissin)

• Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora)

Source: NC Native Plant Society

For more information about invasive plants, please follow the NC Invasive Plant Council.

SUGGESTED NATIVE-FOCUSED NURSERIES AROUND THE TRIANGLE

• Deep Roots Natives (@deep_roots_natives)

• Field to Cottage Nursery (@fieldtocottage)

• NC Botanical Garden (@ncbotanicalgarden)

• Dirtbag Gardens (@dirtbag_gardens)

• Rachel’s Native Plants (@rachelsnativeplants)

• Dog Fennel Farm (@dogfennelfarm)

• Flowering Earth Natives (@floweringearthnatives)

• Dutch Buffalo Farm (@dutchbuffalofarm)

• Mellow Marsh (https://mellowmarshfarm.com/)

If you’re traveling to Western NC, check out Carolina Native Nursery (@carolinanativenursery).

Other Nurseries with Native selections:

• Sarah P. Duke Gardens

• Durham Garden Center

• Red Mill Nursery

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

• Nature’s Best Hope (2019) by Douglas W. Tallamy

• Native Plants of the Southeast: A Comprehensive Guide to the Best 460 Species for the Garden (2014) by Larry Mellichamp

• Landscaping for Wildlife with Native Plants

• North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

• NC Native Plant Society: All Fields Plant Detail Search

This is a mere introduction to the practice of planting native, but it is still a lot of information. It can be overwhelming when starting out. However, you will learn as you go and you will get better at identifying plants. Do a little bit at a time. Chat with other native gardeners and nursery staff. Join an organization like the New Hope Audubon Society or the NC Native Plant Society.

There are a lot of resources available in the Triangle. The Durham County Cooperative Extension Office has been clutch for me; the staff is knowledgeable and the office organizes events and talks open to the public. Take advantage of what’s out there.

Looking for more green thumb resources? Check out Where to Shop for Local Plants

HAPPY PLANTING, EVERYONE!