Celebrate native plants
The seventh annual North Carolina Native Plants Week is underway, running Oct. 16-22, and Audubon North Carolina is encouraging people to celebrate by planting native species in their own yards or gardens. Plants require less water this time of year, but they also still have enough time to establish before colder winter weather.
Native plants offer food for wildlife species that have adapted to depend on them, such as the insects that most bird species depend on to feed their young. Fewer native plants mean fewer insects, which in turn means fewer bird babies growing to adulthood.
“It’s a simple equation: more native plants mean more of the bird and pollinator species that depend on them,” said Curtis Smalling, interim executive director for Audubon North Carolina.
This year has seen substantial victories for native plants in North Carolina, including a new state law that requires native plants to be used in landscaping and habitat work on state parks and historical sites.
