Native Flower Gardens
One of our customer’s native garden!
You may have heard about Invasive species like insects and animals, but do you consider the plants in your backyard? An invasive species is any living organism not native to the local ecosystem. While most invasive insects usually spread unintentionally by human activities, invasive plants are often planted intentionally.
These plants are given the name oriental or ornamental because they originate from outside of North America. 85% of woody invasive species originated from ornamental plants. Invasive species become an issue when they out-compete native plants and grow in swarms.
A few of the most common invasive plants in Western NY:
Japanese Barberry is a popular landscape ornamental. It’s dense growth competes with shrubs and trees.
Multiflora Rose was introduced in 1866 for grafting purposes and is planted in highway medians all across the states.
Giant Hogweed is one of the most pervasive invasive plants in NY. It grows quickly and reaches a height of almost 20 feet! It was introduced as an ornamental flower and used as a spice. Its sap is dangerous to touch as it causes a severe rash.
Replace your ornamental plants with native plants! Here are come to consider:
Butterfly-weed of the Milkweed family
Marsh-marigold of the Buttercup family
Nodding Thistle of the Composite family
Queen Anne’s lace of the Parsley family
Sunflower of the Composite family
Iris versicolor of the Iris family
Find more native flower ideas in the guide from Buffalo State
Healthy Yards in Monroe County is a great resource for additional information and connecting with other households in our region.