 With
Waukesha County poised as one of the fastest growing counties in
Wisconsin, it’s quite hard to imagine that this was also a prime
location for another thriving type of community in our history: The
prairie.
"Anywhere there is good farmland
here, that was likely a prairie," says Robert Ahrenhuerster,
owner of North Lake-based Prairie Seed Source.
More importantly, as local homeowners
you can also do your part to support the natural ecosystem and give
native prairie plantings the attention they deserve. With the proper
care and TLC, native prairie plants will also reward you with their
hardiness and beauty.
"When you plant native plants,
they tend to be much hardier because they’re already adapting to the
soil and pests in their native area," says Deb Edlhuber, owner of
Prairie Frontier in Waukesha.
To take that a step further, not all
prairie seeds and plants are native. Many experts recommend, however,
that the first goal should be to select plants and seed from your
local eco-region.
"Some plant species can range all
the way from Canada down to Texas and out west to Wyoming," says
Richard Bautz of the Retzer Nature Center. "However, local
genotypes have been selected by nature (over thousands of years) to
withstand the particular stresses of heat, cold, drought and even
flooding of the local area."
Introducing a non-native species
results in the loss of genetic material.
"Even if you introduce a plant
from southwestern Wisconsin or the sandy central portion of the state,
if it hybridizes with a native plant, you’ve lost more than 50
percent of that genetic material," says Ahrenhuerster, a strong
proponent of planting local. "Those remnant prairies and the
seeds that have been collected are a genetic bank account."
"Plants adapt to their local soil
types, and have developed defenses to the feeding of native insects,
and other animals, as well as adjusting to competition from other
prairie plants," agrees Bautz. "Any particular native plant
(or animal) may also be thought of as a working member of the local
biotic community."
However, he points out that there’s
nothing wrong with some non-native plantings, particularly when the
gardener is aware and makes judicious choices.
"I plant a vegetable garden at
home every year and grow beans, peas, squash, carrots, beets; the
really important thing is that none of these plants are invasive or
pose a threat to any native species," he says.
Edlhuber adds that gardeners often
weigh the benefits of native vs. non-native plants before making a
selection.
"For example, the pale purple
coneflower is native to our area," she says. "But people
tend to like the purple coneflower better: It’s very showy, it
blooms longer and it still is great for the birds and
butterflies."
Experts also point out to be cautious
of the "prairie-in-a-can" concept. "These types of seed
packs offered in catalogs and stores often contain seeds from almost
anywhere, sometimes even from outside the United States," says
Bautz. "The ‘prairie-in-a-can’ plants are selected for their
color, shape, height or even their fragrance."
He adds that these types of mixes often
introduce non-local seeds from other regions, which can have a
negative impact on the local populations. "Sometimes non-native
species can really run amuck; almost everyone has heard of serious
problems with non-native plants that not only do very well, they
become invasive and out compete native plants," he adds.
Buying all-purpose mixes can also set
your prairie plans up for failure — but for a completely different
reason. "There are many different types of prairies — any soil
will support a prairie — but you have to know what plants will work
and what won’t in your type of soil," says Ahrenhuerster.
Edlhuber sells prairie mixes, and she
says that gardeners concerned about native vs. non-native plantings
should first look at the can to see if the seeds have been described
as "native" or not. Secondly, she suggests buying seed mixes
from a reputable seed source, since many are packaged with fillers.
"Fillers are not necessarily
bad," she explains. "If someone is planting a mix and it
doesn’t contain a filler, I recommend damp sand because it will both
scratch the seed mixture and help provide some initial moisture."
Prairies are actually divided into five
types, depending on the amount of moisture the soil receives. Some
prairie plants do well in all five types; others are a little more
picky about where they plant their feet.
Likewise, the amount of sun a patch of
prairie gets will also determine the types of plants that will thrive
there.
"Prairies, in general, tend to get
eight or more hours of sun per day," says Edlhuber. "But
there are some prairie plants that will tolerate a little more
shade."
And most prairie plants are willing to
give your yard a chance if you’re willing to try them.
"Back in the 1960s, Retzer Nature
Center was just another old farm suffering from depleted soils and
erosion," says Bautz. "After the Retzers donated the
property to the Waukesha County Parks Department, prairie restoration
began."
Bautz says the former Retzer farmland
not only has attractive and functional prairies, but they serve as
refuges for threatened species of grassland birds.
"In short, natural land
restoration really works, and anyone can get involved, even if only on
a small scale in their own backyard," he says. M
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