A butterfly sits atop a sign celebrating The Watershed Foundation’s 25th anniversary at Loon Lake in the Upper Tippecanoe Watershed. Surrounding the sign is a garden featuring native plant species which help support pollinators and help keep water clean. It’s not too late to add some native species of plants to your lawn and garden this fall, according to Brad Clayton of The Watershed Foundation. Photo provided by The Watershed Foundation.

By Jennifer Romano

The Watershed Foundation

In the warmer weather months, we think a lot about native plant species and their symbiotic relationship with birds, butterflies, bugs and other creatures. But native plant species are valuable other times of the year, including the autumnal months ahead.

It’s not too late to include some hearty native plant species into your fall landscaping that will bring beauty now and support the environment in the months and years ahead. Additionally, native plants play an important role in keeping our water clean.

“About 70% of pollution in our waterways comes from storm water runoff. Native plants can slow that runoff to a crawl or stop it altogether. And a good planting also supports our all-important pollinators at the same time,” stated the Clear Choices Clean Water campaign.

According to Brad Clayton, watershed conservationist with The Watershed Foundation, as well as the education manager and native plant buyer at Clayton Garden Center in North Webster, there are several great options when it comes to native plants that will add value and nutrients to your yard and garden in the months ahead.

Clayton said several members of the aster family would be great choices, including purple dome asters, New England asters and Jindai asters.

“Jindai asters are technically non-native,” Clayton said, “but they are a fantastic food source for butterflies. They act like a native aster, but they have a great root system.”

Next, Clayton recommends Sedum, Joe Pye Weed and Agastache.

“The Agastache blooms can be enjoyed from spring through fall,” he said.

While some plants are great at providing food or beautiful flowers, other native plants offer vital habitats for native creatures.

Clayton recommends planting big bluestem, little bluestem and switchgrass for the habitat they offer. Both of the bluestem varieties offer attractive coloring that changes to a bluish purple shade in the fall.

“I wouldn’t try to plant natives much after Oct. 10,” Clayton added. “You never know what the weather is going to do, so I generally say that as my cutoff date.

“When we plant natives in the fall, there really isn’t much we need to do other than maybe add a root stimulator fertilizer that will help give them a jump-start with rooting,” said Clayton. “Usually with the cooler temperatures and typically more moisture in the fall, we don’t need to worry about watering as much when we are trying to get those roots to establish. But, if it turns hot and dry, you will need to water them.”

Clayton believes fall is the perfect time to spend time preparing native plant gardens.

“Fall is a great time to plant, as the plants are less likely to be stressed, and so are the people planting them,” he joked.

Consider making a pledge to plant native species in your garden by visiting, indiana.clearchoicescleanwater.org.

For more information about The Watershed Foundation and ways to improve the health of water, visit watershedfoundation.org.