Happy Native Plant Month!

 While April is officially Native Plant Month, you won’t see too many native plants blooming until the weather warms up around the end of May. Although they have a “late start”, April is a super important month for our native plants. So, what’s the buzz?

Let’s first distinguish native plants. Native plants are plants that have grown right here in Grundy County soil for thousands of years; in our fields, in our creek beds, on our bluffs, in our woodlands. Our land has been through glacial retreats and both wetter & drier conditions, but it was the use of fire by Native Americans that has given us the beautiful blend of prairie, savannah, and forest in our area. 

These plants are the same grasses & sedges that Illinois’s settlers waded through on their voyage to a new home. These are the same flowers & leaves that the settlers began cultivating for herbal & medicinal use hundreds of years ago. The same roots and berries that they used as dietary staples. These plants provided for our ancestors. Are you as awe-struck as I am??

Native plants’ steady & comforting presence has a place in every yard, and every garden. Still not convinced? Allow me to plead my case:

1. #Made for this! 
• Native plants are adapted to and thrive in our soil and weather conditions. You don’t have to worry about zones, watering, fertilization, or maintenance. Native plants are the quiet yet reliable personality in group projects. Although they don’t take the lead, you don’t have to question their ability to get it done, and get it done right.
2. Support native birds & bees.
• With the introduction of ornamental varieties and non-native perennials to our landscaping, the once-buffet for native insects and birds is now a scavenger hunt. By planting native, you’re supporting your local wildlife ecosystem.
3. They put their roots down! 
• Roots of native plants can be 2-3x the height of the plant (10-15 ft!) Because they often grow much deeper and more extensively than non-natives, they prevent soil erosion, increase water filtration, store carbon, and don’t require ANY watering (; 

Right now, as soil temperatures are rising, native plants are coming out of dormancy and pushing those long roots further into the soil. Next time you take a hike outside, try to look for these native plants!

Virginia Bluebells

https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/virginia-bluebells-mertensia-virginica/ 

Rattlesnake master

https://wcbotanicalclub.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/rattlesnake-master-eryngium-yuccifolium-kb.jpg

May Apples

https://gardenlady.com/i-love-mayapple-aka-podophulum-peltatum/