Native Versus Non-Native Plants
Fewer and fewer native Floridians in the plant world, too.
There seems to be fewer and fewer native Floridians. This statement may not only apply to people, but also to plants used in our landscapes.
It is interesting to look at the origin of the plants we commonly use in our landscapes. Many are not native. I have not seen figures for Florida; however, in the early 1980s, I saw information from the Atlanta area on landscape plant use. This information pointed out that around 80 percent of the landscape plants used there were not native.
Many of the plants commonly used in our landscapes in the Gulf Coast area which are thought to be native are not. Plants like camellia, nandina, helleri holly, boxwood, "redtip" or "redtop" photinia and most evergreen azaleas are not native to the United States. Many of these plants are native to the Orient - Japan, China and Korea.
For example, one of the most common types of privet used in our landscapes is Ligustrum sinense which was introduced to the United States in 1852 from China. Many common names, such as Korean boxwood and Japanese cleyera, indicate where a plant was originally found.
Sometimes knowing if a plant is a native or not a native species can be confusing. There are many different types of hollies; some are native others are not. Most of the azaleas found in our landscapes are not native; however, some deciduous azaleas, like Pinxter and Flame, are native.
There seems to be an increased interest in using native plants in landscaping. Florida has the greatest wealth of native plants for use in the home landscape as compared to other states.
Nearly half of the tree species native to the United States are found in Florida. Native plants such as dogwood, oakleaf hydrangea and redbud have remained popular through the years.
When considering the use of native versus non-native plants, both sides of the coin should be considered. Just because a plant is native does not necessarily guarantee it as foolproof. A misplaced native plant may not perform well despite the fact that it is native. For example, many native plants have low or no tolerance to salt. These low salt-tolerant plants would be doomed for failure when planted too close to the gulf, exposed to salt spray from the ocean.
Some of the native willows live short lives when planted on well-drained, dry sandy sites. Certain native shade-loving plants, such as the sword fern, suffer when planted in full sun. Knowing the preferences of the plant, and planting the right plant in the right place, are critical factors in having success with native plants.
Some people frown at the use of non-native plants. I do not agree. There are many exotic plants which have proven themselves over the years. The Southeast would not be the same aesthetically or economically in the absence of certain foreign plants. Eliminating those plants that are not indigenous results in the elimination of the citrus industry in Florida (a multi-million dollar industry). It does away with most vegetables. Tomato production alone brings in close to $600 million to Florida's economy per year. There would be no golf courses, football fields, baseball fields, etc. There would be no home lawns (some may applaud here). Saint Augustine grass, centipede grass, carpet grass, oysters, Bahamas and bermuda grass were originally brought to the United States from foreign countries. Who would give up camellias, evergreen azaleas or crape myrtles (all of these are native to the orient)?
Sure, there are exotic plants that have become invasive. Plants such as Chinese tallow (popcorn tree), kudzu and even some types of wisteria have become major weeds in parts of the Gulf Coast. There are laws which prohibit the use of certain exotic, invasive plant species.
There are also native plants which are invasive. Florida betony (rattlesnake weed), smilax (green briar), nutsedge (nut grass), yaupon holly and common persimmon are only a few examples of native, invasive plants.
I do encourage the preservation of native plants. Ecological preservation is an outstanding reason to consider using native plants. With the increasing destruction of natural environments for urban and agricultural use, many plant species have declined in numbers and range. As the Gulf Coast area continues to grow in population, we need to put careful thought into the way we are developing our landscapes. We need to consider the great wealth of native plants with which we are naturally blessed. But we also need to recognize and appreciate the contributions of many of the non-native plants to our landscapes and gardens.
