Landscaping with Native Plants on Horse Farms

Benefits of Native Plants

In the United States, a native plant is a plant that grew in a specific area before European settlers arrived. Pennsylvania has approximately 2,100 native plant species and 1,300 non-native plant species. Landscaping with native plants is preferable to using non-native plants for numerous reasons. They are adapted to local environmental conditions, meaning they grow easily with little maintenance required after establishment. A major benefit is that they provide food for the local ecosystem and support native pollinators such as bees and butterflies.

Planning Your Planting

When you are selecting a spot for your native garden, take note of the area’s growing conditions. Determine how much sun exposure the area gets. Too much or too little sun can hinder certain plants’ growth. Pay attention to how well it drains; does it have standing water after a rain event? If so, it might be better suited to build a rain garden. Keep gardens out of reach of horses; while the plants on this list are not known to be toxic, your plants will not last long if they get eaten! They are not intended to be grazed by horses.

When looking for native plant seeds or seedlings, make sure to purchase them from a nursery or local plant sale. Never remove native plants from the wild! The PA Department of Conservation & 

Natural Resources (DCNR) has a list of native plant and seed sources in PA. Many local online groups host plant swaps and can be