One of the simplest things a home gardener can do to support a healthy, diverse ecosystem is to plant native plants. Adding any native plant to your garden is good; adding keystone native plants is even better! The goal of this article is to provide a brief “primer” about the importance of native plants — especially the keystones — and to share some of the excellent resources available on this topic.
What is a native plant and why is it important? Native plants are the species that are natural to a local area and ecosystem. Native plants are best suited to local soil, water, and climate conditions. They have co-evolved with other elements of the local ecosystem, and provide essential food and shelter for a diversity of wildlife— including the bees, butterflies, and birds we appreciate in our gardens! 
- A good overview of native plant information and resources can be found on the Native Plants page of the Piedmont Master Gardeners (PMG) website. PMG also provides an excellent list of Native Plants and Habitat resources.
- Piedmont Native Plants- A Guide for Landscapes and Gardens is an excellent guide to selecting native plants for our Piedmont VA area. You can download a free PDF or find purchase information at the link provided.
- The National Wildlife Federation’s Native Plant Finder uses your zip code to find plants native to your area.
- Detailed native plant fact sheets can be found at Tried and True Native Plant Selections for the Mid-Atlantic on the Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia website.
- The National Audubon Society’s Native Plants Database provides plant and bird information based on your zip code.
Why do we need to plant natives? In many areas, native plant populations have been dramatically reduced by many factors, including human development and the spread of non-native invasive species. Gardeners are encouraged to plant natives to help repopulate these essential and beautiful plants. And, because native plants have evolved in local conditions, they generally require less water, fertilizer, or pesticides— another ecosystem benefit!
- Homegrown National Park, a cooperative conservation initiative, provides resources to encourage all of us to plant natives and remove invasive plants.
Gardeners who plant natives are invited to “get on the map” by recording their contribution on a national map. (Virginia is ranked #3!)
What is a keystone native plant? The term “keystone” plant, popularized by noted entomologist Douglas W. Tallamy, refers to the critical piece of a stone arch that holds it together. Without it, the arch collapses. In a similar way, our food web, without its foundational elements (many of which are insects), will be in danger of collapsing.
The keystone plants are native plant superstars. They provide the highest level of resources for the species that support the food web. Of special importance are caterpillars and specialist bees.
- Keystone Plants is a short 3 minute introduction to keystones, hosted by Dr. Tallamy, one of the leading researchers in the field.
- An excellent, more detailed video introduction to this topic is the National Wildlife Federation’s Native Keystone Plants for Wildlife. In it, Dr. Tallamy provides clear and compelling information about the food web, species loss, and why we should plant natives— especially keystones.
Which keystone plants are best for where I live? Keystone plants provide the greatest ecosystem benefit when planted in their native ranges. For lists of keystone plants suited to our region, these are excellent resources:
- Every Garden Needs Keystone Plants, published by PMG, is a concise one-page summary which lists some of the best keystone plants for our Piedmont, VA area.
- For more information about keystone plants specific to each North American ecoregion, the National Wildlife Federation’s Keystone Plants by Ecoregion is a comprehensive guide. Their recommendations for our Virginia Piedmont area can be found on the list for the Eastern Temperate Forest Zone.
Which native or keystone plants should I put in my garden? In landscaping, a well-known motto is “right plant in the right place.” In general, it is recommended that you choose plants that bloom at different times, to provide shelter and food– nectar, pollen, berries or seeds– for as much of the year as possible. When planting, try to use groups of three or more of the same species. Grouping plants this way makes them more attractive and useful to the insects and other pollinators, who will have an easier time spotting their favorite plants. Assess the conditions of your site; the resources below will help you pick and place plants correctly.
- In Making Wise Plant Choices, Part 2: Keystone Plants, the Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia (MGNV) provide a good summary of native keystone plants for the mid-Atlantic.
- The Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center offers a Native Plant Database where gardeners can do a custom search selecting for plant characteristics (such as type, size, color and bloom time) as well as site conditions (such as sun and moisture).
- MGNV’s Best Bets: Plants for Particular Uses provides recommendations for plants that help solve some common site-specific challenges (including erosion control, deer-resistance, shade).
- The Virginia Native Plant Society has posted an excellent overview of places to find Native Plant Search Tools.
Is there a simple list that summarizes keystone plant information? As noted above, there are two excellent lists for our Piedmont VA area.
- PMG’s 1-page Every Garden Needs Keystone Plants lists keystones trees, shrubs and flowers that support the food web –especially the essential caterpillars.
- The National Wildlife Federation’s 2-page list for our Eastern Temperate Forests also lists the trees, shrubs and flowers that benefit the food web, and also provides information about the plants that support the specialist bees.
Featured Photo: Keystone plant aromatic aster (Symphyotrichum oblongifolius). Photo: Fern Campbell.
Additional Resources:
Books by Dr. Douglas Tallamy:
Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens (2009)
Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard (2020)
The Nature of Oaks: The Rich Ecology of Our Most Essential Native Trees (2021)
The Living Landscape: Designing for Beauty and Biodiversity in the Home Garden (Rick Darke & Doug Tallamy, 2014)
Nature’s Best Hope (Young Readers’ Edition): How You Can Save the World in Your Own Yard (Douglas W. Tallamy & Sarah L. Thomson, 2023)
Wonderful article and resource!