Native Plants

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

rate this answer

Sunday - June 27, 2010
From: Walker, MI
Region: Midwest
Topic: Managing Roadsides
Title: Winter snow and road salt in Michigan
Answered by: Anne Bossart
QUESTION:
I have been asked to select plants for an area in zone5/6 that suffers from snow load and street salt during winters. The area is about 15x18 and has a deciduous tree in the center. Grass, which did not do well there, has been removed with roundup type chemical. I have some salt tolerant perennials and shrubs in mind, but think the weight of snow from the streets will be a factor. Would natives do well? Also, considering design and aesthetics the landscapers use reddish mulch around the tree.ANSWER:
You are describing a situation that has become a real challenge for people in the north since we have decided that roads must be bare in the wintertime plus you have put Mr. Smarty Plants on the horns of a dilemma.
That is because the mission of the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is to promote "the sustainable use and conservation of native wildflowers, plants and landscapes." In that definition "native" means plants that evolved in the ecoregion where they are present.
There are plenty of plants that are native to Michigan that can take winter's snow and there are plenty of plants that are native to the US coastal regions that are salt tolerant (although probably not native to Michigan). That being said, you are doing the right thing, selecting salt tolerant plants. Life is tough for a plant sleeping under a load of snow, salt and grit and then trying to flourish in the soil conditions that develop after the snow melts and the grit is not raked away. You have seen that even grass has difficulty.
Perennials will do better than shrubs in those conditions as they have no woody structure to be damaged by the snow being pushed onto them and deciduous shrubs with flexible twigs will do better than those with brittle branches. Broadleaved evergreens will be goners the first season!
As usual, there is no direct answer to your question, "will native plants do well?" The answer I can offer is "it depends on which native plants you select". They are generally tougher than cultivated varieties of exotic plants. But there are some exotic species that are much, much tougher than our natives that are wreaking havoc on every ecosystem in North America. So I do encourage you to choose northern region native plants that are salt tolerant, just be judicious with your choices.
And I have a question for you ... How can the words "design and aesthetics" and "reddish mulch" be used in the same sentence? In Mr. Smarty Plants' humble opinion, the person who decided that orange mulch is more attractive than brown, grey or any other ground colored mulch should be "tarred and feathered"!!
More Managing Roadsides Questions
Can a fallen tree in Texas have pieces of it removed from Winona TX
October 20, 2012 - I was wondering if you could tell me if a tree has fallen down, is it legal for me to go and cut pieces off of it in the state of Texas. And if you happen not to know could you tell me who I would con...
view the full question and answer
Managing Roadsides
March 20, 2004 - I’d like to plant some wildflowers as part of a community or roadside project. Will you provide the seeds or grant money?
view the full question and answer
Moving plants for extreme drought from Greencastle IN
August 23, 2012 - In exceptional drought here in Indiana, I am looking at weeds that may become my next perennials! How do I move what my dad called ragged robins from the edges of roads. They are blue and could be wil...
view the full question and answer
Highway construction in wildflower areas from Kingsland TX
April 22, 2014 - I see no other link to contact about this, except for you. Maybe you can direct me. I just drove Hwy 281 South and a lot of road construction is being done. For many years that I've noticed, there ...
view the full question and answer
Suggestions for street trees for Texarkana TX
July 23, 2013 - Texarkana, TX, is going to replace a few and add some new street trees downtown. The engineers specified crape myrtle. When I asked if they would consider native trees instead, I was told they thought...
view the full question and answer
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |