Native Plants for Your Greenhouses and Gardens

 

Tennessee's Native Plants Selection 

Native plants are generally defined as plants present in North America before the arrival of European colonists. Non-native plants are also called exotic plants, and most of them come from Asia or Western Europe. Exotic plants can be but are not always invasive. The term "invasive" describes an exotic plant that has no natural predators, competitors, or diseases in its new environment. There is, therefore, nothing to keep it in check, and it quickly takes over the area.

Kudzu, the "vine that ate the South," is an infamous example of an invasive plant. Such plants can become a threat to native species.

The threat posed by invasive plants is just one reason for planting natives instead. Native plants are also more natural to take care of. They are already adapted to the local climate and thus can tolerate almost any extreme weather peculiar to the area. In Tennessee, this often means native plants can withstand cold winters. Native plants are also already adapted to the soil conditions, and they need less in the way of fertilizer. They also require less water and pesticides than exotic plants do.

Reduced use of pesticides and fertilizers helps the environment. Fertilizers that get in water trigger the production of nutrients which deplete the oxygen in the water. That, in turn, kills the fish and other creatures living in the water. Pesticides are often poisonous to many other animals besides the ones they are designed to kill. Decreasing the use of fertilizers and pesticides thus benefits the environment. Since native plants need less fertilizer and pesticides planting them also helps the environment. Plants also stabilize the ground and prevent erosion.

Planting a wide array of native plants results in a healthier yard than a lawn with one or two species. Yards with lots of plant species have fewer problems with diseases or pests; A yard with lots of different native plant species is likely to attract predators that eat insect pests. A yard with a diverse number of plant species is expected to draw an equally diverse community of animals. That reduces the chances of anyone species completely dominating the yard.

Native plants can attract wildlife, birds, butterflies, and other creatures. The right mix of native plants can provide food and shelter for many types of animals. That includes nectar for bees and butterflies and seeds for birds and small mammals like squirrels. Birds migrating during the fall feed on the fruits of the spicebush and flowering dogwood, while birds migrating during the spring eat the insects found on oak trees. Hummingbirds enjoy tubular flowers like the cardinal flower and native honeysuckle, while songbirds relish the fruit from hackberry, mulberry, or black cherry trees.

Restricting oneself to native plants should not be a hardship since Tennessee boasts around 3,000 species of native plants. That diversity is due to the variety of environments within Tennessee, from mountains to swamps. Tennessee's location means it also has a diverse climate with both northern and southern climate patterns.

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Examples of native plants include the following:

The tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) or tulip tree is Tennessee's state tree. It is the tallest hardwood tree in North America and can grow to be 150 feet high. It can also live for over 200 years. It is a member of the magnolia family.

Magnolia

Magnolias, in general, are hardy trees with impressive leaves and flowers. There are roughly 80 species that are native to southeastern Asia and the eastern US. They can be either shrubs or full-sized trees, and beetles usually pollinate their flowers. Native magnolias include the bigleaf magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla), which has the most significant single leaves and single flowers of any native plant in North America. Its leaves can be nearly four feet long. The cucumber tree or blue magnolia (Magnolia acuminata) owes its common name to its fruit which looks like a tiny cucumber when unripe.

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The aptly named winterberry (Ilex verticillata) is a shrub that produces red berries during the winter that birds feed on. It is also a species of holly, and it is a favorite ornamental plant. The possumhaw or swamp holly (Ilex decidua) is another holly native to Tennessee. Deer enjoy browsing on their younger twigs while songbirds like its berries.

Black Eyed Susan

The black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) can be found in all 48 of the contiguous United States. It is a member of the sunflower family, and it is a favorite ornamental plant. Butterflies like it, and they are especially drawn to large groups of black-eyed Susans.

Wild Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) is a perennial flower that likes shady woodlands. Its red and yellow flowers attract hummingbirds. It is also known as the Eastern red columbine or the Canadian columbine. 

