Re: Question About Natives

**j* e* m* s* <h*@sbcglobal.net>**

Hi, Jeff -- I think you need to define native...North America native? 
Eastern U.S. native? Michigan native? A plant that is native to the 
northwest U.S. would be considered exotic in New York.

I give several talks about native plants and attracting wildlife. I 
also talk about garden worthy native plants. Some native species, 
such as purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) are garden worthy just 
as they are, but others are not because they are too large rangy for 
gardens, or they get diseases like powdery mildew. That's where 
cultivars or selections come in. Although anectodal, I can attest 
that monarchs cover my 'Raydon's Favorite' aster (A. oblongifolius) 
and 'Fireworks' goldenrod (Solidago rugosa).

jems

>A question occurred to me as I was working on an article for Mother 
>Earth News.  I understand that the tightest definition of a "native" 
>is that it grew in some area of the country before 1600.  Now I also 
>know there has been considerable research to identify the ecological 
>benefits of many natives in terms of hardiness, toughness, value to 
>beneficial insects and songbirds, etc.
>There have been a large number of cultivars bred using a true native 
>as at least one parent.  The question is whether those plants bred in 
>the past fifty years to improve on various native characteristics 
>have the same contribution to the ecology as the parent natives.  Has 
>there been any research on this issue?
>
>Jeff Ball
>jeffball@usol.com
>810-724-8581
>Check out my daily blog at www.gardeneryardener.blogspot.com
>Check out my extensive web site at www.yardener.com
>
>
>
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-- 
Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp
Garden writer, author, photographer
Region III Director Garden Writers Association
Phone: (317) 251.3261
Fax: (317) 251.8545
E-mail: hoosiergardener@sbcglobal.net

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