Trying to promote native species??

[doctorragamuffin]

I live in Tennesse, and I have a fencerow at the back of my yard -- my house is of course built on an old pasture, so for the most part the yard is devoid of trees, but this is slowly changing. Is there an easy way to figure out "native species" to plant in an area? Another way to say it -- I sometimes hate cutting stuff down, i.e., climbing vines and stuff like that, but I have to at the back of my yard because it just looks awful and harbors/hides poison ivy. I'd LIKE to replant some stuff in its place, I guess it doesn't neccessarily HAVE to be native species, but whatever. I have an old fence/pasture fence that divides me from a field. . .suggestions for things that do well in semi-shade, out compete vines and poison ivy and stuff? Confusing?

[Newt]

Hi Doctorragamuffin,

I didn't answer this question of yours last night as I knew it would take longer to do some research for you. I did get you started with your other posts though. :) It would be most helpful for you to know your hardiness zone for plant selection and id. Tenn has zones 6 and 7.
http://www.garden.org/zipzone/

I just love native plants and try and get people to plant them whenever I get the opportunity to 'plug' them. So this is a pleasure for me! You will probably find some native treasures as you clear away the invasives. Many woodland plants are spring ephemerals and appear in spring, bloom and then go dormant and disappear until the following spring. So, go gently on the ground as you clear if you are doing it now. Someone from your local native plant society might be willing to come and id what you have growing. They would probably do a 'rescue' if there are natives growing that you don't want. This first one is in Nashville.
http://www.tnps.org/

Tennessee Native Plant Society
c/o Department of Botany, University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN 37996-1100

The Wildflower Society
Goldsmith Civic Garden Center
750 Cherry Road
Memphis, TN 38119-4699


Here's The Tennessee Valley Authority's site with a search engine for natives.
http://www.tva.gov/river/landandshor...lantsearch.htm

Though this first place is located in Texas, it has information on native plants from all over the US and some wonderful photo galleries as well. Loads of helpful info with lots to click on.
http://www.wildflower.org/
http://www.nanps.org/index.shtml

If you want to purchase natives and other woodland plants in large quantities, this is the place. It's in W.Va. and Barry is very knowledgeable and a bit of a 'character' with a nice wit, but generally great prices for large purchases. Loads of interesting info about plants here and his hardiness zone is either 5 or 6, so it would be a good 'fit' for your area. Some folks have trouble understanding him as he's a bit of a genius, but if anything goes wrong he will fix it.
http://www.sunfarm.com/

This place is in TN, but they have a yellow flag (50/50 rating at Garden Watchdog) so it might be best to visit in person and pick what you want if they are nearby. Do click on 'Information & Events' in the middle of the page. Then you'll find some helpful links.
http://www.native-gardens.com/

You can check out references for mailorder here and even search by state to see if there is anyone reputable near you.
http://davesgarden.com/gwd/


For your woodland area consider some of these natives. They will be more carefree and won't take over the world. I just love Celedine poppy - wood poppy with Virginia Bluebells (both natives). For your other shady areas as well as the woods, consider lungwort, hostas, ferns (many natives), tiarella - foam flower (native), heuchera - so many with wonderfully colored leaves (native), bergenia and lobelia cardinalis - cardinal flower (native). For a damp shady spot consider ligularia. There are a few different ones, one that has a spiked flower, another with a flower that looks like a black eyed susan and one with sploched leaves. It will wilt in the heat of the day, but a damp and shady spot will keep this clumper happy. It's a large plant. Lobelias are native with the red - lobelia cardinalis being less invasive then the larger 'great blue lobelia' - Lobelia siphilitica. The blue will make a large clump in no time. The hummers love them both. There are native honeysuckles as well for your fence that won't take over the world. Consider Lonicera sempervirens 'Blanche Sandman' and Lonicera heckrottii - Gold flame honeysuckle. Both bloom on and off all summer, offer nectar to the hummers and butterflies and berries for the birds in winter. Free entertainment when it's cold. The Gold Flame is fragrant, but they are variable in fragrance, so purchase this one in bloom if that's important. Another native vine that I have and just love is climbing aster - Aster carolinianus. It needs a fence to support it but blooms in the fall and will continue until a hard freeze. I've had blooms stay on mine until late January in mild winters.

These search engines let you search by bloom time, color, etc.
http://www.main.nc.us/naturenotebook/plantindex.html
http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/...leryindex.html
http://www.perennials.com/

As for plants that are easy, if a description says it forms a clump then you can pretty well figure it isn't going to run all over the garden. On the other hand, if it says 'vigorous' you can figure it will be in your neighbor's yard soon. Stay away from the groundcover chameleon plant - Houttuynia cordata (a small root left in the ground after you discover what a pest it is can literally cause years of digging and cursing) and 'ditch' lilies. Those are the orange ones you see growing by the roadside. Ajuga, a groundcover, can get out of hand easily as well. Japanese honeysuckle, aka Hall's honeysuckle is another invasive pest as well as trumpet vine - campsis radicans (native). Yarrow (some area actually natives) can seed around and be a pest and so can Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldstrum', a variety of the native black eyed susan.

For your sunny areas think about daylilies. There are several varieties that rebloom, some that are everblooming and even fragrant. For part sun or sun think about hardy geraniums. One that is fantastic is Geranium 'Rozanne'. It starts blooming in May or June in my zone 7 garden and blooms it's head off until hard frost. One plant will spread to a 3' clump and take your breath away. Fillipendula (native) and liatris (native) are lovely in a sunny border as are many of the salivas and penstemon (some native). Another fun plant is balloon flower - Platycodon grandiflorus. Kids love the balloon looking buds and it behaves in the garden. Joe Pye weed and milkweed (both natives and many varieties of milkweed) are great natives for butterflies, but keep in mind that if it has 'weed' in it's name it will seed around. If you have a large piece of property, that can be a plus with a good native. Many native asters and goldenrod (native and is NOT the one that gives you allergies). Gosh, I could keep going and going and going, like the Energizer bunny!

Hope this gets you started. Don't hesitate to write with more questions or if you would like to know about forums for native plants and native plant exchanges. You can often get some for SASE (Self Addressed Stamped Envelope). A one pound package is about $4.00 and you can't beat that with a stick anywhere!

Regards,
Newt

[doctorragamuffin]

Newt,

Thanks for the rather....voluminous amount of info!

Lol.


By the way, I'm in zone 6a/b, but definitely 6.


Figure that what you pointed out as privet is probably right -- fits the description pretty well. And YES, it IS an exotic.


Vigorous bugger. . .

Doc

[Newt]

Hi Doc,

You are so very welcome. Glad you 'liked' what I had to say. A bit longwinded though. I was afraid that I'd give you so much to read that you wouldn't be able to get to the clearing of the woods until fall! ;)

Hope that will all be helpful.
Newt