Why gardening with 'native' plants isn't always better for the environment
The idea that native plants are better than “non-natives” has more to do with cultural bias than scientific evidence, says James Wong. In order to argue that native plants are always a superior choice, we would need to agree on a clear-cut definition of “nativeness” with objective criteria. In many geographically isolated parts of the world, such as the Galapagos, whose flora is so unique many species are found nowhere else, this may be easy to do. But does this apply somewhere like the UK, where I live? The answer is a pretty clear no.
As prehistoric glaciations have repeatedly wiped out much of UK flora, many plants seen today as invasive “non-natives” introduced by humans, such as the common rhododendron, grew here naturally in the relatively recent geological past. Conversely, many of our most cherished “native” plants, such as cornflowers, only arrived after being introduced by humans in the past few thousand years. The best strategy for gardeners wanting to support pollinating insects in gardens is to plant a mix of flowering plants from different parts of the world, because although “native” plants were more frequently visited at the beginning of the growing season, “exotics” remain in flower far later in the season, providing vital support for pollinators. Following the “native equals universally superior” ideology, according to this study, would be worse for pollinators.
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