Landscaping with Native Plants

Site Analysis and Native Plant Selection

Al Cooke Agricultural Extension Agent Chatham County

[email protected] http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/chatham/staff/acooke/home.html Let‟s start with the myths

• Native plants are more aggressive and better adapted • Kudzu and “bamboograss” are not native Let‟s start with the myths • Native Plants are disease resistant • American chestnut; American elm Let‟s start with the myths

• Native Plants are insect resistant

Dogwood clubgall midge

Emerald ash borer Hemlock wooly adelgid Asian longhorned beetle Gypsy moth Southern pine beetle …..

Dogwood borer injury Let‟s start with the myths

• Native Plants are drought tolerant

Water lily Let‟s start with the myths Native Plants grow wild; little or no site preparation is necessary • This plant may produce 1,000s of seeds; if one seed grows to maturity, the parent was successful • Is that good enough for gardeners? Wildflowers

“Because of their delicately balanced adaptation to very specific natural environments, many wild flowers cannot grow in habitats that have been altered or disturbed, nor can they compete with the plants of the more weedy introduced species that rapidly invade the vast areas of land opened or altered by the machines of man for roads, farms, dwellings, and industrial complexes.” - Justice and Bell, Wild Flowers of North Carolina, 1968 There is no plant native to this site. What is Native?

• Native to where? – Continent, region, state, county? • Native to what? – Soil type, microclimate, ecological niche? Plants have developed sophisticated dispersal strategies. From before the age of agriculture plants have used humans as a means of dispersal What is Native?

• Native When? • Before Europeans? • Before Native Americans? • Before continental drift? • What is “native” changes over time. Ginkgo biloba Native to North America “Ginkgo” > 100 million years ago Extinct Reintroduction route China -> Japan -> Europe -> NA Native or not? Baccharis halimifolia “Eastern Baccharis”

“Believed to have been restricted at one time to the outer cp.” How do we know what was here? • John Lawson, • John Bartram – 1674 - 1711 – 1699 – 1777 • Surveyor-General of • Collected from Ontario to North Carolina, 1700 Florida • Shipped American plants to England • William Bartram – 1739 – 1823 • Traveled with father • 1773-77, journeys through southern colonies • 1791, Travels published How do we know what was here?

• B.W. Wells • The Natural Gardens of North Carolina • Understanding the plant‟s relationships in its community • 1932, 2002 How do we know what was here?

• Albert E. Radford, Harry E. Ahles, C. Ritchie Bell, 1964 • 1st “serious systematic survey” • Begun 1956 Site Analysis If the site is no longer native, salvaged plants may not thrive even in their original location Site Analysis

• Soil conditions • Drainage • Available water • Slope, Exposure • Air movement • What‟s underground and overhead? Site Analysis: What we need to know about the place • Expectations • Size of space(s) • Utilities • Soil • Irrigation? • Exposure • Microclimate Expectations

– What kind of mental pictures do you have? – Hobbies? – Children? Pets? Size of space(s)

• What size plants will fit? • How many? • How much mulch? Site Analysis

• Soil • Drainage • Air Movement • Exposure

Exposure

• North/South/East/West • Light • Wind • Buildings • Snowfall Microclimate

• Light/shade • Hot/Cold • Wet/Dry • Proximity to hard surfaces Transmit Absorb Reflect

Utilities

• Call before you dig • The North Carolina One Call Center • 1-800-632-4949 • Call at least 48 hours before digging

A Landscape is Never Finished

• It includes a living, growing collection of plants – • It will change • It will grow to change the environment • Some plants will no longer be suitable and will need to be removed and/or replaced U.S. National Arboretum, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html U.S. National Arboretum, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture http://www.usna.usda.gov/Hardzone/ushzmap.html American Horticultural Society Heat Zone Map http://www.ahs.org/publications/heat_zone_map.htm Some Climate Questions

• Cold, heat, and duration • Wind, water, humidity • It‟s not how cold it gets; it‟s how it gets cold • It‟s not how hot it gets; it‟s how long it stays hot Some Criteria for Plant Selection

• Size • Flowers, Fruits • Growth rate • Fall color • Growth habit • Attractive Bark • Tolerances & • Fragrance Sensitivities – Sun/shade, drought, wet/compacted soil, cold/heat, insects, disease, fertility, urban pollution www.ncstate-plants.net What we need to know about the plant: Size • Mature height and width Mature height and width What we need to know about the plant: Rate

