Provide Food and Homes for Birds and Wildlife

Native trees and plants host caterpillars and insects, berries and nuts that birds and mammals need to eat. Loss of important trees like oaks threatens wildlife habitat and thus the food chain.

Supports our Food Supply by Providing Nectar for Bees

Our human food supply depends on pollination by bees, flies, butterflies and moths. However, bee populations in particular have declined at alarming rates. We can all do our part simply by planting flowers native trees, shrubs and flowers in our gardens that provide the nectar vital to growing food crops. There are actually over 500 native bee species in North Carolina, and they depend on a wide variety of pollinator plants.

Low maintenance: Once established, native plants generally require little maintenance. Beauty: Many native plants offer beautiful showy flowers, produce abundant colorful fruits and seeds, and brilliant seasonal changes in colors from the pale, thin greens of early spring, to the vibrant yellows and reds of autumn. Help the Climate and People: Landscaping with native plants combats climate change. Converting lawn to meadows or plant beds means less mower exhaust and noise. Plus native plants, with their deep roots, store greenhouse gas carbon dioxide.

Conserve Water: Because native plants are adapted to local environmental conditions, they require far less water, saving time, money, and perhaps the most valuable natural resource, water.