[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: Native, non-native and nearly native



There are many degrees of 'nativeness' - pick your favorite scale.  I 
usually stick to what occurs naturally within the surrounding counties  
for what I think of as truly native, but I'd consider planting anything 
from the southeastern U.S. in a 'native' garden.

Some great bird-attracting trees like Yaupon (Ilex vomitoria) and 
Southern Magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) are native to the immediate 
coast of N.C., but not in the Triangle area.  They'd be termed exotic 
invasives here if they were from another continent, but since they're 
almost native, we tend not to mind them so much. They're actually more 
common in the Triangle than in the Coastal Plain, thanks to hungry birds 
planting the seeds everywhere.

Panicum virgatum (Switchgrass) actually is a true native -- it occurs 
naturally  throughout the Carolinas, including the Triangle area, so I 
wouldn't hesitate to plant it.  The Chinese native Miscanthus sinensis 
(Maidengrass), on the other hand, which is still easy to find for sale, 
is an extremely invasive weed, gobbling up large areas in the NC 
mountains.  

You can find more information about all native and naturalized plants in 
the U.S., including  county-by-county range maps for NC and certain other 
states at the USDA PLANTS database: http://plants.usda.gov/  The page for 
Switchgrass is 
http://plants.usda.gov/cgi_bin/plant_profile.cgi?symbol=PAVI2


> We have at various points had threads on carolinabirds about the
> desirability of planting native species to help out our native birds. The
> arguments in favor of native plantings have made enough sense to me that
> in relandscaping my yard to get rid of lawn I have generally leaned
> towards native plants; however, the definition or parameters of 'native'
> are sometimes a little fuzzy to me. What would be the consensus on a plant
> that is native to temperate estern North America but not to this region? I
> was at the nursery today and was attracted to the Prairie Switchgrass
> (Panicum Virgatum) but upon looking it up in the plant encyclopedia found
> that it is native to the midwestern prairies. Is this close enough to us
> or is it the case that by 'native' we mean only those plants that are
> specific to our immediate vicinity? And any thoughts specifically on
> Switchgrass?
> 
> Shantanu Phukan
> 


--
Charles W. "Will" Cook                  w 919-660-7423
http://www.duke.edu/~cwcook            cwcook@duke.edu
Biology Dept., Duke Univ., Box 90340, Durham, NC 27708