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Why Native Plants?

And, Which to Choose

(at 7,000 feet!)

Developed for The Evergreen Garden Club

by Wild Ones Front Range Chapter

(Deb Lebow Aal, VP)

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What is Wild Ones?

www.wildones.org

We are a national org promoting native plants and natural landscapes

Wild Ones Front Range is the local chapter

frontrange.wildones.org

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I’m not a horticulturist or landscaper

I just read gardening books like their novels

Avid fan of Wild Ones and native plants

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Why Plant Native Plants?

Conserve water

Improve soil health

Sequester Carbon

Create habitat

Reduce the need for inputs

Appropriate for this harsh

ecosystem

Help change the way we interact with/see our landscape - Coloradoscape

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Reasons why this is important

WATER: The last 20 years in Colorado labeled as a megadrought – one of two driest periods in the past 1200 years!

BIODIVERSITY: The insect apocalypse is real, as is the bird apocalypse. We are losing species rapidly, and a major reason is lack of habitat.

BIODIVERSITY: Kentucky Bluegrass is this nation’s

largest crop by far, and supports little to no

wildlife

CLIMATE CHANGE: The roots of these native plants

go deep and the amount of carbon sequestered

equals or exceeds trees.

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Native Plants

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U.S. Lights

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And this is what it can look like

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Wild Ones Front Range

Demo Garden Hell Strip

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Some examples

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More front yards

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More examples

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So, what are some great native plants for Evergreen

Start With Trees

Quercus gambelii

(Gambel oak)

Prunus virginiana

(Chokecherry)

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Native Trees and Shrubs

Prunus americana

(American plum)

Ribes Cereuum (wax current)

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Shrubs

Mountain Snowberry (Symphoricarpos orephilus)

Boulder raspberry

(Rubus deliciosus)

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Shrubs

Wild rose (Rosa woodsii)

Rhus trilobata

(three-leaf sumac)

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More Great Native Plants

Forbs

Allium cernuum

(Nodding Onion)

Aquilegia elegantula

(Western red columbine)

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More Great Native Plants

Forbs

Artemisia frigida

(fringed sage)

Campanula rotundifolia (Bluebell)

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More Great Native Plants

Forbs

Carillhoe involucrata (Poppy mallow)

Gaillardia aristata (Blanketflower)

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More Great Native Plants

Forbs

Linum Lewisii (Blue flax)

Penstemon strictus

(Rocky Mtn penstemon)

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More Great Native Plants

Forbs

Pulsatila patens (Pasque flower)

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And more…

groundcovers

Eriogonum umbelatum (Sulphur flower)

Mahonia or Berberis repens (Oregon grape)

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My Favorite Plant

P

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Native Plants vs Nativars and Cultivars

Straight native plant: What you get out there; no manipulation; generally benefit bugs, birds, and animals e.g., Eriogonum umbellatum

Cultivar: A plant selected or cultivated by humans; generally for the benefit of humans

Nativar: Cultivar of a native plant; native plant selected by humans to look or behave a certain way

e.g., Eriogonum umbellatum ‘kannah creek’

Ques: Do nativars have the same ecological benefits as straight natives?

I am not an expert in this -

Nativars - bigger blooms; brighter; blooms; bloom longer

WO advocates for straight natives, select plants and seeds originating from close local or regional sources

Unfortunately, for nativars, it is a case by case basis.

Nativars - can be fine. Some are bred for disease resistance; but some are sterile; some can outcompete straight natives.

So, generally, straight natives - best; nativars possibly ok; other cultivars: it really depends. Cultivars can be manipulated by cloning, cross-breeding (hybridization), genetic engineering, tissue culture… generally stay away from double blooms, things that don’t look anything like the original native

But, natives and native cultivars always better than non-native plants

I rely on CSU for this one. They’ve said; You simply can’t generalize whether cultivars have the same ecosystem benefits as native species. Some might be superior (Goldstrum rudbeckia - flowers longer and more profusely). Breeding may or may not affect pollen or nectar. Hybrids are usually sterile, so not great. Nativar milkweeds have been shown to be as good for monarch butterflies as the straight species. More research needed.

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And, where do I get these Plants?

Harlequin Gardens in Boulder
High Plains Environmental Center (online)
Wild Ones Front Range Plant and Seed Swaps
High Country Gardens (catalog)
Prairie Moon Nursery (online)
Prairie Nursery (online)
Western Native Seed* (on line)
Fort Collins Nursery (Ft. Collins)
Garden in a Box by Resource Central (March)
Colorado Hardy Plants

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Just get started!

frontrange.wildones.org