Many homeowners have a wide variety of plants in their gardens these days including native black-eyed susans, columbine, and viburnum to the non-native wisteria. However, if you want to make your landscape “green” you should consider having more native plants because of the crucial roll they play in water and energy conservation. This is because native plants are used to the climate and are able to handle the extremes of the summer and winter. In addition, they maintain and improve soil conditions, reduce erosion, and provide habitats for wildlife. Non-native plants, on the other hand, may require more water, fertilizer, and pesticides in order to adapt to the foreign climate, which can increase the amount of harmful run-off that effects our streams, rivers, and estuaries. In addition, non-native plants must be shipped longer distances, which wastes energy and pollutes the air. For a list of plants native to Virginia, please visit www.dcr.state.va.us/dnh/native.htm
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