Native vs. Invasive vs. Non-Native, Non-Invasive Plants

What is the difference between a native plant, an invasive plant, and a non-native, non-invasive plant? 

The goal of this article is to give you a clear answer to that question. And having that answer will make you much better prepared to select plants that benefit your property and the environment in your region as well. 

What is a Native Plant?

A native plant is a plant species that grows naturally in a given region.

What that means is that if you want to determine whether a plant is native, you must first note the region you're referencing. Once you've noted the region, the next step is to discover whether the plant species in question would occur naturally in that region in the absence of any human intervention. 

For example, let's consider the New England region and the plant species Amelanchier canadensis, commonly known as serviceberry. When researching, you'll find that the native range of the serviceberry plant encompasses the New England region and more. This means that this species is a native plant in the New England region. 

There are many advantages to using native plants in your planting design. The first, and perhaps most obvious, is that native plants have evolved to thrive in their native range. As a result, these plants are usually most capable of supporting native wildlife. Along with enhancing the surrounding ecosystem, native plants can also add plenty of beauty to your yard. 

What is an Invasive Plant?

An invasive plant is a plant species that is not native to a given region and typically causes some type of harm to the environment in that region. 

Although native plants have evolved to thrive in their given region, invasive plants often outcompete native plants by spreading aggressively. Invasive plant species can quickly overtake an area while theoretically offering far fewer benefits to native wildlife than native plants would. 

An example helps here as well. Again, let's consider the New England region. In this region, the Euonymus alatus, better known as burning bush, is a well-known invasive species. To discover if a plant species is invasive in your area, all you need to do is research the plant online, and you'll soon find out whether it's environmentally friendly to plant it in your region. 

As is true regarding the many benefits of native plants, the downsides of planting invasive plants are numerous, and we won't describe all of them here. Fortunately, hobbyists and professionals don't need to know all those detriments off hand. Instead, they can follow a simple guideline for any planting plan: do not plant invasive species. 

What is a Non-Native, Non-Invasive Plant?

A non-native, non-invasive plant is a plant species that is not native to a given region but also does not cause harm to the environment in that region. 

This is an important distinction to keep in mind. It is not the case that every plant is either native or invasive in a region. Instead, many plants do not occur naturally in a specific region and are also not known to out-compete native plants or cause any ecological harm in that region. 

For instance, Acer palmatum, commonly known as Japanese maple, is a popular plant in New England. However, it is not native to the New England region. Despite that, this species does not have a negative environmental impact in New England. Based on that, it is correct to classify the Japanese maple plant as a non-native, non-invasive plant in the New England area. 

In practice, when creating a planting plan, you should focus on including native plants first, as they have the greatest potential to enhance the local environment. You can also feel free to include non-native, non-invasive plants. The most important point to remember is that, as mentioned previously, you should never plant an invasive species. 

Why Did Invasive Plants Become Popular?

By this stage, it should be relatively clear that planting an invasive species is a poor decision from an environmental perspective. Still, you may wonder why invasive species became popular in the first place. 

The answer here is relatively simple. People began planting and spreading certain plant species due to their ornamental qualities before understanding the environmental risk they pose. 

Let's return to Euonymus alatus, or burning bush, and the New England region as an example here. A knowledgeable landscape designer will know that this plant is invasive, which means it should not be part of a planting plan. 

That said, if that same landscape designer is being objective, it will be difficult for them to deny the ornamental value of a burning bush plant. These shrubs form an almost perfectly round shape and have a fantastic red fall color. But although those attractive features exist, it remains unwise to plant a burning bush due to the environmental damage it can cause. 

The same scenario is true for many plant species. These species gained popularity as landscape plants, often due to their visual appeal. Only after planting them without restriction did humans discover their invasive tendencies. 

A single landscape designer cannot undo the damage invasive species have already caused. However, they can choose not to exacerbate the problem by avoiding planting any new invasive plants. 

What About Hybrids and Cultivars?

Plant selection becomes even more complicated when you begin to consider the many hybrids and cultivars in existence. Again, we won't delve into too many specific details, but it does help to have some definitions for these terms and know that these plants are popular in the landscape trade. 

Essentially, a hybrid is a plant that arises through the cross-breeding of two different plant species. A cultivar is a plant that humans have selectively bred for a specific trait or traits. These traits may be related to ornamental qualities, disease resistance, or one of several other factors. 

Hybrids and cultivars are not technically native species, but they can arise from native species. A good example of this is Thuja occidentalis, or American arborvitae. 

The American arborvitae itself is native to the eastern United States and is a parent species for many cultivars. One example of those cultivars is Thuja occidentalis 'Emerald Green', or emerald green arborvitae. The emerald green arborvitae is not a native species itself, but it arises from a native plant, which typically means it will not cause environmental harm. 

Use the Right Plant in Your Yard

The information above will be beneficial whenever you want to select plants on your own. However, it is often best to work with a professional to ensure you use the right plant in your yard. 

If you are a property owner in Western Massachusetts or Northern Connecticut and you want your landscape to contribute positively to the ecosystem in your region, contact me at your convenience. I offer landscape design services that will help you select the plants that are ideal for your property.