Useful Native Plant Databases
You have heard how important native plants are to our environment, but how do you find out which plants are native to your area and support your local ecosystem? One important resource is your state or local native plant society or native plant group, such as The Native Plant Center in New York. Another way to to explore regional native plants is to do some research online. Here are a number of great resources to help you along the way:
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/
Native plant database
USDA PLANTS Database
www.plants.usda.gov/java/
Plant database, including natives
Biota of North America Program
www.bonap.org
Native plants by state and county level
Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder
www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/gardens-gardening/your-garden/plant-finder.aspx
General plant database
Plant Native
www.plantnative.org
Native plant and nursery lists by state
More Great Resources
Useful Terminology for Native Gardening
Confused about the terminology associated with native gardening? If you are, it’s not surprising, since there are numerous definitions just for the simple word “native.” Native, non-native, exotic, alien, naturalized – these terms, and others, are often misused. Hopefully the following explanations will clear up some confusion! Terminology for “Native”…
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Shopper’s Protest Cards from Maryland Native Plant Society
Have you ever been to a garden center or nursery looking for a native plant, only to be told they don’t carry it. Then you search another nursery, another garden center, and another, and another – in an endless, futile search for a plant that is supposed to be…
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The Bee Informed Partnership
Honey bees (Apis millifera) have become an important part of our agricultural system in the United States – the economic value of honey bee pollination is estimated to be between $10 billion and $15 billion annually. A non-native species, honey bees were first brought to North America in 1622 by…
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