• How fast will Dwarf Burford Holly it grow • What does dwarf mean? What we need to know about the plant: Hardiness • How tough is the plant • Cold, heat, wind, water • It‟s not how cold it gets; it‟s how it gets cold • It‟s not how hot it gets; it‟s how long it stays hot What we need to know about the plant: Culture • Sun/shade • Moist/dry • pH • Fertility • Pruning • Native habitat Survival is usually not sufficient What we need to know about the plant: Predictable Problems

• Diseases • Insects • The beginning point for IPM What we need to know about the plant: Ozone Tolerance What we need to know about the plant: Fruit • Ornamental? • Maintenance problem? What we need to know about the plant: What else does it drop? What we need to know about the plant: Leaves • Evergreen/Deciduous

• Texture What we need to know about the plant: Stem • Multi-stem/Single stem • Colonial

© 2000 NC State University What we need to know about the plant: Stem • Ornamental bark? – Color – Exfoliation – Shape – Texture What we need to know about the plant: Flowers • Color • Size • Fragrance • Allergies? What about Wildflowers?

• Start seed in flats • Provides plants for transplanting that have a competitive advantage over the weeds that follow • Allows you to distinguish the plant from the weeds http://www.doh.dot.state.nc.us/operations/dp_chief_eng/roadside/wildflowerbook/

Why should we use natives?

• Fit the (intended) character of the site • Pride of place • Food sources for wildlife • Broad gene-pool of characteristics and adaptations • Good plants Why should we use natives?

• Food sources for wildlife • The Douglas Tallamy thesis – Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants by Douglas W. Tallamy; 2007, 2009 Why use non-natives?

• Site is seldom in its native state • Non-natives may be pre-adapted due to having developed in similar geographic areas • Broad gene-pool of characteristics and adaptations • Good plants (including evergreen shrubs) Acquiring Native Plants

• Transplanting from the wild •  Nursery Grown • Nursery Propagated •  Grow your own NATIVE TRUTHS

SOME native plants are good landscape plants in SOME locations.

-Dick Bir -Retired Extension Specialist -NC State University Fagus grandifolia “American beech”

Sun to partial shade 50-80‟ high x 40-60‟wide Moist well-drained soil Rich damp woods Primarily uplands Gleditsia triacanthos “honeylocust”

Sun, 50-75‟ high 25-40‟ wide Creates light shade

Piedmont woods and borders Liriodendron tulipiferra “tulip poplar”

Sun to light shade 40-100‟ high x 20-40‟ wide Rapid growth

Rich low woods Platanus occidentalis “sycamore” Sun to partial shade 70-100‟ high x 60-80‟ wide Moist, well drained soil

Low woods Prunus serotina “wild cherry”

Sun, 50-80‟ high Wide soil tolerance Seldom planted Fruit used by birds All parts toxic to livestock

Woodlands, fence rows, Gil Wojciech, Polish Forest Research Institute, Bugwood.org pastures Juglans nigra “black walnut” Deciduous 50-70 ft. high & wide Drought tolerant Tough nut Allelopathic

Thin woods, open areas Fraxinus pennsylvanica F. americana Deciduous, 50 – 60 feet Sun Rapid “White Ash” “Green Ash”

Deep, rich soils, floodplains Betula nigra “river birch”

Deciduous 40-70 ft high & wide Exfoliating bark Often grown as multi-stemmed tree Twiggy

Lowlands, floodplains Nyssa sylvatica “black gum”

Sun to partial shade 40-60‟ high x 20-30‟ wide Tolerates heavy soil Difficult to transplant

Thin woods or in open Quercus spp. “oak” (at least 14 spp. in Chatham)

Scarlet Willow

White Sun, good drainage Swamp Soil tolerant chestnut Important mast producers Shumard‟s red Acer rubrum “red maple”

Deciduous, 40-60‟ high x 25-45‟ wide Sun to shade, soil tolerant Low, rich woods Highly variable Acer barbatum “Southern Sugar Maple”

Deciduous, 20 – 30 feet Sun Good heat, drought tolerance Good fall color

Wooded valleys, hillsides Robinia pseudoacacia “black locust”

