06/16/2026
Native plants are the missing piece that our yards need to support wildlife!
Our native wildlife evolved alongside native plants for thousands of years- they can’t be subbed out with lawn grass or traditional/ornamental landscaping plants that come from other continents. A lot of our native insects are “specialists”, where they rely on specific plants to survive- think monarchs with milkweed species. Milkweed species (WI has 12 native species) are the ONLY plant monarch caterpillars can eat.
Even if you see butterflies and bees stopping at your ornamental plants, the nutrients they receive from them is far inferior to what they would be getting from their native food sources. It’s their equivalent of junk food. Even bird feeders are a bandaid to what birds really need- caterpillars to feed their babies- baby birds can’t eat seeds and there’s not much seeds available (naturally) in springtime anyways.
Also: native plants don’t need to be watered (once established and except during a drought), most are perennials that come back every year, they’re cheaper than ornamental plants, they’re beautiful!, and you’re sustaining life in your backyard and contributing positively to a world in which humans have caused a lot of damage.
Win-win all around! 🤗
