Native and nativar plants are low-maintenance, water-wise picks that help support wildlife and thrive with less fuss—perfect for a more natural, eco-friendly landscape.
A native plant took root in a region on its own and adapted to the local climate and soil over many generations.
You'll see the word native throughout our catalog. The idea sounds simple, but the details trip people up — so here's what it means, and why choosing natives matters, especially where water is scarce.
Two things make a plant native
Where it grows
It belongs to a specific place. A plant native to New Mexico grew here long before any gardener set it against a rock; East Coast natives were established before European settlers arrived.
How it got there
No one intervened. People didn't plant it or alter it. Moving a species to a new region and waiting for it to adapt makes it introduced — not native.
Why aren't all plants native?
Most landscapes are full of introduced plants — species people brought from elsewhere, on purpose or by accident. Many are harmless, if sometimes thirstier or harder to grow. A few turn invasive.
Native
Balanced with the local ecosystem. It shares water and offers food and cover to nearby wildlife.
Invasive
An introduced species that spreads fast and disrupts the ecosystem. In New Mexico, salt cedar chokes streambanks and starves native cottonwoods of water.
Many of the Southwest's worst weeds first arrived as ornamental plants.
Why native plants matter
A native already knows your climate, so it asks far less of you and the land. A plant that survives a 9,000-foot winter needs little help from a gardener in the same zone.
Uses less water — it lives on what your region naturally provides.
Supports wildlife — food and shelter for local birds and animals.
Thrives on its own — adapted to your soil and seasons over generations.
Stays healthier — it already knows what to expect, which makes gardening easier.
Go a step further: keystone plants
A handful of natives do far more than the rest. Keystone plants support the caterpillars, pollinators, and insects that most of the local food web depends on — the birds and wildlife around you can't thrive without them. If you're planting for impact, start here.
Planting natives supports the birds and wildlife around you, saves water, and makes gardening easier on yourself. For help picking the right ones, reach out to local master gardener groups, native plant societies, and cooperative extension offices.
Native & Nativar Plants FAQs?
Watch: Native & Nativar Plants For Every State In The United States
Growing Zones: 4 to 8
Growing Zones: 3 to 9
Growing Zones: 4 to 8
Growing Zones: 5 to 9
Growing Zones: 4 to 8
