Gardening With Native Plants

By Jennifer Ackerfield

Summer is just around the corner and that means there's plenty of gardening left to do! If you're like me, you look forward to this time of year with excited anticipation. No matter how much landscaping you did last year, there's always more to do! As you begin landscaping this year, consider adding a few native plants to your design. Whatever the size of area you have available to growing native plants, you're almost certain to receive extreme pleasure in return for minimum maintenance involved in growing native plants and indulge in the satisfaction that you are helping to increase biodiversity in your own backyard!

What is a Native Plant?

In the broad sense, a native plant is one that existed in a particular region prior to European settlement. We consider the first point of European contact instead of the impact of native peoples because the native peoples did have an impact on the vegetation in a region. However, it wasn't until European settlement that we see the widespread introduction of exotic alien species and the conversion of much wild area to cultivated landscapes.

In addition, some plants are indigenous to North America but not to the region they are now located in. These plants which have been introduced by human actions into a place which is not their indigenous habitat are also considered non-natives.

Why Grow Natives?

There are many reasons to use native plants in the landscape. First, native plants are already equipped for growing in Colorado! Native plants are adjusted to a specific area, climate, and pests. These plants have spent many years becoming adapted to the environment at hand, so you don't have to use as much water or chemicals for pests. Along with reduced chemical and water use, native plant landscapes usually require less in the way of ongoing long-term maintenance. Everyone is so busy these days, it's nice to have plants that practically take care of themselves after establishment!

Using native plants in the landscape increases biodiversity by providing a home for plant species which are losing more of their wild habitats, instead of reducing biodiversity by adding exotic plants.

Native plants offer food and shelter to many indigenous creatures such as birds and butterflies. You will be amazed at the range of wildlife your wildflower garden will attract even in an urban setting! Blossoms, seeds, and fruits will attract a wide variety of birds and butterflies to your backyard.

Native plants can be incorporated into both formal and informal landscapes. Whatever kind of feel you want to create in your landscape, there is certainly a native plant or two that would fit right in! And last but not least - native plants are beautiful!

Landscaping with Natives

Whether you are landscaping on a large or small scale, there is a native plant that will fit your needs. There are several factors which will determine what native plants you can use: size of your area, the intended design, and the flowering characteristics are some of the main factors.

Meadows

There are many different types of landscapes you can create with native plants. Meadows are one of the most popular features used to grow native wildflowers. In Colorado, we can divide meadows into two types (which do overlap some): a prairie/foothills wildflower meadow, and a mountain meadow.

Meadows are relatively easy to create and maintain. You don't need to commit a large area to a meadow, small areas can be used as well. You can even sow a very small wildflower meadow in a window-box! You can buy pre-made wildflower meadow mixes at many local nurseries. These will contain a mix of wildflowers recommended for a particular soil type and desired color balance. However, you can also create your own blend of wildflowers for your meadow. The following list of plants are a few of the plants that can be used in a meadow:

Prairie/Foothills Meadow Plants

Allium textile - Wild Onion

Asclepias tuberosa - Butterfly Weed

Calochortus gunnisonii - Mariposa Lily

Castilleja integra - Orange Paintbrush

Coreopsis tinctoria - Coreopsis

Dalea purpurea - Purple Prairie Clover

Delphinium nuttallianum - Larkspur

Delphinium virescens - Plains Larkspur

Erysimum asperum - Wallflower

Gaillardia aristata - Blanket Flower

Iris missouriensis - Rocky Mountain Iris

Liatris punctata - Gayfeather

Linum lewisii - Flax

Mertensia lanceolata - Chiming Bells

Oenothera sp. - Evening-Primrose

Penstemon secundiflorus - One-sided Penstemon

Ratibida columnifera - Coneflower

Solidago missouriensis - Goldenrod

Thermopsis divaricarpa - Golden Banner

Zinnia grandiflora - Plains Zinnia

Mountain Meadow Plants

Aster laevis - Smooth Aster

Aquilegia caerulea - Columbine

Arnica cordifolia - Heartleaf Arnica

Castilleja sp. - Paintbrush

Epilobium angustifolium - Fireweed

Erigeron speciosus var. macranthus - Showy Daisy

Frasera speciosa - Monument Plant

Gentiana parryi - Mountain Gentian

Geum triflorum - Prairie Smoke

Ipomopsis aggregata - Scarlet Gilia

Iris missouriensis - Rocky Mountain Iris

Pedicularis groenlandica - Elephantella

Penstemon whippleanus

Rudbeckia hirta - Black-eyed Susan

Most of the meadow plants listed can be used in a perennial border as well, and even added as an accent to a pre-existing arrangement.

