Why plant native?
Because native plants are the best at sustaining biodiversity.
Native plants are our naturally occuring wildflowers, grasses, ferns, mosses, shrubs, and trees. Unlike plants introduced from other parts of the world, they have a long evolutionary history here. Over time, native plants have developed special relationships with other organisms, including pollinators. This is what allows them to thrive and support more life.
Increase biodiversity where you live by doing these three things:
Plant natives
Just like monarch butterflies can only lay their eggs on milkweed leaves, 90% of plant-eating insects depend on specific native plants for food. Without native plants, all those specialist insects cannot survive. This is why research shows that native plant habitats can support 25 times more caterpillars than non-native plantings. That abundance helps not only moths and butterflies, but also the birds that eat them.
Remove invasives
Invasive plants are aggressive non-native plants which can take over an area and crowd out useful native species. Invasives like Bradford pear, burning bush, pachysandra, wintercreeper, periwinkle, privet, and bush honeysuckle are commonly planted in yards but can wreak havoc when their seeds spread into wild areas. Take stock of your land and make sure it is not a source of "biological pollution".
Shrink your lawn
Lawns occupy 40 million acres in the United States, an area the size of Wisconsin. Compared to natural plantings, lawns are much worse at handling stormwater runoff, increasing the burden on our water infrastructure and ultimately leading to flooding, erosion, and expensive repairs. Lawn maintenance has its impacts as well, in the form of pesticides, fertilizers, irrigation, and the health effects of air pollution caused by gas-powered mowers. Where possible, convert turf to garden beds, no-mow grass, and plant canopy trees. It's okay to start small :)
“All plants are not created equal, particularly in their ability to support wildlife. Most of our native plant-eaters are not able to eat alien plants, and we are replacing native plants with alien species at an alarming rate, especially in the suburban gardens on which our wildlife increasingly depends. My central message is that unless we restore native plants to our suburban ecosystems, the future of biodiversity in the United States is dim.”
From Bringing Nature Home by Doug Tallamy