Morgan Noll is a digital home editor for Real Simple covering home, real estate, and holidays.
One of the major gardening trends of the past several years is that people are looking to be more eco-conscious with their gardening efforts. That includes using , using fewer pesticides, and whenever possible. As these efforts have grown, so has the positive messaging around native plants. Native plants are often touted as a net positive solution to the garden, since they support wildlife and pollinators, are typically more low-maintenance than non-native plants, and conserve water.
All of this is great. However, with all the talk in support of choosing native plants, it's easy to draw the conclusion that non-native plants are, in contrast, a bad choice. But gardeners say it's not that simple. Here's what gardening experts want people to understand about native versus non-native plants, plus the misconceptions they want to clear up.
Before getting into any conversation of good vs. bad, it's important to have a basic understanding of the definition of native and non-native plants. Laura Janney, CEO of The Inspired Garden Masterclass, says there's some debate around what exactly qualifies a plant as native. However, it's generally understood that native plants are those that have been growing in a particular region or area, without human introduction, for thousands of years. Non-native plants, by contrast, are those that were introduced by humans into a certain region or area when they weren't naturally occurring there previously.
All the gardeners we consulted agree that non-native plants are not automatically a bad thing. In fact, Janney says we're missing the big picture by thinking of plants just in terms of native vs. non-native, and assigning opposing moral labels to the two. Instead, she says, we should think about the "bad plants" as those that are , and harmful to wildlife, and the "good plants" as those that support pollinators, are sustainable, and aren't invasive. The good plants, she adds, "work well in the garden whether they're native or not."
However, it's still helpful to understand why non-native plants can be problematic when not planted thoughtfully. "There's always a risk that a non-native plant can become invasive outside its native range, meaning it could cause negative impacts by out-competing native species -- especially in the absence of its co-evolved predators that otherwise keep its population in check -- introducing pests or pathogens, or providing low food and habitat value for native wildlife," says Amy Karpati, PhD, senior science advisor at Teatown Lake Reservation.
So, if you're considering introducing a non-native plant into your yard, Karpati says it's important to first ensure that it's not considered an invasive species and that it doesn't have any known negative impacts on native species.
Since native plants are being grown in their native climate, this often means that, once established, they can grow with little extra care. However, Katie Tamony, plant expert and trend spotter for Monrovia, says it's a myth that native plants are always the low-maintenance option.
You can still run into issues with native plants if you haven't read up on the plant's characteristics. While native plants, by definition, can't be invasive to their own habitat, some can be very aggressive growers that can outcompete other plants in your garden. So, even with native plants, it's important that you know what you're putting in the ground and consider how it will interact with the rest of the plants in your garden.
Your garden won't do you any good if you can't keep your plants alive. So, gardeners say your primary consideration should be your climate and conditions.
"When choosing the right plants, think about the conditions that your garden offers," says Angelika Zaber, a lawn care specialist and gardening expert with Online Turf. "Is it shaded? Or does it receive full sun? Is the soil well-draining? What hardiness zone is it located in? On top of this, spend a bit of time thinking about how much maintenance you are willing to do -- a high-maintenance garden is only going to look good if you meet its needs, so if you don't have the time for this, opt for lower-maintenance options instead."
If you want to be sure that your gardening efforts are also benefiting the environment around you, then factor those considerations into your plant choices as well. "Considering the plants' value to pollinators, birds, and other wildlife is important if you'd like to cultivate a more reciprocal relationship with nature around your home," Karpati says.
And, in all of this, don't forget to factor in your own enjoyment, too. "Plant the things that will bring you pleasure and make you want to spend more time in your outdoor space," Karpati adds.
Native plants are often talked about as the virtuous choice. So, it can be easy to feel like you need to convert your garden and yard into a fully native landscape and feel guilty if you don't. However, gardeners, that's just not realistic for most people.
"I would certainly advocate for a garden that is mostly native plants, with the understanding that it is usually asking too much to expect our gardens to be 100% native," says Karpati. "Even if one intends to have an exclusively native garden, non-natives will still find their way in, and feeling obligated to completely eradicate them can take some joy out of gardening." For example, she says that a non-native specimen might be the anchor point of a landscape, noting how her house came with a Japanese maple tree in the front yard. "I have no plans to remove it just because it is not native," she says.
Karpati also notes how Doug Tallamy, the University of Delaware professor and entomologist who is a known advocate for native plants in the home landscape, uses 70% native species as the recommended threshold in his guidance for homeowners. This is based on a 2018 study of Carolina chickadees, which found that, in areas made up of less than 70% native plant biomass, the birds will not produce enough young to sustain their populations, but they can thrive at 70% or higher. This research has also led the National Wildlife Federation to make the recommendation to homeowners to aim for 70% native plants in their landscapes.
"A healthy ecosystem is more important than aspirations of native purity," says Shane Pliska, the president and CEO of Planterra. "There is no turning back the human impact, so we should be more focused on greening our environments with more plants and wooded habitats rather than a historical restoration to what was. Ecosystems evolve."