Pond Edges/Water Feature

Water features add many new dimensions to a landscape and are relatively easy to construct. However, choosing plants to edge a water feature can be quite a challenge. These plants must be suited for growing in a wet environment. So why not incorporate native plants around your pond or marsh area that are already suited for growing in these conditions?

Pond Edges/Marsh Plants

Caltha leptosepala - Marsh-marigold

Clementsia rhodantha - Rose Crown

Dodecatheon pulchellum - Shooting Star

Mimulus sp. - Monkeyflower

Pedicularis groenlandica - Elephantella

Primula parryi - Parry's Primrose

Swertia perennis - Star Gentian

Trollius laxus - Globeflower

Rock Gardens

Rock gardens or rock walls are yet another type of landscape feature that can incorporate native plants. In Colorado, there are many alpine plants that will do well in a rock garden setting, and these plants are already adapted to living in rocky soil!

Rock Garden Plants

Bessya alpina - Alpine Besseya

Dryas octopetala - Mountain Dryad

Eritrichum aretioides - Alpine Forget- me-not

Gentianodes algida - Arctic Gentian

Hymenoxys grandiflora - old Man of the Mountain

Minuartia obtusiloba - Alpine Sandwort

Phacelia sericea - Purple Fringe

Phlox condensata - Alpine Phlox

Primula angustifolia - Fairy Primrose

Sedum lanceolatum - Stonecrop

Silene acaulis ssp. subacaulescens - Moss Pink

Trifolium nanum - Alpine Clover

Shrubs and Trees

Shrubs and trees are important parts of any landscape, and make nice accent plants, providing shade and year-round beauty. Junipers, spruces, firs, and pine trees are evergreen, and provide a nice touch of green in the middle of winter. There are numerous native shrubs and trees that can be incorporated into any landscape, some of which are listed below:

Shrubs

Amelanchier alnifolia - Serviceberry

Cercocarpus montanus - Mountain Mahogany

Chrysothamnus nauseosus - Rabbitbrush

Jamesia americana - Waxflower

Juniperus communis - Common Juniper

Mahonia repens - Oregon Grape

Physocarpus monogynus - Ninebark

Potentilla fruticosa - Bush Cinquefoil

Prunus americana - American Plum

Pruns virginiana - Choke Cherry

Quercus gambeli - Gambel Oak

Rhus glabra - Rocky Mountain Smooth Sumac

Rhus trilobata - Threeleaf Sumac

Ribes aureum - Golden Currant

Rubus deliciosus - Boulder Raspberry

Trees

Juniperus scopulorum - Rocky Mountain Juniper

Picea pungens - Colorado Blue Spruce

Pinus edulis - Pinyon Pine (edible nuts!)

Pinus ponderosa - Ponderosa Pine

Populus deltoides - Plains Cottonwood

Populus tremuloides - Quaking Aspen

Pseudotsuga menziesii - Douglas Fir

Salix amygdaloides - Peachleaf Willow

Sources of Native Plants

It can be difficult to come by some native plant species, however, one should never collect native plants from the wild. This increases disturbance, and results in a loss of natives in the wild. Instead of collecting whole plants from the wild, try collecting the seeds of a few of your favorite natives and growing these in your garden. You can also use the following sources to obtain many of the native plants listed here:

Gulley's Greenhouse in Fort Collins carries a wide selection of native plant seeds and plants.
Sunmark Seeds has a nice selection of native grasses and wildflower mixes. They are available online at:

http://www.sunmarkseeds.com/

Sharp Bros. Seed Co. specialize in native grasses, but also have a large selection of wildflower seeds. They are available online at:

http://www.sharpseed.com/

Gardening with native plants is an enjoyable way to increase biodiversity in your own backyard. In addition, there are several more native plants that can be used in the landscape other than the ones listed here. For inspiration, simply go on a hike and study the blend of shapes and colors that native wildflowers create naturally. For more information on gardening and landscaping with native plants, consult the references below and happy gardening!

References

Burrell, C. A Gardener's Encyclopedia of Wildflowers. Rodale Press, Inc. 1997.
Dietz, M. J. The Concise Encyclopedia of Favorite Wildflowers. Doubleday & Co., Inc. 1965.
Huddleston, S. & M. Hussey. Grow Native: Landscaping with native and apt plants of the Rocky Mountains. Apple Tree Image Publishers. 1975.
Johnson, L. Grow Wild! Fulcrum Publishing. 1998.
Orresen, C. The Native Plant Primer. Harmony Books, NY. 1995.