Buy Native Plants today at TN Nursery

 

Mulberry Tree - TN Nursery

Mulberry Tree

The Mulberry Tree has lobed leaves, often found in various species such as white, red, or black mulberries. It produces sweet, berry-like fruits that vary in color, providing shade and a tasty harvest for many. The tree is a timeless and multifaceted addition to landscaping, bringing many benefits beyond its ornamental appeal. Its majestic stature and distinctive foliage make it an excellent choice for enhancing outdoor spaces, offering aesthetic and functional advantages. In terms of aesthetics, it boasts a unique and elegant appearance that can complement various landscaping styles. Its broad canopy and lush green leaves provide ample shade and create a tranquil ambiance, making it an inviting spot for relaxation, gatherings, and outdoor activities. The Benefits Of Planting Mulberry Tree Functionally, it offers numerous benefits. Its dense canopy provides adequate shade, helping to mitigate the harsh effects of sunlight and reducing temperatures in its vicinity. This feature creates a more comfortable outdoor environment and contributes to energy savings by lowering cooling demands for nearby buildings during hot seasons. Moreover, the Tree's roots help prevent soil erosion, stabilize the soil structure, and improve water retention, which is advantageous for controlling runoff and maintaining healthy soil conditions in landscaped areas. The tree also supports local wildlife by providing a valuable food source. Birds, such as robins and cedar waxwings, are particularly drawn to its fruit, enhancing biodiversity and creating a harmonious ecosystem within the landscape. Additionally, the Tree's leaves serve as food for certain caterpillars and insects, further contributing to the diversity of local fauna. In conclusion, its role in landscaping transcends mere aesthetics. Its stature, shade provision, and positive environmental impact make it a valuable asset to any outdoor space. Combining its ornamental appeal with its practical benefits, this Tree is a testament to nature's ability to enhance our surroundings' beauty and functionality. Improve Your Landscape With Mulberry Tree The presence of Mulberry Trees in your environment improves the look and feel of the area. A tree even gives you a lovely shade since it grows tall and has large spreading canopies. The tree grows to provide an excellent relaxing spot for the summer. The tree sheds off its leaves in colder seasons, allowing you to experience the little sun available. You will love the berries these trees produce as they are sweet and can be eaten straight out of being picked. The berries even improve the appearance of the tree. When ripe, mulberries are dark and juicy and give out a great flavor. Throughout the summer, you can enjoy these fruits and even use them to make jams and desserts. Unlike other trees, the mulberry grows fast and can produce fruits after only two years. The Fruit Of The Mulberry Tree Typically, different trees produce fruit after ten years or so. After its second year, your tree will keep increasing its fruit production and reach its maximum sometime in its tenth year. The trees are pretty hardy and can grow in poor conditions. The tree can tolerate many types of soils, environments, and weather conditions. Interestingly, deserts and the hot tropics are the only known challenging climates for the tree. They are usually capable of surviving arid seasons and can even tolerate the coldest of temperatures. Mulberry trees attract lots of animals and insects, and these can help beautify your property to a significant extent. Beautiful birds and insects perch on the tree to get to the berries. This is the reason why nature lovers appreciate this tree. If you own a farm or other plants, the tree can also distract animals from eating your food. The berry production of the trees is enough to feed the birds, insects, animals, and even you.

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Tulip Tree - TN Nursery

Tulip Poplar Tree

The Tulip Poplar Tree is recognized for its distinctive tulip-shaped leaves, vibrant yellow-green flowers, and straight trunk, making it a valuable timber and ornamental plant. It is magnificent and versatile, with numerous landscaping benefits. Its striking appearance, rapid growth, and adaptability to different soil types make it a popular choice for homeowners, parks, and public spaces. One of its most noticeable benefits is its aesthetic appeal. Tulip Poplar trees, known as Liriodendron tulipifera, are among the tallest conifers in eastern North America. They can grow to a height of 192 feet. Interestingly, they typically grow limbs once they're at least 80 feet tall, which makes them one of the most valuable timber conifers in the world. The Poplar Tree In All Seasons  Although most grow their buds in the spring, these begin with a winter bud. Throughout the winter season, the buds are dark red. However, once the growing season returns, they'll slowly unfold until leaves are revealed. When fully grown, they are simple leaves that grow up to six inches and have four lobes. Additionally, they become a vibrant, bright green when seen from above. Meanwhile, their underside is a paler green with visible, downy veins. In the fall, these leaves turn a bright yellow that really stands out. The flowers are stunning and begin to unveil themselves during May. Each solitary flower begins as greenish-yellow, although they'll transform into yellowish-red as autumn approaches. Once again, they truly go out in style. Be sure to pay close attention to the multiple transformations they undergo as summer turns into fall. The Fruit, The Tulip Poplar Tree, Produces In September and October, the fruit will appear like many samaras. The wind quickly disperses these light brown, narrow cones and helps propagate the species. As a result, they do not provide a food source for wildlife, although they are home to 28 different species of moths. Tulip Poplar Tree Has A Huge Trunk Once the Tulip Poplar Tree is developed, it can have a trunk at least four to six feet wide! The bark is furrowed, brown, and bitter, though aromatic. When branchlets first begin to grow, they'll be reddish. Over time, these branchlets will turn dark gray before settling into a rich brown color. Planting one of them is a fantastic investment for future generations. After all, they'll still be growing in 200 years. Give them just 15 years, though, and you'll see them grow to 40 feet.

