Looking for native trees in this current time can be somewhat hard. Everyone is always looking for the new, best, cool, fast growing hybrid of nearly everything that grows. Every year there is something new you can purchase to grow. The problem is, many of these plants are not native to your state or the United States at all for that matter.
Is this a problem? Yes and no. While there is nothing wrong with getting that “new” or “cool” hybrid plant, it is typically not always the best. For instance, if this plant is a new fast growing maple tree let’s say, that was “created” or “crossed” to make it be this specific variety, no one really knows how well it will stand up to disease, how strong the plant is, is it super invasive, how long will it live? There are many questions that some professionals can give you estimates on, but with new varieties, it’s not 100% to know all the answers.
So, what does this have to do with native trees and plants to where you live? Since I live in Missouri, which is in the United States of America 🇺🇸 I can only tell you from our perspective here. For example, the bald cypress tree is native and can live 1,000 years. It has been around since, well pretty much forever. So we know how long it lives. We know it can grow in water in swamps, we know which problems can attack it and which issues that bother others won’t bother the bald cypress. If you look at an oak tree, most oak trees live to be many hundreds of years old. This we know for a fact! These trees have always been here and are native here and grow well here. They thrive well and spread good on their own.
So, what does this have to do with native trees and plants to where you live? Since I live in Missouri, which is in the United States of America 🇺🇸 I can only tell you from our perspective here. For example, the bald cypress tree is native and can live 1,000 years. It has been around since, well pretty much forever. So we know how long it lives. We know it can grow in water in swamps, we know which problems can attack it and which issues that bother others won’t bother the bald cypress. If you look at an oak tree, most oak trees live to be many hundreds of years old. This we know for a fact! These trees have always been here and are native here and grow well here. They thrive well and spread good on their own.
The problem is (again with some not all) of these new plants, if it is invasive, which you may not know for a couple of decades with a tree that is, once you do know it’s usually to late to easily fix the problem and then you have a plant coming up all over the place! Then it gets into our timber land areas when not taken care of and they start growing and spreading there too and preventing native plants from growing because your “new” “fancy” plant is now taking all the resources and light away from the native plants. You see where I am going with this? Invasive plants can push out native plants.
Now, again, I am not trying to knock new crosses and tree hybrids, some are great! But we should not over look our important native trees and plants that have always been here and we should do our part to help keep them here. Did I mention native plants usually grow great or better than non native plants, because they are native and have been here for so long! Okay, maybe I did say that, but it’s important to know! Native trees usually seriously are easier to take care of and do well where they are native! Right where God put them.
Our small family farm nursery started here on 4 acres with about 500 to 1000 trees at most at one time. It’s how much we can handle and take care of, but we do enjoy it! We started with the love for native plants and raise mainly natives, we do raise some others but mostly natives. We invite you to check out our selection! We ship our native trees and other plants across the U.S. we try to keep our prices as affordable as possible to help get you good trees at good prices mailed right to your door, from our family to yours! Click Here Now!