It’s a mixed bag. Some natives grow easily, as they are naturally adapted to the climate, but some can be tricky little bastards as they are only adapted to very specific conditions that may or may not exist in your home yard (or they would do well once established, but getting to that point is difficult). Introduced species can be easier to grow, because they’re overadapted to the climate (that’s what makes invasive species so, well, invasive!).
Your example of growing catmint is a bit of luck on your part: mint is often considered a weed for growing so vigorously, so it’s a great choice for novice or “brown-thumb” gardeners. These are the types of plants we should be specifically promoting, so new gardeners don’t have to rely on luckily stumbling upon easy-to-grow natives.
On that note, might I advertise my namesake plant, “fireweed” (Chamaenerion angustifolium)? Beautiful flowers, easy to establish, self-sufficient once established (it’s called fireweed for a reason!), and beloved by bees. Native to much of Canada and the United States (and maybe northern Europe/Asia?). https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/chamerion_angustifolium.shtml
We actually have a non-profit where I live that grows and then puts together sets of native plants that will cover a certain amount of space and all grow in the same light/shade. We used their boxes, so less luck with the mint and more that we sought out plants like that. We also have some tall grasses, coneflowers, penstemon, about one million ice plants, and some others I can’t remember.
I don’t know if other states have similar orgs, but it’s a really great way to make native/pollinator-friendly gardens accessible to novices. All I had to do was plant them and weed them.
That’s a great resource! I know some places put together “native wildflower seed packs,” but I’ve heard mixed reviews. Some plants in the pack inevitably outcompete others (leaving you with minimal variety), and I’ve seen packs that contain species that aren’t actually native to the region. Your group’s version sounds like more work on their part, but likely with better end results.
It’s a mixed bag. Some natives grow easily, as they are naturally adapted to the climate, but some can be tricky little bastards as they are only adapted to very specific conditions that may or may not exist in your home yard (or they would do well once established, but getting to that point is difficult). Introduced species can be easier to grow, because they’re overadapted to the climate (that’s what makes invasive species so, well, invasive!).
Your example of growing catmint is a bit of luck on your part: mint is often considered a weed for growing so vigorously, so it’s a great choice for novice or “brown-thumb” gardeners. These are the types of plants we should be specifically promoting, so new gardeners don’t have to rely on luckily stumbling upon easy-to-grow natives.
On that note, might I advertise my namesake plant, “fireweed” (Chamaenerion angustifolium)? Beautiful flowers, easy to establish, self-sufficient once established (it’s called fireweed for a reason!), and beloved by bees. Native to much of Canada and the United States (and maybe northern Europe/Asia?). https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/chamerion_angustifolium.shtml
We actually have a non-profit where I live that grows and then puts together sets of native plants that will cover a certain amount of space and all grow in the same light/shade. We used their boxes, so less luck with the mint and more that we sought out plants like that. We also have some tall grasses, coneflowers, penstemon, about one million ice plants, and some others I can’t remember.
I don’t know if other states have similar orgs, but it’s a really great way to make native/pollinator-friendly gardens accessible to novices. All I had to do was plant them and weed them.
That’s a great resource! I know some places put together “native wildflower seed packs,” but I’ve heard mixed reviews. Some plants in the pack inevitably outcompete others (leaving you with minimal variety), and I’ve seen packs that contain species that aren’t actually native to the region. Your group’s version sounds like more work on their part, but likely with better end results.