Native Plants and Sources

Native species are wild animals, plants and other organisms that have evolved in a particular region and environment. Because of their shared history, native species exist in a network of relationships with each other, and so native plants typically provide the best food and shelter for our native wildlife. Native plants form the foundation of wild ecosystems, providing both the structure and the function. There is no forest without the trees, after all. West Virginia’s natural beauty and heritage rests in its diverse array of native plant species—from the spectacular fall color of our native trees, to the springtime shows of trilliums and other spring ephemeral wildflowers, to the Appalachian folklore developed around using native plants for food and medicine. Many of the non-native invasive plants that currently threaten West Virginia ecosystems were first introduced as ornamentals. See the page on Invasive Species to learn more. Use native plants wherever possible to provide the best habitat for wildlife.

Native plants offer many benefits, in addition to year-round beauty and wildlife habitat. Using native plants can reduce the amount of maintenance your property requires, so you can spend less time mowing and reduce air and noise pollution from noisy mowers and leaf blowers. Using plants native to your area in your yard can reduce outdoor water use by 20 to 50 percent, because native plants are adapted to local rainfall conditions. You can reduce your cooling bill by planting native shrubs to shade your air conditioning unit or by planting native deciduous trees on the south and west sides of your house.

When choosing native plants to add to your property, refrain from digging and removing entire plants from the wild because this can cause populations to decline. Instead, collect a few seeds from a robust population and plant them in your garden. If you find areas planned for development, such as new road construction, housing developments, or a proposed parking lot, you may be able to obtain permission from the landowner to move some of the native plants to your property before construction begins. If you purchase native plants from a nursery, be sure to ask about where the plants originated from to ensure they were propagated from seed and not collected from the wild.

More and more suppliers are offering native plants and seed for backyard gardeners and habitat restoration projects. Below are some nurseries and seed suppliers that carry plants native to West Virginia. Nurseries located in West Virginia are listed first. The out of state suppliers listed ship to West Virginia and have a high percentage of species native to West Virginia in their stock. While an effort has been made to provide a complete and accurate listing of services, omissions or other errors may occur and therefore, other available sources of information should be consulted. Inclusion on this list does not constitute an endorsement by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources.

Use the following key to choose the type of plant materials and services that you are looking for:

• G: Graminoids (grasses, sedges, etc.)
• H: Herbaceous plants (wildflowers, ferns, and other forbs)
• S: Seeds
• SH: Shrubs
• T: Trees
• W: Wetland or aquatic plants
• WS: Wholesale
• MO: Mail-order/ships to WV

Other Information

West Virginia Native Plant Society – Information
345 West Virginia Avenue
Morgantown, WV 26501
(304) 293-4797 X2493

A great source of native plant information including, photographs of plants native to your area and suppliers nationwide is the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center website at www.wildflower.org.