Native Plant Gardening

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Why native plants?

According to the The National Audubon Society:

Restoring native plant habitat is vital to preserving biodiversity. By creating a native plant garden, each patch of habitat becomes part of a collective effort to nurture and sustain the living landscape for birds and other animals.

What our community is about—

This community is for everyone who is interested in planting native species in their garden. Come here for discussions, questions, and sharing of ideas/photos.

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LucidFeverDream@mander.xyz

6b evergreen ideas (lemm.ee)

submitted 11 months ago by greenhorn@lemm.ee to c/nativeplantgardening@mander.xyz

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I'm in southeast Michigan, hardiness zone 6b, and I'd like to add a small or mid size evergreen to my yard for some winter interest, any suggestions?

I also have a large yew I'd like to replace with something comparable to maintain a little porch privacy, I'm thinking either a smoke bush or witch hazel, any others I should consider?

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[–] LallyLuckFarm@beehaw.org 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Picea mariana (Black Spruce) might fit the bill for the new tree. Native Plant Trust lists it as a "pollinator powerhouse plant" among other wildlife benefits.

As for shrubs, Lindera benzoin (Spicebush) has yellow early spring blooms and is a host plant for a number of species - not least of which is the Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly. It's not going to provide you any privacy but my favorite plant, Ceanothus americanus (New Jersey Tea) is also native to the region. Michigan State's extension office has three lists of native plants depending on your specific region of MI with consideration given to the different soil types throughout the state.

[–] greenhorn@lemm.ee 1 points 11 months ago

Thanks for your thoughts! My urban yard is unfortunately too small for a black spruce, I should have mentioned that in my original post. But the spicebush and New Jersey Tea will look great in my garden when I find a local source.