Great Resources
Useful tools to help you improve the health of your landscape
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
“Life in the Leaf Litter”
Need another reason not to rake up all those fallen leaves? The American Museum of Natural History makes good case for leaving leaf litter alone, in their publication “Life in the Leaf Litter” written by Elizabeth A. Johnson and Kefyn M. Catley. Published by their Center for Biodiversity & Conservation,…
New Research on Native Plants from the Mount Cuba Center
If you haven’t been to the Mt. Cuba Center in Hockessin, Delaware, make every effort to visit. Once the private estate of Mr. and Mrs. Lammot du Pont Copeland, Mt. Cuba Center is now a spectacular botanical garden dedicated to native plants and native habitats. The Center is also a…
Farming With Native Beneficial Insects: Ecological Pest Control Solutions
The Xerces Society is a nonprofit organization that “protects wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitat.” A leader on pollinator conservation, their book, Attracting Native Pollinators, is an indispensible guide to creating pollinator-friendly landscapes. Their latest book, Farming with Native Beneficial Insects: Ecological Pest Control Solutions, deserves a…