native plants primer - SFA Gardens - Stephen F. Austin State ...

expense should be spared to retrieve exotic plants from faraway places. The natural beauty of local
plants was ignored.
First, what is a native plant and what is an exotic? Classically, an exotic plant is one that does
not have its normal range (provenance) in the area that it is being grown and sold. A native is one that
occurs “naturally” in the region. Yet, many think of a native as “native to the U.S.” or “native to the
state.” Thus a New York native plant grown in Texas might be considered a native or it might not; it
would depend on whom you ask. Thus, Salvia greggii, native to the western portion of Texas might be
considered a native when grown in East Texas . . . but is it really? Or, how about Itea virginica, the
Virginia sweetspire, native to the wetlands of East Texas? It wouldn’t have a prayer in Austin, Texas,
where calcareous soils and hot, dry conditions would spell out its doom. So, first define native as you
want and then proceed.
Some of the arguments preached for greater use of native plants:
1. Natives are more disease and insect resistant. Not always. Some natives are quite easily
attacked, disfigured, and even killed outright by indigenous pests. Dogwoods are an example. They
are quite susceptible to stress and disease-related short life problems. A midge often disfigures
yaupon foliage. Tent caterpillars can make a mess on oaks and pecans. Ask a catalpa what it thinks of
the catalpa worm! There are hundreds of examples of diseases and insects that wreak havoc on
natives.
2. Natives are more drought resistant. This argument carries little weight unless the species is
one that normally grows in dry climates and is adapted to dry soils. A native plant that normally finds its
home in a swamp or stream-side may perform admirably in a drier site, but that’s not always the case.
3. Natives are less invasive. Of course, in some cases that’s true. Some natives, however,
are not quite so docile. In our region of Texas, seedlings of oaks and redbuds can sprout up in the
thousands, making for a ubiquitous problem in the landscape. Some natives, on the other hand, are
quite well behaved – offering up few seed or demanding seedling conditions difficult to duplicate in the
landscape.
4. Natives reflect the “natural” flora of a region. Well, of course, that’s true. Whether that’s the
catchall, be-all is another question. There are also harmony, continuity, and balance-with-nature issues
that drive the argument here. Ecological sensitivity. Environmental prudence.
On the other side of the issue (exotics are good), the following arguments are often offered.
1. Exotics are often very well adapted, trouble-free, and most present no invasive issues of any
substance. No doubt about it: Plants from China, Japan and Korea make up a large sector of the
nursery industry’s offerings in the U.S. Many of them have been here for over a hundred years with
little invasiveness. Why are so many flowering shrubs from Asia sold in the U.S.? Well, for one
reason, hardiness zones and climatic conditions in Asia can be found in regions there that closely
imitate many locations in the U.S.
2. Exotics are more floriferous, beautiful, and showier than most natives. Well, few would
argue that many of the most colorful landscape plants in use today in the South can trace their origins
back to Asia and there continues to be great excitement in new plants coming out of China, Japan and
Korea today.
3. Exotics can be durable, low-maintenance and drought tolerant. Of course that’s true. For
example, one of the toughest exotic small trees gaining popularity in the South today is Chionanthus
retusus, the Chinese fringe tree (a counterpart species to our very own native, C. virginicus, the native