Shoreline - Choosing Native Plants to Naturalize

A diverse array of native perennials planted in a buffer area along your shoreline can provide many benefits to the lake environment and your enjoyment of the property. Native plants are plants that grew in your area before European settlement and the introduction of cultivars and exotic species.

Following are several reasons to choose native plants when you're naturalizing your shoreline.

• First, the extensive root systems of native plants help protect your shore against erosion. Removing native plants and replacing them with shallow-rooted turf grass causes many shoreline erosion problems.
• Second, native plants improve habitat for fish and wildlife. Many Minnesota animals are adapted to native vegetation and rely on it for food, shelter, and nesting. Imported cultivars or exotic plants don't provide the same wildlife benefits. Beds of aquatic plants can provide habitat for water birds, fish, frogs, turtles, and aquatic invertebrates. The wet meadow area along the shore provides nesting and feeding habitat for sedge wrens, waterfowl, small mammals, butterflies, and dragonflies.
• Third, native species in the shoreland area, you reduce the chance that exotic plants will invade. A healthy population of native plants is better able to withstand competition from exotic species. If you're going to plant along your shoreline, be sure to get a no-fee permit from the Department of Natural Resources to plant in the water. Choose native plants that have been grown locally and make sure they are free from invasive exotic species.
• Fourth, native plants can reduce the need for lawn chemicals and fertilizer that may end up in your lake. It can also cut the amount of time you spend on lawn maintenance. If you choose native plants adapted to your particular site, you shouldn't need to water or apply fertilizer or herbicide as you would for a lawn, and you won't need to mow. So, with the exception of occasional trimming of shrubs and tree branches to maintain a view of the water, this part of your yard will become virtually maintenance-free.

Finally, native plants are better adapted to Minnesota's climate and growing season. By choosing natives you'll preserve a more natural appearance and probably have better plant survival than with imported cultivars. Native plants can provide color and texture throughout the growing season and often provide beauty and habitat even during our long Minnesota winters.

Links:
Shoreland
Shoreland Management
Why Natural?
Steps for Shoreland Repair
Options for Naturalizing Your Shoreline