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magnolia jane - TN Nursery

Magnolia Jane Tree 1 Gal. 2-3'

The Magnolia Jane tree (Magnolia × 'Jane') is a stunning and versatile addition to any landscape. It is known for its captivating beauty and hardiness. This deciduous tree is part of the Little Girl series, which was developed in the 1950s to create late-blooming and frost-resistant magnolias.  Magnolia Jane Tree Description Key Features: Blooms: The Magnolia Jane features striking, cup-shaped flowers with deep pink to purple on the outside and a lighter, rosy pink inside. The blooms emerge in early spring, often before the leaves, and continue sporadically throughout the summer.  Size and Shape: Reaching a mature height of 10-15 feet and a spread of 8-12 feet, this small to medium-sized tree has an upright, multi-stemmed growth habit, making it perfect for smaller gardens or as a focal point in larger landscapes. Foliage: The tree has large, glossy green leaves that transition to a golden yellow in the fall, creating seasonal interest. Hardiness: Magnolia Jane is hardy in USDA zones 4-8, tolerating temperatures as low as -30°F. It is also resistant to pests and diseases, making it a low-maintenance choice for gardeners. Care: This magnolia prefers full sun to partial shade and well-drained, slightly acidic soil. Once established, it is moderately drought-tolerant but benefits from regular watering during prolonged dry periods. Uses: Ideal as a specimen tree in borders or as part of a mixed shrubbery, Magnolia Jane adds elegance and color throughout the growing season Magnolia Jane Is a Spring and Summer Long Blooming Flowering Tree Whether you're looking to enhance your garden with spring and summer blooms or seeking a hardy, easy-to-care-for tree, the Magnolia Jane is an excellent choice that offers year-round beauty and charm. The Magnolia Jane Is a Floral Bouquet Trees With Highly Fragrant Blooms Covering The Entire Tree If you're looking for a tree that blooms throughout the spring and summer seasons, with the appearance of an elegant bouquet of fresh cut flowers and a delightful aroma reminiscent of French perfume with notes of lavender and fresh cut peonies, then this is the tree for you. We don't usually grow enough of these to advertise, but Tristan at TN Nursery saved 1000 of these to sell in the summer season.

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Sweet Bay Magnolia - TN Nursery

Sweet Bay Magnolia

The Sweet Bay Magnolia is a medium-sized evergreen tree with highly fragrant white flowers and elliptical leaves, often found in wetlands and coastal areas. It is a versatile and visually appealing tree that offers a range of benefits when incorporated into landscaping projects. This magnolia species contributes to the aesthetic beauty, structure, and functionality of outdoor spaces with distinctive features and adaptability. One of the standout benefits of using it in landscaping is its graceful appearance. Sweet Bay Magnolia, also known as the "beaver tree," "castor-wood," and "swamp sassafras," is an ornamental, semi-evergreen plant known for its fragrant flowers, scarlet-red fruit, and lush foliage. Colonists introduced the plant into European gardens in the late 1600s, where it was welcomed with open arms. The Native Habitat Of Sweet Bay Magnolia Native to the eastern and southeastern Atlantic coasts of the United States, it grows naturally in swamps and shaded and open woodlands. This late-blooming tree flower from late April to July can bear fruit from July through October. The Appearance Of Sweet Bay Magnolia It can reach 10 to 35 feet tall, sometimes a 50-foot height in the deep South. Its compound, slender, upright trunks branch out horizontally and support shiny, three-to-six-inch-long oblong leaves that are dark green on top with silvery-white undersides. They contrast with the plant's creamy-white, cup-shaped blooms that scent the air with a delicate, sweet, lemony fragrance. Each solitary blossom has up to twelve petals and is two to three inches long. The flowers will open after dawn and close up at twilight, lasting two to three days. Fruits appear later as clusters of bright red seeds. Gardeners appreciate it for its ornamental appeal in a variety of landscape designs. It works well in extensive gardens and along woodland edges. The tree is adaptable enough to suit patios and borders where its aromatic fragrance can be appreciated. Wetter sites near ponds can also accommodate this plant nicely. Since the blooming season is relatively late, frost is rarely a concern. The Ecology Of Sweet Bay Magnolia Those who want to enhance biodiversity in their landscapes will find that Sweet Bay Magnolia makes a beautiful habitat for birds and small mammals. The tree's fruit attracts a variety of songbirds, woodpeckers, wild turkeys, bobwhite quail, and many more species. Many birds use the plant's leaves to construct their nests. Squirrels and chipmunks also find food and shelter in the magnolia's dense foliage, and deer browse its leaves and twigs yearly. If you're looking for a handsome plant that will bring aromatic beauty to your yard, it will surely bring pleasure for many seasons.