Deciduous, 30-50 ft. Soil tolerant Young growth thorny Colonial

Thin woods, open areas Ulmus alata “winged elm”

Deciduous 30-40 ft high & wide Rapid growth

Uplands Sassafras albidum “sassafras” 30-60‟ high x 25-40‟wide Sun to partial shade Soil tolerant Difficult to transplant Swallowtail caterpillars feed

The Dow Gardens Archive, Dow Gardens, Bugwood.org

Fencerows, old fields Woodland edges Cercis canadensis “eastern redbud” Deciduous, 20-30 ft. Typically wider than tall Spring bloom Short-lived

Understory, various types Aesculus sylvatica “painted buckeye”

Sun to shade, 5-12‟ high Moist with good drainage Understory tree

Stream banks Alluvial woods Ilex opaca “American holly”

Evergreen, 30-60 ft ½ as wide Male and female plants Less dense in woodland sites

Mixed hardwoods Carpinus caroliniana “ironwood” 20-30‟ high & wide Sun to partial shade Thrives in moist to wet soil Very slow growing Dense wood

Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org

Stream banks Low rich woods

Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org Hamamelis virginiana “witchhazel” 15-30‟ high & wide Sun to partial shade Moist well drained soil Flowers late fall to early winter

Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org

Rich or dry woods Ilex verticillata “winterberry”

6-15‟ high x 6-10‟ wide Sun to partial shade Drought tolerant Attracts birds

Bogs, streamside Low woods

Richard Webb, Garden Restoration, Bugwood.org Full of Life Nursery, 742.2897 http://www.triplants.com/ Asimmina triloba “pawpaw” 15-30‟ high x 15-20‟ wide Sun to partial shade Moist, well drained soil Food for zebra swallowtail larvae Edible fruit

Low woods Vaccinium arboreum “farkleberry”

Deciduous, 5-10 ft Berries gritty, dry; good for birds Exfoliating bark

Dry sites Vaccinium fuscatum “black higbush blueberry”

Deciduous, 5-15 ft. Black berries June – August Less sweet than cultivated varieties

Partial shade More sun increases fruit

Evergreen shrub, 10-25 ft high & wide Requires moisture Bottomlands Cephalanthus occidentalis “buttonbush”

Deciduous, 5-10 ft Moist to wet soil Poor drought tolerance

Banks of streams, lakes Cornus amomum “silky dogwood”

Deciduous, 8-10 ft Multi-trunked shrub Wet to dry soil Berries may attract birds

Alluvial lowlands Fothergilla major “mountain witchalder”

Deciduous 6-12 ft. White flowers mid spring Moist to dry soil Fall Color

Dry woodlands Itea virginica “Virginia sweetspire”

Deciduous, 3-5 ft May attract birds and butterflies Avoid fertilizing

Wooded lowlands Viburnum rafinesquianum “downy arrowwood”

Deciduous, 4-6 ft Malodorous flowers

Dense woodlands, especially with high pH Euonymus americanus “strawberry bush”

Deciduous, 3-6 ft Spindly green stems Fruits late spring to summer

Partial shade Tolerates wet soil

Low woodlands Rubus argutus “sawtooth blackberry”

Full sun to light shade Wide soil tolerance The common local blackberry

Deciduous, 3 – 6 ft. Erect arching stems Glaucous coating on stem

Sun to light shade Source of cultivated black raspberries

Woodlands, clearings, fence rows Hypericum prolificum “shrubby St. Johnswort”

Deciduous, 3-5 ft Sun Summer bloom Wide soil tolerance

Meadows, rocky woods, seepages Ilex glabra “inkberry” 6-8‟ high x 6-10‟ wide Sun to light shade Moist soil Drought tolerant Flowers attract bees

Pocossins, low woods Pine barrens Rhododendron periclymenoides “pinxter flower”

Deciduous azalea, 4-10 ft Flower color variable from light pink to deep rose; some fragrant Stoloniferous Deciduous woods, streamsides Vaccinium crassifolium “creeping blueberry”

Evergreen to 1 ft Sun to light shade Acid soil

Some use as groundcover Prone to root rot

“Pine barrens” Ambrosia artemisiifolia “ragweed”

Annual weed Early colonist of abandoned sites Best in full sun

Fields, roadsides, waste places Aquilegia canadensis “columbine”

