Growing Habitat from the Roots Up

Exploring Live Staking and Native Species

Two years ago in the spring I was on the hunt for a very specific shrub. I wanted to grow shrubs along the roadside as a privacy screen, something native that also wouldn’t attract animals. I settled on downy serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea), a wide branching, broad leaved, shrub that can sometimes grow like a small tree, had beautiful orange foliage in the fall, and grew berries that typically only attracts birds. I visited a couple local greenhouses in search for my perfect shrub, only to find that I was only the second or third person to ask for that particular species in the last 30 years, and then further disappointed by the lack of native perennial options available at these nurseries.

This year, I decided to try taking clippings from my existing shrubs (that were already here when we moved in), and planting them to see if they would grow. I snipped clippings from two different plants, one being a lilac (Syringa vulgaris) and the other an evergreen azalea (Rhododendron sp.). While these species aren’t native to the state of Maine, they have become naturalized.

Many of the plants you see in residential gardens are non-native, ornamental species. Let’s quickly break down the major categories of plants when it comes to origin¹.

• Native Species: A plant that is a part of the balance of nature that has developed over hundreds or thousands of years in a particular region or ecosystem. Basically, a plant that has co-evolved with the other species in its area and has its own niche in the ecosystem.
• Non-native species: A plant introduced with human help (intentionally or accidentally) to a new place or new type of habitat where it was not previously found. It’s important to note that some non-native species can coexist with native species, meaning they have become naturalized.
• Invasive Species: A plant that is both non-native and able to establish on many sites, grow quickly, and spread to the point of disrupting plant communities or ecosystems.
• Noxious Weed: Any plant or plant product that can directly or indirectly injure or cause damage to crops (including nursery stock or plant products), livestock, poultry or other interests of agriculture, irrigation, navigation, the natural resources of the United States, the public health, or the environment.

*A general rule I’ve heard is that for every 1,000 plants, 100 of them are non-native, and of those 10 are invasive, and of those ten invasive one is a noxious weed.

There are many benefits to planting native species. One of the most important reasons is that native plants provide food and habitat for local wildlife, and equally important is that they support native pollinator species like hummingbirds and bumble bees². Additionally, native plants are better suited for the climate and require less maintenance to thrive, compared to non-native species that have evolved for different climates, hydrology, and soils³.  

While my lilac and azalea are not native species, they are naturalized and have become part of the local ecosystem. Black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus), tufted titmice (Baeolophus bicolor), and northern cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) frequent the lilac bush year round, and bumble bees flock to the azalea blooms each April. So far, two of my three azalea live stakes have survived, blooming like little puff balls on the ground. One of my lilac transplants initially started to leaf out, but stalled and has since died off. This spring has been particularly wet and gray, I think had we had more sunshine it cook have thrived. But I’m happy with the progress so far and look forward to expanding next spring with more live stakes.

Left: Azalea parent plant. Right: two different live stakes of azalea

What are the Take Aways:

• Native plant species play an important role in the ecosystem and can be beneficial to your yard
• Generally, native plant species are less common at local greenhouses and nurseries. Seedlings can be ordered online or you can clip living sections from a plant you currently have as a live stake.
• Native species may change by region so be cautious of purchasing or planting generic “wild seed mixes”
• There are many non-native plants that have become naturalized and can serve as wildlife habitat and food source. Be sure to avoid invasive species and noxious weeds, which are usually posted on state websites (heritage bureaus or environmental departments).

Citations

1. Natural Resources Conservation Service. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/ct/technical/ecoscience/invasive/?cid=nrcs142p2_011124
2. BURGHARDT, K. T., Tallamy, D. W., & Shriver, G. W. (2009). Impact of Native Plants on Bird and Butterfly Biodiversity in Suburban Landscapes. Conservation Biology, 23(1), 219-224. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1523-1739.2008.01076.x
3. Vogelsang, K. M., & Bever, J. D. (2009). Mycorrhizal densities decline in association with nonnative plants and contribute to plant invasion. Ecology,90(2), 399-407. doi:10.1890/07-2144.1