Planting with a Purpose: Local Native Plant Resources in Central New Jersey

By Richard D. Smith | Posted October 1, 2024

There is a growing – one might say grassroots – movement to preserve and propagate native plants. Plant swaps, in which devotees bring their extras in containers, are not only congenial events but provide an in-person network of expertise.

There also are now cell phone apps for in-the-field guidance on identifying native plants. An internet search will bring up many gardening supplies businesses in our area that specialize in native plants. And with increased consumer interest, many mainstream gardening centers, tree and shrub nurseries, and hardware stores now carry or can order native plants.

A Monarch butterfly and caterpillars on pink swamp milkweed (asclepias incarnata), which is native to central New Jersey and necessary for this species of butterfly to reproduce. If folks do not plant milkweed, the Monarch butterflies will disappear. There are a variety of beautiful milkweeds that would look amazing in the garden. This photo is from the Planting with a Purpose website.

Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space Invasive Species Strike Team. Featured in the July

2024 issue of The Montgomery News, its online information center has numerous valuable resources,

including a “Do Not Plant” spreadsheet and a fact sheet to fully inform property owners. They also have an NJ Invasives App. Download the New Jersey Invasives application (it’s free!) and you’ll be prepared to report invasive species anytime.

Hopewell, NJ Native Plant Swap Facebook Group. Currently 1.6 K members strong, this Facebook group is a “place to swap native plants, ideas, and knowledge on native gardening.” In addition

to its discussion page, the group organizes or provides links to native plant-oriented exchange

meets and related events.

National Wildlife Federation. The NWF has become part of the Native Plant Habitat

Movement and has developed a wealth of related programs, resources and information outlets.

Native Plant Society of New Jersey. Founded four decades ago to coordinate information and do public outreach, the NPSNJ now has chapters throughout the state including Somerset County. It organizes numerous ongoing public events and provided news items. Visit its Planting with a Purpose Guide.

New Jersey Nursery and Landscape Association. Headquartered in Bordentown, the NJNLA is a non-profit trade association whose members include nursery growers, garden centers, and landscapers. But it is also involved in public outreach and education: Visit http://www.plantsomethingnj.org for information on what to plant.

Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experimental Station: An excellent introduction to the Landscapes” by Michele Bakacs and William Errickson. Visit the their Invasive Plants and Native Alternatives for Landscapes.

Rutgers also has a home, lawn and garden website.

Happy planting!

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