1-3‟ Sun to shade Seeds around Blooms March-April

Rich rocky woods, Pastures, waste places Asclepias tuberosa “butterfly weed”

1-2‟ high Dave Powell, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Sun Well drained soil Blooms mid-summer

Dry fields, roadsides, Woodland edges

John D. Byrd, Mississippi State University, Bugwood.org Chrysogonum virginianum “green-and-gold”

6-9 inches, semi-evergreen Perennial groundcover/edging plant Flowers in spring, sporadic in summer

Woodlands Amsonia tabernaemontana “blue star flower”

Perennial, 2-3 ft. 1-3 ft. spread Sun to partial shade Flowers in spring

Bottomlands, slopes Arisaema triphyllum “jack-in-the-pulpit”

Perennial 1-2 ft Shade Rich, moist, loamy soil

Rich, low areas Coreopsis lanceolata “lanceleaf tickseed” Perennial, 1-2 ft. Dry soil Sun Late spring

Roadsides, sandy woods, waste places Athyrium felix-femina “lady fern”

Fern, 1-3 ft Clump forming Shade; will tolerate sun with adequate water

Woods, lowlands Osmunda cinnamomea “cinnamon fern”

Fern, 2-4 ft. Sun or shade Moist soil May go dormant in drought

Swamps, streambanks Polystichum acrostichoides “Christmas fern” Fern, 12-36 inches Evergreen Wide soil tolerance Shade to light sun

Rocky slopes, swamp edges Eupatorium purpureum “Queen-of-the-Meadow” “Joe Pye Weed”

4 – 7 feet Sun, afternoon shade Mid- to Late summer bloom High water requirement, good in low areas

Wooded slopes Heuchera americana “alumroot”

1 – 2 feet Shade to partial sun „Palace Purple‟ Late spring bloom Good woodland selection

Rich woods Rock outcrops Hibiscus moscheutos “rose mallow” “swamp mallow” 4-7 feet, perennial Full sun Flower 4-6”, mid-summer to fall Moist soil

Dwight K. Lauer, Auburn University, Bugwood.org

Swamp forests Alluvial meadows

The Dow Gardens Archive, Dow Gardens, Bugwood.org Iris cristata “dwarf crested iris” 6-12 inch perennial Sun to light shade Good drainage

Rich wooded slopes Monarda fistulosa Dave Powell, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org “wild bergamot”

William M. Ciesla 2-5 feet Forest Health Management International Bugwood.org Sun to light shade More drought tolerant and mildew resistant than beebalm

Wooded slopes and meadows Pycnanthemum incanum “mountain mint” 3–4 feet Sun Mid- to late-summer, flowers not showy Attract a wide range of beneficial insects Fragrant

Woodlands, thickets, pastures, old fields Solidago rugosa „Fireworks‟ “fireworks goldenrod” 2–4 feet Sun Late summer bloom NCBG introduction “Goldenrods” popular in 19th century gardens

Low woods, meadows, bogs, old fields, pine barrens Rudbeckia fulgida “black-eyed Susan” 15–24 inches Sun mid to late summer bloom „Goldsturm‟ blooms earlier Naturalizes well

„Goldsturm‟

Woodlands, meadows, pastures Oenothera fruticosa “sundrops” 15–30 inches Early summer bloom Best in sun Tolerates light shade Drought tolerant

Dry woods Roadsides Meadows Polygonatum biflorum “Solomon‟s seal”

2–3 feet Shade Early to mid-spring

Moist woodlands Toxicodendron radicans “poison ivy”

Woodlands, meadows, waste places Gelsemium sempervirens “Carolina jessamine”

Size varies with space and light Evergreen twining vine Sun to light shade Good drainage Drought tolerant

Thickets, woodlands, fence rows, roadsides Lonicera sempervirens “coral honeysuckle” Size varies with space and light Evergreen twining vine Sun to light shade Good drainage Drought tolerant

Woodlands, Thickets, Fencerows Bignonia capreolata “crossvine”

Vine with twining tendrils Best in sun Leaves maroon in winter

Thickets, dense woodlands Parthenocissus quinquefolia “Virginia creeper”

Vine, tendrils with adhering “feet” Sun to light shade Good fall color Can be grown as ground cover

Dry, rocky, or rich woods Vitis rotundifolia “muscadine grape”

Vine twining by tendrils Best in sun

Upland, lowland, sand