Native or not?

Debate about invasive plants continues to make headlines. The ongoing discussion is prompting many people to look at alternatives, including native plants. Which begs the question, just what is a native plant anyway?

The answer isn’t as clear as you may think. The Federal Native Plant Committee offers this definition: “a native plant species is one that occurs naturally in a particular region, state, ecosystem and habitat without direct or indirect human actions.”

This broad description is only marginally helpful to retailers trying to determine which plants belong in its natives department. To further complicate matters, some diehard enthusiasts believe only plants that grew in the United States prior to the arrival of Europeans (and their imported plants) should be considered native.

I’m going to explore this issue further in the July issue of Garden Center Magazine. In the meantime, I’d like to hear your thoughts. What are your criteria for native plants? Are you even carrying them? Are customers specifically asking for natives?

-- Sarah