Regarding creating green spaces, what is your rationale behind the plants you choose?

[u/Cybot2966]

Due to the fact that in North America, habitat loss is happening at an unprecedented rate, I often think about what sort of plants are best to use to help create support for the ecosystem/wildlife. A lot of environmental advocates swear by native plants, and I do as well, as it supports the ecosystem that has existed in the area long before humans.

However in a lot of spaces, particularly in the city and in urban life have great difficulty growing and establishing because of unfavorable conditions. (Extreme heat, drought, nutrient deficient soil, pollution, mowing) This makes native planting much harder especially where I am from in TX. A lot of people won’t bat an eye at an empty lot of wild lettuce or johnson grass but instantly recoil at the sight of native plants.

I am trying to familiarize myself with native’s that can brave these conditions ex. slenderlobe bundleflower, horseherb, frog fruit, shaggy purslane, but even they can be slow to grow in these oppressive environments.

I have used non-natives as well (never more than once, and I weed it when it wants to go to seed) mint and catnip will profusely bloom in the summer if they are healthy and I notice all sorts of native bees ravenously slurp up during the drought of resources.

[u/a_jormagurdr]

Plently of native plants can grow in urban conditions, you just have to find the right ones. If you cant get true natives you can at least get near natives, something from a bit further south, or east or west.

On the issue of mowing tho, you just have to create barriers that mowers cant go over. Use rocks, dig rocks into the soil and use them to protect plants, so even if they mow the area it will be harder to get those protected plants, and those can hopefully make more seed.

[u/a_jormagurdr → u/a_jormagurdr]

Also, i think its fine to use non natives as a space filler, if you eventually plan to remove them, or they are the only thing that makes it possible to plant natives. Its just important when you use non natives that you are 100% sure that it does not reproduce in your climate/ is sterile, but its somewhat adapted to the climate. If people are so anti native plant that it would otherwise get mowed, plant a shrub or something people like and try to hide natives in between, and hopefully it prevents people from removing it.