FAQ
NATIVE PLANTS:
NATIVE PLANTS:
What do you mean by "native" plant?
The term “native plant” can mean different things to different people. People often talk about “Texas natives,” but this can be misleading, because an ocotillo cactus (Fouquieria splendens) that naturally occurs in the deserts outside El Paso will be quite different than a dwarf palmetto (Sabal minor) that naturally occurs in seasonally flooded riparian areas outside Houston. Though they’re both “native” to Texas, the cactus would drown in Houston and the palmetto would fry in the desert. A better term to describe what we do is the term “indigenous.” Indigenous refers to a more specific region than the term “native.”The ocotillo is indigenous to the deserts outside El Paso, but not to the Texas Gulf Coast, and this is why they don’t do well here. Dwarf palmetto, American beautyberry, coralberry, strawberry bush, coral bean, and many other similarly-sized plants are indigenous to our area. We know they’d do well here and support local pollinators, so we’d love to plant them for you. Truly, indigenous plants are the ones we love to plant (but “GO Indigenous” just doesn’t quite have the same ring to it . . .) When we talk about “native plants,” we mean those that are indigenous to our area, the ones that have been here for millennia and that have evolved in tandem with insects, birds, and other wildlife to work in harmony with the Texas Gulf Coast’s climate and soils.
What do you mean by "non-native" plant?
Non-native plants are most of what you tend to see when you drive down any street: St. Augustine grass, Asiatic jasmine, privet, boxwood hedges, azaleas, crepe myrtle, etc. There’s nothing wrong with non-natives, but displacing native plants in our yards with non-natives does strongly contribute to the population declines in butterfly, bird, and other pollinator species that we are seeing across Texas and the U.S. Usually it's not the homeowner who tears out a native plant to replace it with a non-native. Usually it's the developer who made the decision for us--ten, fifty, or even a hundred and fifty years ago. We didn't realize or cause the damage done. Regardless, it's never too late to intentionally improve planet health, starting in our own backyards.
Non-natives actually have an advantage because they did not evolve here. They have no insects and natural predators to keep them in check. This is a part of the reason they are popular in the landscaping trade: People don’t like their bushes and flowers having a few natural nibbles here and there, so they sell well. By constantly introducing non-natives, though, we’ve been playing with fire. In less than a century we’ve quickly disturbed the healthy, diverse, and perfect balance that nature worked millions of years to create. Non-native plants tend to spread from our yards via wind, water, and bird droppings and do just as well in the wild as they do in our yards, since they have no predators there either. They crowd out native plants in the wild, further diminishing the bird, butterfly, and pollinator populations that have lived here peacefully and in interdependence with native plants for millennia.
Non-natives actually have an advantage because they did not evolve here. They have no insects and natural predators to keep them in check. This is a part of the reason they are popular in the landscaping trade: People don’t like their bushes and flowers having a few natural nibbles here and there, so they sell well. By constantly introducing non-natives, though, we’ve been playing with fire. In less than a century we’ve quickly disturbed the healthy, diverse, and perfect balance that nature worked millions of years to create. Non-native plants tend to spread from our yards via wind, water, and bird droppings and do just as well in the wild as they do in our yards, since they have no predators there either. They crowd out native plants in the wild, further diminishing the bird, butterfly, and pollinator populations that have lived here peacefully and in interdependence with native plants for millennia.
Why are native plants better at supporting wildlife than typical plants used in landscaping?
Because resident and migrant birds and pollinators have evolved with plants in our area for millions of years. They are perfectly suited for each other. Consider, for example, our native turk’s cap. The Mexican turk’s cap plant has larger blooms, but its blooms are too long for the ruby-throated hummingbird to easily and effectively reach its nectar. Hummingbirds will go to it, but they will leave disappointed. By contrast, the native turk’s cap native to our region has blooms perfectly suited for the bill length of the ruby-throated. During spring and fall migration, hummingbirds will visit your native turk’s cap and leave happy. Often, they will come back again and again.
How can I tell if a plant is "native"?
If you use phone apps, the best app we’ve found for identifying plants is Seek, an app created by iNaturalist. Download the app and take a photo using it; the app will tell you the name and species, as well as whether the plant is native or introduced. When you’re indoors, visit the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center native plant search page; simply enter the name of a plant you’d like learn how to grow. The USDA also offers an excellent native plant search page. Though the USDA search doesn’t offer many photos, by zooming in on its search map, you can find out whether a plant is native down to the county level.
Where can I get native plants?
Here are the places in the Houston area where we’ve had the best luck finding native plants in pots:
- Nature’s Way (Conroe, north of Houston)
- Morningstar Nursery (Sugar Land, southwest of Houston)
- Green Star Wetlands Plant Farm (Alvin, southeast of Houston)
- Buchanan’s Native Plants (Houston Heights in central Houston)
- Houston Audubon Natives Nursery (Memorial in west Houston)
- Wildscapes Workshop by Native Plant Society of Texas (Held in Houston annually each September)
Will a native plant landscape look amazing from day one?
