In the Garden Blog
Cincinnati's Garden Blog
Native Plants
Why Grow Native Plants?
Natives are easy to grow and beneficial to our local environment and help conservation efforts. In addition, to local wildlife.
What are Native Plants?
Plants considered native are those that originated and are growing naturally in an area. Also, it means the plant has acclimated to the local climate, adapted to the soils, and wildlife.
3 Reasons You Should Go Native
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Maintenance
Being more adaptable to the environment, native plants generally require less maintenance. We have seen more significant disease, drought, and pest resistance.
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Water Conservation
With deep root systems and dense growth habits, natives often require less watering thus reduces water runoff. As a result, it contributes to helping water conservation.
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Supports local wildlife
Native plants produce the seeds, berries, nuts, and nectar for local wildlife from bees to birds.
What plants are available for a Cincinnati native garden?
With endless possibilities to include native plants in your garden, your only limit is your imagination. Create a butterfly and hummingbird friendly garden, with native perennials like the Cardinal Flower, False Indigo, and the Great Coneflower. And, don’t forget all the showy native shrubs like the Bottlebrush Buckeye, Sugar Shack Buttonbush, and the Nothern Spice Bush.
What about Native Trees?
From providing shade to ornamental beauties, there is an excellent selection of native trees that both you and the local wildlife will adore. Here are some of our favorites:
Tulip Tree
A large, stately, native tree with interesting spring flowers and beautiful yellow fall color. In addition, flowers resemble tulips. A lovely shade tree for large spaces.
Red Oak
A faster-growing oak and one of the easiest to transplant. With dense, lustrous foliage and often holds onto its leaves into winter, giving it an excellent winter silhouette. It grows best in acidic soils and is pollution and heat tolerant.
Eastern Redbud Multi-Stem
Handsome small vase-shaped native tree with lavender-pink buds that appear in early spring before heart-shaped leaves emerge. Eastern Redbud is easy to grow and adaptable to a wide variety of conditions.
Scarlet Oak
A stately native oak with glossy green summer foliage that turns russet to scarlet in the fall. It retains much of its leaves into the winter providing coverage and a windbreak. As well as, it adapts well to alkaline soils and grows well in the Tri-State area.
Bald Cypress
An unusual deciduous conifer with a stately upright, cone-shaped form. This native has sage green, fern-like foliage that turns a mellow orangish-brown in fall. Bald Cypress is easy to grow and also adaptable to both wet and dry sites.
Take a look at our Native Tree Collection. You can also search our online plant library for native perennials and shrubs to find the perfect plants for your garden. Click Here!
Cincinnati Gardening made simple! Have a native plant question? Ask our experts!