Mary Blickenderfer, Shoreland Vegetation and Landscape Specialist

Some of the most common questions at shoreland revegetation workshops is “Where can I get native plants for my project?” and “What do they look like?” Many people are interested in buying plant materials from a nursery or supplier, while some are interested in collecting and/or propagating the plant materials themselves. Most types of native plant materials are similar to those found in a standard nursery. However, the pre-vegetated mats for aquatic plantings are relatively new. Below is a table that will help address these questions.

* Planting below the Ordinary High Water Level (i.e. in the aquatic and wet transition zones) is limited to MN native species and requires a DNR permit prior to planting.

** Always obtain permission from property owner before collecting any plant material. Written permission (permit) may be necessary and is always advised.

Whether plant material is purchased from nurseries or collected from friends’ gardens or a wild area, it should be done with some caution. Remember, we want to use plant material with genetic origin from 1) the same ecological region as the planting site (see Feb/Mar issue) or 2) Minnesota (a much easier working definition!). A list of nurseries and suppliers of MN native plant materials recently created by a Master Gardener is available on line (http://www.uslink.net/~wetdog/nativenurseries.html). Note that our working definition of “MN native plant” may not be the same one used by the nurseries on this list or your gardening friends.

If purchasing seed, you can choose either individual species or special mixes. Ask if it is “yellow tag” or “source identified” seed, and if so, what is the place of origin (Minnesota?). Is the native seed produced from “released” varieties that have been selected from a large region, covering several states? If so, avoid. Again, be extremely cautious of “meadow-in-a-can” or “native seed” packets sold at discount stores and garden centers. Check the label - many contain seed from distant regions of the country and should be avoided. Many MN native seed suppliers listed on the website given above offer similar seed mixes for our state. Note that most native seed is much smaller and lighter than most non-native grass and flower seed. Expect to purchase significantly less (by weight).

If purchasing plants ask about the source of seed or plant cuttings used for propagation (Minnesota?). If the plants appear to have been dug from the wild (i.e. several different species in the same pot, unusual soil, etc.), determine if they were salvaged from a demolition site or dug from an otherwise undisturbed natural population. Supporting the latter method may unnecessarily put native plant populations at risk and should be avoided.

If collecting seed from the wild or transplanting make sure you have permission from the owner to do so. Then make sure that the species is truly native. If collecting seed, mark the plant or site and monitor until ripe (covered in upcoming issue). Transplanting from the wild is recommended only when the site is scheduled for future demolition. In some areas, an effort is being made to coordinate transplanting from sites of aquatic plant removal to sites of aquatic plant revegetation – ask the DNR when applying for a permit to transplant aquatic vegetation.

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