How native is that native plant?

Native plants went mainstream over the past five years as many people embraced the value of these plants to beneficial insects that pollinate our landscape and farms, especially to feeding specialists such as the monarch butterfly. We’ve begun to understand that when native plants thrive, they occupy places that might otherwise be taken over by invasive species. Furthermore, many native plants are easier to grow when they are well selected for a location. 

But if you're not a professional botanist, how do you know whether the plants you grow are really native? The question turns out to be more complex than most of us understand.

Learn more in my recent article for Zip06/TheDay. If you have trouble with the link, download the PDF below.