STEP ONE: IDENTIFYING NATIVE PLANTS

The number one step in preventing habitat loss is to protect the habitat or pieces of habitat already present on your property. This is done by, first, identifying native plants. The native plants already on your property are your allies: they are the ones you know are 100 percent right for your spot, perfect for your ecosystem, and positive to support the insects, birds, and other wildlife living in your area. Getting to know these species—the trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants—that have come in on their own, unplanted, allows you to begin to protect them and help them spread.

​This step is also the way to determine what plants are native to your property. Plants that you identify portray the type of habitat present in your spot. An educated native plant nursery will be able to look at your list of identified plants and help you determine what other plants are native to your property —species that currently may not be present because of human disturbance and could be added to create a more complete ecosystem. This is the first step in helping through native plants—finding out what is native—and the most important tool that you can use and bring to a nursery to ensure that you are making a difference through native plants.

The naturally-occurring plants present on a property reveal a large amount about the site's habitat and conditions. Pictured are Mountain Laurel (left) and Striped Wintergreen (right). These plants in combination show that the soil is acidic and very well-drained. An educated nursery will be able to offer advice for other plants that would naturally grow with these species, both in a shady area or a sunnier area nearby. 

Even on a small urban lot, there are likely to be native species already on your property that need your protection. The Common Blue Violets pictured are growing in a section of lawn. Variegated Fritillary butterflies use these as a host plant, their caterpillars feeding on the Violet leaves.

LET'S LOOK AT A FEW WAYS TO START IDENTIFYING:

1) SITE CONSULTATIONS
​We offer site consultations that include plant identification. How does this work? During a visit, we walk around your property with you and identify naturally-occurring natives present, while discussing strategies to protect them and help create a better ecosystem on your property. After the consultation, we provide a list via email of the native plants that were identified, along with species that were not present but would naturally grow in the same habitat. This list serves as a tool for determining what native plants are native to your site—ones that you may expect to see coming in on their own, and a list to choose from when planting. For more information, click here.

​2) IDENTIFYING PLANTS ON YOUR OWN
While native plant identification can sometimes feel overwhelming at the start, learning to identify is a great way to gain a deeper appreciation for native plants. It's best to start small: trees and plants in flower are the easiest to identify. Have questions? Please don't hesitate to email us a photo of your unknown plant's leaves and/or flowers to [email protected]--we love identification!

Some apps have also been created to help ID plants. These can be used as general references, but we strongly encourage cross-referencing with a more reliable source. If you're not certain about a species' identification, it is always safest to assume it's native until further verification.

There are many great identification guides out there, as well; below are a few that we recommend.
-Wildflowers Northeastern/Northcentral North America (Peterson Field Guides) Roger Tory Peterson, Margaret McKenny) 
-Field Guide to Wildflowers of North America (National Wildlife Federation) David M. Brandenburg
-Newcomb's Wildflower Guide, Lawrence Newcomb, Gordon Morrison
-Field Guide to Trees of North America (National Wildlife Federation) Kershner, Mathews, Nelson, and Spellenberg

We recommend cross-referencing all identifications with The Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora (vaplantatlas.org). This website contains all native and non-native plant species that occur in Virginia.

​Please remember that protecting naturally-occurring natives means protecting them where they are. There is a reason that they are in this spot, and they should not be moved/transplanted to other parts of your property. This is harmful and does not help counteract habitat loss—even when done with the best of intentions.

QUESTIONS ABOUT WHERE TO START? 
Please let us know if you have questions about where or how to start your journey with natives.
We are happy to help! Email: [email protected]