Introduction to Native Plants in our Sale
For the purposes of this sale, I have listed “Native to Mass” if they naturally occur in Massachusetts and “Native to US” if they are native to somewhere in the continental United States. I have tried to provide descriptions of a plant’s native range.
If a cultivar is not listed in single quotes then the plant is a straight species. A cultivar is a variety that has been selected for specific traits by plant breeder(s). For example, Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) is straight species while Wild Geranium ‘Espresso’ (Geranium maculatum) is a cultivar. For more information about cultivars and straight species specifically as it relates to pollinators check out this guide from the MA Pollinator Network.
Native species are important for many reasons. One reason is species interdependence. Plants evolved with all the other organisms in their habitat and have ecological roles in nature. There are many birds, insects, butterflies and mammals that rely on native plants. To highlight these relationships, when I could, I included information about what organisms are supported by each native plant, a lot of this information comes from The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Native Plant Trust, and Missouri Botanical Garden.
You may see in the descriptions; on Dr RJ Gegear’s list of plant for at risk insects. You can view the list and learn more about his Massachusetts specific research here. Other information included in descriptions about supporting pollinators comes from the The Xerces Society and MA Pollinator Network