No. It will look good, but it won’t look great for several months. As with most newly installed landscapes, plants tend to look better once they’re established.
If I "go native," will it mean I have to deal with birds leaving a mess on my car?
No, it doesn't. Though we want more birds visiting your yard, we can plan a landscape to account for where you park and avoid planting, say, a delicious mulberry tree that has a crown extending right above your SUV.
How can I learn more about native plant landscaping?
Read Bringing Nature Home by Doug Tallamy and Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region by Sally Wasowski. Join your local Native Plant Society of Texas chapter and attend their monthly meetings. Sign up for Glenn Olsen's classes held through GO Native Landscaping, Rice Glasscock School of Continuing Studies, and Houston Audubon. Check out the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center's videos and info pages about native plants. The native plant movement is worldwide and it gains momentum every day. These first steps will do much to get you started on a fulfilling lifelong journey to becoming a good steward of the Earth.
MAINTAINING NATIVE PLANT LANDSCAPES:
Will a native landscape require more or less upkeep than a typical, non-native landscape?
A native plant landscape usually requires the same or often less upkeep than a non-native landscape. Native plants survived in the soil and climate conditions of the Texas Gulf Coast for hundreds of thousands of years without human care, so they tend to not need much maintenance.
Will a native plant landscape look "messy"?
No, a native plant landscape will look every bit as nice as your neighbors’ yard--and, in fact, even nicer once birds and butterflies begin visiting it.
There are worms chewing up my milkweed. What should I do?
Please don’t do anything except congratulate yourself. Because those aren’t just worms, they are caterpillars—and caterpillars become gorgeous butterflies someday. Thank you for supporting butterfly populations! A few nibbles on some of your leaves is often what it looks like. When you think about how you are supporting butterfly populations, you will realize that these natural little feasting patterns are beautiful.
We recommend you open your eyes and mind to a new aesthetic, one in which caterpillar nibbles are signs of ecosystem health. We’ve been programmed to see good plants as being those that don’t have holes in their leaves, but the truth is, plants ignored by insects and birds are typically ones that have been pulled from their native habitats (such as Europe and Asia) to live a sterile, isolated life apart from the natural systems where they evolved. They might appear “perfect,” but something important is missing. They’ve been taken away from the ancient relationships where they belonged within an interconnected web of life and thrust into another web that’s foreign to them and which, if they thrive, they can only disrupt. Behind the surface, “perfect” doesn’t seem so perfect anymore.
Native plants do support birds, butterflies, and pollinators. This means the berries, seeds, or leaves of plants will sometimes be eaten. And this is okay—better than okay, it’s natural and wonderful. Once in a while, caterpillars might even consume your entire plant. If this does happen, don’t worry. Nature has designed the plant so it grows back from its roots. This is the way nature intended plants to be used, so you’re doing things right. Please do not spray or squish your precious caterpillars. Simply watch them and enjoy them and the next time you see a butterfly, remember you or someone like-minded might have helped it get to exist.
We recommend you open your eyes and mind to a new aesthetic, one in which caterpillar nibbles are signs of ecosystem health. We’ve been programmed to see good plants as being those that don’t have holes in their leaves, but the truth is, plants ignored by insects and birds are typically ones that have been pulled from their native habitats (such as Europe and Asia) to live a sterile, isolated life apart from the natural systems where they evolved. They might appear “perfect,” but something important is missing. They’ve been taken away from the ancient relationships where they belonged within an interconnected web of life and thrust into another web that’s foreign to them and which, if they thrive, they can only disrupt. Behind the surface, “perfect” doesn’t seem so perfect anymore.
Native plants do support birds, butterflies, and pollinators. This means the berries, seeds, or leaves of plants will sometimes be eaten. And this is okay—better than okay, it’s natural and wonderful. Once in a while, caterpillars might even consume your entire plant. If this does happen, don’t worry. Nature has designed the plant so it grows back from its roots. This is the way nature intended plants to be used, so you’re doing things right. Please do not spray or squish your precious caterpillars. Simply watch them and enjoy them and the next time you see a butterfly, remember you or someone like-minded might have helped it get to exist.
Does GO Native do landscape maintenance?
No, but landscape maintenance can be easily accomplished by the homeowner or regular landscape companies. Newly installed native landscapes, like all newly installed landscapes, require additional care the first three months after planting. The first summer may require additional watering. While we don’t currently offer regular maintenance services, we provide instructions that can be easily accomplished by the homeowner. If unusual problems arise, we’re happy to advise, and we do offer biannual maintenance checkups for clients who would like follow-ups. Ask us about it during installation planning.
