Why Native Plants?

You might be wondering why are native plants so important and why I made a website for them? Why should I use native plants? Why should I care about them? That answer is simple. Native plants are beneficial in so many ways! On this page, I will outline 4 of the reasons to care about and grow native plants.

As you are probably aware, California has been in a drought for many years now. This means there is not enough water and rainfall in the state. You can monitor the drought here So since we are in a drought, conserving water is very important to us now and in the future. Lawns use a lot of water and are not very effective for water conservation. You may think you have to kill all the plants in your yard and have dirt or contribute to the drought and foot the bill for water usage, but those are not the only options. Native plants are adapted to live in California and thus are usually adapted to use less water. From Save Our Water, you can use up to 85% less water per year with a native garden than with a lawn.You can read about it here!. That’s a lot of water! This means growing native plants can help conserve water, as less is used and you can maintain a beautiful yard.

Another reason to use native plants over others is that they are not invasive species. Invasive species are plants that are not native and are harmful to the environment and ecosystem. These plants can quickly take over other plants and change the ecosystem. Invasive plants can also become a pain as they can be very hard to kill or reduce the size. Some famous examples of invasive species are kudzu and English ivy. They grow and take over existing plants, trees, and buildings. Many people look to get rid of invasive plants and use poison or even goats to try and remove them. Save yourself the hassle later and reduce harm by avoiding invasive plants.

As mentioned before, invasive plants are harmful to the ecosystem, but native plants are beneficial! Native plants are meant to be living in our areas and together and can help promote a healthier ecosystem. Native plants can provide food and habitats for native species like monarch butterflies or the California quail. Having these plants benefits the native animals and can help restore health to the ecosystem. The USDA states that having and growing native plants can strengthen native animal populations significantly and help with nutrients in the soil. Which you can read about here You also get to see this impact by seeing native animals enjoy your yard!

Lastly, native plants are beautiful! They come in such a variety of colors, textures, and types of care that they are perfect for any garden. Native plants are very diverse in California, and there are many different options for your garden, no matter what style you like. Native plants can provide a lot of beauty for your garden and benefit the environment! In my garden, some beautiful flowers are the California Poppy and the Naked Lady Lily; I love seeing the bees and birds enjoying the flowers and looking at them myself. You can see more examples of native plants on the page “Example Native Plants”.