Native Wildflower Seeds

What is a native flower? A North American native flower is defined as any plant that occurs naturally, without relying on human intervention to thrive.

Keep in mind that this definition is very broad. Within the concept of “native flower” there are many variations. Some plants are more beneficial than others, even if they are all classified as native.

For example, there ARE native flowers that thrive without human intervention now—we can see them along roadsides throughout the US. Unfortunately, many flowers that thrive without our help today have become invasive.

This is mostly because they were introduced as garden flowers and then “escaped” by spreading seeds or sending out runners. The types of flowers are not very beneficial to wildlife, do little to enhance the ecosystem, and often push out better native flowers.

Finding pure native flowers is not always easy. Many garden stores will claim that plant is "natural" or "naturalized," but that is not the same as native. Some "naturalized" plants are actually invasive weeds that crowd out better native flowers. sometimes it is necessary to research the scientific name of a plant to be sure that it is the right kind to put in the garden. For some people, that takes the fun out of gardening. It is difficult to determine the exact scientific name of an appropriate plant. Many plants look alike, even though they are from radically different categories.

Let us, for the moment, think of it this way: Any native flower perennial is better than turf grass or invasive alternatives. Every patch of healthy, self-sufficient native flowers provides more habitat and environmental benefit than a turf grass lawn. Any native flower, or close-to-native flower, is better than an alien invasive choice. Consider the options below, and find out how easy it is to grow native flowers.

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