Native Plants: Backyard Habitat Planting

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Why grow natives?

Plants native to the soils and climate of your specific area provide the best overall food sources for wildlife, while generally requiring less fertilizer, less water, and less effort in controlling pests.
Native plants may support 10 to 50 times as many species of native wildlife as non-native plants. Too often, exotic plants brought to our continent for their horticultural or wildlife value spread rapidly and take over farm and woodland, and decimate native plants and animals.
Since native plantings can reduce the need for water and chemical inputs and can maintain or enhance biological diversity, wildlife gardeners concerned about conservation should strive toward incorporating native plantings as much as possible in their plans.
Learn more on the importance of native plants and NWF partner, Lady Bird Johnson.

What you can do

All species have four basic requirements for survival. These are food, water, cover, and places to raise young.
Buy or grow your own native plants. Be absolutely sure that your nursery can guarantee that its stock is not dug from the wild.
Join and become active in a native plant group.
Promote the use of native plants in roadside, school, and commercial landscaping.
Save native plant communities in your area. It's much harder to restore wild areas than it is to preserve them.
Learn which native plants are widely available at garden shops in your region.

Not sure which plants are native to your area? Use the NWF searchable Native Plant Guide to find plants for your region.

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