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MASTER GARDENERS EDUCATE MARYLAND RESIDENTS ABOUT EFFECTIVE
AND SUSTAINABLE HORTICULTURAL PRACTICES THAT BUILD HEALTHY
GARDENS.
It is the policy of the University of Maryland, Agricultural Experiment
Station, and the University of Maryland Extension, that no person shall
be subjected to discrimination on the grounds of race, color, gender,
religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital or parental status
or disability.
WHAT ARE NATIVE PLANTS?
Species that originate or occur naturally in a particular
region.
They were in Maryland when the European settlers
arrived.
WHY USE NATIVE PLANTS?
Protect our natural resources by requiring:
Fewer chemicals
Less water
Lower maintenance
Help us recapture our regional character
Naturally adapted to the local soil and climate
Often more disease resistant
Serve our desire for attractive landscaping
Provide food and shelter for native wildlife
HOW DO THEY RELATE TO STORM WATER?
Many native plants have very deep roots.
RAIN GARDEN AT ALPHA RIDGE LANDFILL
GROWTH CONDITIONS FOR NATIVE PLANTS
SOIL CONDITIONS FOR NATIVE PLANTS
Maryland has a wide range of conditions.
A few conditions need remediation:
Compacted soil
Soil pH outside 5.6 to 6.8
Very sandy or clay soil
PLANT HARDINESS ZONES
COMMON NATIVE FERNS
Sensitive fern
Christmas fern
New York fern
COMMON GRASSES
Indian grass (ST)*
Little bluestem
Switch grass -
Northwind
COMMON SEDGES
A sedge is a grass-like plant with solid,
triangular stems, leaves in 3 vertical
rows and inconspicuous flowers.
Tussock sedge Blue wood sedge
Tussock sedge
Blue wood sedge in bloom (ST)
COMMON HERBACEOUS PLANTS
Monarda
Butterfly weed
White turtlehead (ST)
Joe-Pye weed Coreopsis verticillata
COMMON NATIVE SHRUBS
Buttonbush
Oakleaf hydrangea
Staghorn sumac Summersweet
Winterberry Winterberry
A FEW NATIVE TREES
White oak River birch
Eastern red
cedar
Sweetbay magnolia
Red maple
White oak (ST)
Red maple (ST)
Sweetbay magnolia (ST)
NATIVE VINES Trumpet creeper
Virginia creeper
Coral honeysuckle
A CAUTION
Do not remove natives from the wild
They are less likely to survive.
You will deplete their natural placing.
WHAT IS AN INVASIVE PLANT?
One that is not native to the
ecosystem under consideration
One whose introduction is likely to
cause economic or environmental
harm or harm to human health
SOME COMMON INVASIVE PLANTS
English ivy
Japanese stiltgrass
Mile-a-minute Mile-a-minute
Japanese honeysuckle
HOW DO PLANTS BECOME INVASIVE?
When it settles, it displaces a native.
It changes the vertical and horizontal
structure of ecosystems.
It alters the hydrology.
It disrupts nutrient cycles.
HOW DO I REMOVE INVASIVES?
Some can be pulled, dug out, chemically
removed
Must get all parts of the plant
Be sure to know the correct way to remove
the specific plant
Replace the removed invasive immediately
HOW TO CHOOSE PLANTS
Know your site and plant to existing conditions
Sun, shade, part sun/shade Soil type – get test Moisture
Choose plants native to your physiogeographic region
Choose a habitat type
FURTHER INFORMATION
Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and
Conservation Landscaping –
Chesapeake Bay Watershed; U.S. Fish &
Wildlife Service
Native Plants of Maryland: What, When
and Where; University of Maryland
Extension
Rain Gardens Across Maryland
Howard County Master Gardeners
Live Green Howard
INVASIVE HELP
Plant Conservation Alliance’s Alien Plant
Working Group
Wavyleaf Basketgrass in Maryland
Report to Kerrie Kyde at [email protected];
301-948-8243
IN SUMMARY
• Native plants are indigenous to Maryland.
