Native Plants
Native plants (also called indigenous plants) are
plants that have evolved over hundreds or thousands of years in a
particular region.
They have adapted to the geography, hydrology and climate of the
region and to the other species of plants and animals inhabiting
the region. As a result, native plants are part of a community
that provides habitat for a variety of native wildlife species,
such as songbirds and butterflies. Native plants, when used in
home landscaping, provide the ecological benefits of supporting
local wildlife while requiring minimal maintenance due to their
adaptation to local climate and soil conditions.
Benefits of Native Plants
- Planting native plants helps preserve biodiversity. Non-native
plants out-compete and eventually displace native plants reducing
the overall diversity of plants on your property.
- Native plants save energy and water. Because
native plants have evolved and adapted to local conditions, they
are vigorous and hardy, able to survive winter cold and summer
heat. Once
established they require little or no irrigation or fertilization, therby saving you enerby and water.
- Native plants are healthier for the environment and you. Native plants are resistant to local pests and diseases so the use of pesticides
is minimized.
- Native plants support the local ecosystem. Native
plants provide food and shelter for birds, butterflies and other
desirable wildlife.
How can you find out what
plants are native to your shoreline? Download
or print the list
of suggested plants [205KB PDF] native
to New York's Lake Ontario region. This
list also includes information about the
value of the plants to wildlife and plant
characteristics.
Non-native Plants
Non-native plants (also
called invasive and/or exotic plants) are
plants that have been introduced into an
ecosystem in
which they did not evolve. Some of these
plants are introduced deliberately, as
with our many exotic landscaping plants.
Others are introduced accidentally, through
the spread of seed by wildlife or by their
inadvertent inclusion in seed mixes being
sent from one area of the world to
another. Some of these non-native plant
species do not grow well in their new environment
or do not reproduce easily so they are
easily controlled and pose no threat to
the native ecosystem. Other introduced
species find their new home much to their
liking and reproduce prolifically, even
in natural, minimally managed landscapes.
These aggressive, or invasive, plants often
have no natural enemies or control to limit
their spread. Invasive non-native species
can be a serious threat to native plants
and communities, out-competing local species
for available sunlight, water and nutrients,
and do not provide the wildlife habitat
benefits of the plants they replace. Visit
the Invasives page
for a list of eighteen invasive plants
in New York State.
What can you do to prevent the introduction or spread of exotic
invasive alien plants into natural areas, and to help restore our native
flora and fauna? Visit
the Prevention page
to find out.