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Black Eyed Susan - TN Nursery

Black Eyed Susan

Black Eyed Susan has vibrant yellow petals and dark, contrasting centers and is a popular and delightful addition to any landscaping project. This native North American wildflower offers a host of pleasing attributes that make it a sought-after choice for gardens and outdoor spaces. From its adaptability to its visual appeal and ecological benefits, it stands out as a versatile and attractive plant. Why Choose Black-Eyed Susan The Black-Eyed Susan or Rudbeckia Hirta is a beautiful and popular flower that blooms each year in North America. With yellow flowers surrounding a dark circular center, this plant serves an aesthetic purpose in any landscape and draws in bees and butterflies. Due to its hardiness and versatility, the plant is suitable for growing in the garden for beginners and professionals.  The Black Eyed Susan is valued for ornamental purposes and its contribution to the maintenance of ecosystems. Moreover, black-eyed susan plants for sale have stunning flowers that can be added to your garden for curb appeal. Features of Black Eyed Susan Plant The Black-Eyed Susan has bright yellow petals with a dark brown or black Eye in the middle, which makes it a vivid plant that would look great in any garden.  This plant attracts bees, butterflies, and many other beneficial insects, so it should be included in any pollinator garden. The black-eyed susan plant is relatively adaptable. It does well in arid conditions and simple soil types, making it a perfect pick for any low-maintenance garden. It prefers regions receiving full or partial sun exposure. It has a growth habit of 2 to 3 feet tall with a similar width, enhancing the green appearance of areas where it is grown. This plant does not need much attention once established and usually grows well. It is relatively immune to many garden pests and diseases. Growers of black-eyed susan plants can also contribute to habitat and care for one's patch of land by offering food for pollinators and other more valuable insects. Black Eyed Susan Perennials Returns Every Spring and Summer Season Buy black-eyed susan plants and add these beautiful flowers to your garden, like our other popular ornamental plants, such as echinacea, shasta daisy, or coneflower plants.

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Columbine Plant

Columbine Plant

The Eastern Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) is a perennial known for its bold red and yellow flowers, which look like hanging lanterns. Its unique shape and vibrant colors make it a favorite of pollinators such as hummingbirds and butterflies. The plant brings life and beauty to any landscape. If you want to add a splash of color to indoor or outdoor spaces, the Columbine Plant is worth buying. It is relatively small, so you can put it anywhere on your property without crowding other shrubs or trees. It tends to grow in clumps, meaning you can get multiple flowers and stems from a single seed or group of seeds. It will typically grow to about one to three feet in height. The flowers it produces can be almost any color, depending on the exact species that you happen to have. Standard colors include blue, pink, and yellow; in some cases, you may see multiple colors from the same one. Attract Various Animals With Columbine Plant One of the critical benefits of planting this item in your garden is that it can attract deer, rabbits, and other forms of wildlife. However, they tend to be most attractive to deer or rabbits looking for food. Fortunately, they tend to resist these creatures, which means you can enjoy the scenery without worrying about having to relocate or replant your flowers. You will also notice that it is attractive to pollinators such as bees or hummingbirds. Ultimately, you can help other flowers in your yard or nearby areas thrive while having something fascinating to look at when you're outside each day. Columbine Plant Does Well In Cold Weather The growth cycle of it tends to be a relatively short one. Therefore, you will notice the rush of color in your garden and wherever you decide to put it. As they generally do well in cold weather, you can put them out almost whenever you want without ruining them. The Columbine Plant Produces Seeds Quickly A final benefit to buying Columbine Plant is that it creates new seeds quickly on its own. Therefore, you may notice multiple shoots on your property without investing much time and money.  

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