• They survive our climate and soil conditions the best.
• They include a wide variety of plants (perennials, trees, shrubs, etc.)
• Many can be used to control storm water.
• They are being challenged by non-native invasive plants.
• When properly cared for, they can provide a beautiful landscape.
Maryland golden aster
PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS
*All photographs labeled ST were contributed by Sara Tangren, special agent, Home
and Garden Information Center.
All other photographs were taken by Howard County Master Gardeners.
ADDENDUM-NOTES TO ACCOMPANY SLIDES
Slide 2:
Extension comes under the College of Agriculture at the University of
Maryland. Maryland Department of the Environment has adopted the
policy (Environmental Site Design) of keeping all storm water on the site
where it falls. A suggested way of doing this is by the use of vegetation.
We are the plant people. This presentation was developed for the Howard
County Watershed Stewards Academy, 2012. Sylvia Huestis, Georgia
Eacker
Slide 3:
These native plants were placed on the edge of a road where water always
puddled and remained stagnant. With only a few plants, the problem
disappeared.
Slide 4:
We want to conserve these plants. They are aesthetically pleasing if you
know what you are doing. They are an important part of the ecosystem – if
deplete part of it, will cause imbalance.
ADDENDUM-NOTES TO ACCOMPANY SLIDES
Slide 5:
Native plant roots tend to be longer and larger. They absorb pollutants and
reduce erosion. From the left, 4 is Indian grass; 9 is big blue stem; 14 is
switch grass; 16 is little blue stem. Compare to grass on far left.
Slide 6:
From right to left: Little bluestem, pink muhly grass, great blue lobelia,
coreopsis verticillata, lyre leaf sage, River birch, bee balm, winterberry,
white turtlehead, brown eyed Susan (Orange coneflower).
Slide 7:
Note the 3 physiographic regions. There is a wide variety of growth
conditions due to the diversity of geographical and climatic conditions.
Slide 9:
Climate change has caused USDA to change plant hardiness zones.
Howard County now has zones 7a and 6b.
.
ADDENDUM-NOTES TO ACCOMPANY SLIDES
Slide 10:
Sensitive fern – loves wet; Christmas fern – easily adaptable, evergreen;
New York fern spreads easily - lacy
Slide 11:
Indian grass – beautiful seed; Little blue stem – tolerates poor soil; Switch
grass – good erosion control
Slide 12:
Tussock sedge – tolerates flooding; Blue wood sedge – great alternative to
liriope
Slide 13:
Monarda (bee balm); white turtlehead; butterfly weed; Joe-Pye weed;
threadleaf coreopsis – C. verticillata - groundcover
Slide 14:
Buttonbush – tolerates flooding; Ilex verticillata – winterberry; Oakleaf
hydrangea; staghorn sumac; sweet pepperbush - summersweet
ADDENDUM-NOTES TO ACCOMPANY SLIDES
Slide 15:
White oak – state tree; river birch; Eastern red cedar; Sweetbay magnolia;
red maple
Slide 16:
Coral honeysuckle; Trumpet creeper; Virginia creeper
Slide 18:
Differentiate between non-native and invasive.
Slide 19:
English ivy, Japanese stiltgrass (has distinctive, shiny midrib), Japanese
honeysuckle, mile-a-minute
Hand out Terrestrial invasive plants of the Potomac River watershed;
www.nature.org/ourinitiatives/regions/northamerica/unitedstates/maryla
nd_dc/explore/maryland-invasive-species-taking-on-the-invaders-of -
Maryland
.
ADDENDUM-NOTES TO ACCOMPANY SLIDES
Slide 20:
May grow faster, taller, wider and shade other species. May stay greener
later in season or leaf earlier.
Slide 21:
Difficult to get all parts of the plant because parts escape easily and
reproduce further on. Must replant an acceptable one immediately or you
can cause greater erosion problems.
Slide 24:
The first website has information including how to control several common
invasives. DNR wants us to report sitings.
