HORTICULTURE: Going Native

Landscape contractors around the country are thinking twice about the plant material they use and embracing the benefits of native landscapes.

“There’s no question natural landscapes are a growing trend,” says Larry Weaner, founder of Larry Weaner Landscape Design Associates, a Glenside, Pa.-based firm that specializes in natural landscapes. “Over the last five, six, seven years there has been a dramatic increase in the interest in and understanding of them.”
 
Factors like water and pesticide restrictions have required contractors to install plants tolerant of drought, pests and disease, and homeowners are re-embracing the aesthetic of natural, low-maintenance landscapes, Weaner says. Above are four native plants contractors can incorporate in their natural landscapes.

1. Northeast
Variety: ‘Jim Crockett’ Boltonia
Species: Boltonia asteroides var. latisquama
USDA Zones: 4 to 9
Plant Type: Perennial

• Grows 18 to 24 inches tall
• Requires full sun
• Has green foliage and
   lavender blooms with yellow
   centers
• A compact plant great for
   small areas and containers

2. Northwest
Variety: Harvest Series
Heuchera
Species: Heuchera
USDA Zones: 4 to 9
Plant Type: Perennial

• Grows 6 to 12 inches tall,
   spreads 12 to 16 inches wide
• Requires partial sun
• Available in burgundy-bronze
   (pictured), greenish-silver and
   chartreuse
• Thrives in autumn’s shorter days and cooler temperatures

3. Southeast
Variety: Luna Series Hibiscus
Species: Hibiscus moscheutos
USDA Zones: 5
Plant Type: Perennial

• Grows 2 to 3 feet tall, spreads 2 feet wide
• Requires full sun
• Available in blush, pink swirl, red, rose and white
• Heat and drought tolerant

4. Southwest
Variety: ‘Early Sunrise’ Coreopsis
Species: Coreopsis grandiflora
USDA Zones: 4 to 9
Plant Type: Perennial

• Grows 24 inches tall,
   spreads 22 to 24 inches wide
• Requires full sun
• Produces golden yellow,
   semi-double flowers
• A tough variety great for parks
   and landscapes