Navigating the Nurseries: A Resource Guide

We also have a Native Plant Nursery Directory, listing reputable growers.

Nurseries are busy operations with lots of moving parts and varying levels of knowledge across different staff positions — don’t discount a nursery entirely if staff cannot answer all of your questions.

Keep in mind that larger, seed-grown native plants take a long time to establish, and tend to cost more and are harder to find.

Native plants support wildlife, so they may look a bit imperfect — that’s ok! It’s not uncommon for native plants to have holes from insects who feast on leaves, or be altered by wildlife that lives among them. Generally, these imperfections don’t harm the plant.

At a nursery, it’s not always clear how plants are sourced or what growing practices are used, making it difficult for native plant enthusiasts to find responsibly-grown native-type plants. Use this guide to help direct your nursery research and consider these questions when you shop:

Are plants nursery-propagated plants and/or are seeds collected responsibly?

Many slow-growing native plants found in nurseries are wild-collected or wild-dug. Removing plants from the natural environment can damage local native plant populations. Similarly, collecting seeds from the wild in excess can deplete local native plant populations and potentially destroy them altogether. Selling wild-collected plants and seeds that are not responsibly collected is unsustainable at a commercial scale. Opt for nurseries that specify how their plants are propagated to avoid purchasing wild-dug plants.

What are the nursery’s pest management practices?

Pesticides are common and include a wide range of chemicals that are applied to control pest populations, including animals and insects. In particular, systemic pesticides are often used in nurseries and persist in plant tissues long after their initial application. The broad use of pesticides can potentially cause irreversible damage to the ecosystem as well as human health concerns. There are many pesticides in use today with varying degrees of toxicity, so determining whether or not a nursery uses them, and which ones they use, can be difficult. A good first step is to ask if a nursery uses neonicotinoids in their growing practices to manage insects. Neonicotinoids (neonics) are a type of systemic pesticide used in agriculture to protect seeds, soil, and plants, as well as in household settings on lawns and in gardens. This pesticide affects the nervous system of pollinators and can alter their ability to find food, damaging pollinator populations. This is of special concern when planting natives because of their unique relationships with specialized native pollinators.  

Are plants grown from seed?

Seed-grown native plants contain genetic diversity that results in variation between individual plants. This variation allows plants to maintain different capacities to cope with environmental stressors such as heat, drought, flooding, and other disturbances associated with a changing climate.

Plants grown from local seed (local ecotypes) are typically better adapted to the local conditions. They often establish more readily than potted plants brought in from a different region. Large potted specimens also run the risk of being root-bound in the pot — we are accustomed to seeing large plants at nurseries, but bigger is not always better!

Though native plants grown from cuttings or divisions do not have the same genetic diversity of seed-grown plants, they still support wildlife and are a good option when seed-grown plants are unavailable.

Are plants labeled to clearly distinguish cultivars from naturally occurring species?

Many of the plant species available in nurseries are cultivars that have been selected or bred based on traits that are deemed desirable by humans and do not consider the needs of wildlife. In order to retain the desired trait, cultivars are often cuttings or clones of the original stock that lack genetic diversity, making them potentially less-equipped to thrive in a dynamic environment. Cultivated varieties of native plants may still provide benefits and can be a good backup option when straight (wild-type) species of native plants are unavailable.

Does the nursery label and track the origin of plants and seeds?

This allows consumers to know the origin of the plants they buy.

Are plants grown in peat-free potting soil?

Peat is a finite, non-renewable resource that stores carbon and is often used in potting mixes to increase water and nutrient absorption. When peat is harvested for use in agricultural settings, this resource is consumed at a rate faster than it can be replenished, and large quantities of carbon are released which contributes negatively to climate change. If possible, ask your growers what their potting mix is made from and opt for a peat-free soil mix when available. If you can’t find a peat-free alternative, don’t be discouraged! This is an emerging concern, so peat-free alternatives may not be readily available. 

Does the nursery highlight and label the selection of native plants?

This makes it easy for consumers to identify the native plants available.