| Horticultural Traits |
A common misconception that many people have about plant
species native to Illinois is that they are unattractive
weeds. This idea is incorrect as many native plants have
desirable traits to fill nearly any horticultural need.
Native plants are available in several growth habits
including woody species of trees, shrubs and vines as well
as herbaceous species. These native species grow in a
variety of habitats such as prairies, woodlands and
wetlands so they can fill several environmental niches in
gardens such as sun vs. shade or wet vs. dry. With native
plants, a variety of colors and interesting traits are
available throughout the season such as spring ones for
flowers, summer ones for flowers or shade, fall ones for
flowers, fruits or fall foliage, and winter ones with
attractive bark or evergreen characteristics. Some native
plants also have specialized features such as being
attractive to hummingbirds and songbirds, useful in flower
arrangements or resistant to deer.
In addition to the attractive features of native plants,
they also are more environmentally friendly to the
landscape. They are well adapted to Illinois environmental
extremes so once established they require little
specialized care such as mulching, watering, or
fertilizing. They are relatively resistant to natural
pests suchs as plant diseases and insects, so require less
use of and release of pesticides into the environment.
They also are less apt to become invasive than many
non-native species commonly used. In addition, they
provide food and shelter for native wildlife.
Hence, native plant species can expand diverity in the
horticultural landscape while offering environmentally
sound choices to gardeners.
