How to Find the Right Native Plants For Your Region

Native plants are great for the ecosystem and save money and resources for the gardener. Join gardening expert Melissa Strauss to discover how you can find out which native plants are right for your region.

Written by Melissa Strauss Horticulture review by Sarah Jay Last updated: June 5, 2025 | 4 min read

Finding the right native plants. Verbena Stricta, Wild Bergamot, and purple Coneflowers bloom in the native plant garden under the bright sun.

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Hobby gardening has undergone numerous phases over time, with gardeners adopting a range of different philosophies and styles. In recent years, there has been a significant effort to restore and preserve native plants in their natural habitats. Some experts even recommend removing all non-native species and replacing them, although this can be a difficult and arduous process.

I’m not here to tell you that you need to go out and eradicate every non-native plant in your garden, though I recommend removing invasive species. However, there are some valid and substantial reasons to move away from exotics and toward those that are well-adapted to your region.

There are many reasons to plant native species, and I’d like to touch on a few of them briefly. Then we can explore the steps you can take to determine which ones are best for your region and the resources you can use to support your journey.

Native Plants and Their Benefits

Blooming landscape of native plants including various inflorescences of purple, yellow, red, silver-blue and soft pink shades, growing among ornamental grasses and evergreen shrubs and trees. — They thrive with little fuss, even when the weather swings.

When we refer to native plants, we mean those that have evolved over a long period in your particular region. They are well-adapted to thrive in your environment with minimal additional care. They live quite happily with the local soil, temperatures, and rainfall, so they require minimal care. Their low-maintenance nature is a significant draw to adding these to your garden.

Because they are well adapted to your local environment, they don’t require much supplemental watering. Fertilizer is typically unnecessary as well. In fact, you’ll rarely need even to amend the soil for them to grow successfully.

Aside from the savings in time, resources, and money, these plants are essential to the local environment. Many insects will only feed on those that they evolved alongside, and many of the smaller mammals that live in your region depend on these insects as their primary food source. They play an integral role in the local food web, so without them, we lose not only plant life but also a wide range of wildlife.

On a global level, creating a wilder, more wildlife-friendly environment is a monumental benefit. These areas of dense vegetation help to capture more carbon from the air. They also help to clean groundwater and reduce a significant amount of runoff. They prevent erosion and help your garden withstand natural forces, such as wind and rain, more effectively.

Step 1: Identify Your Region

A vibrantly blooming garden with densely growing tall inflorescences of white and pink phlox plants growing among yellow black eyed susan plants in a sunny garden. — Zone maps take the guesswork out of plant survival.

Deciding which natives to plant begins with identifying your region, allowing you to best determine which plants grow naturally there. The primary step in identifying your region is to look at a map of the USDA Plant Hardiness Zones.

The USDA determines these zones based on the average minimum winter temperatures in a region. It’s good to know your zone because some plants may be native to your state, but not your specific climate. If they can’t withstand your minimum temperatures, they won’t survive.

Things that grow in your region may not necessarily thrive in your specific conditions, so that is also important. If you have poor, sandy soil, things that grow in boggy areas won’t thrive in your garden, and vice versa. Knowing your ecoregion assists you in determining the geology, flora, and fauna of the region.

In general, the best place to start is by finding out your zone and then identifying the type of soil and exposure you receive. These are essential factors in determining which native plants will thrive in your space.

Step 2: Research Native Keystone Species in Your Region

Clusters of star-shaped flowers with slender petals bloom in shades of purple with golden centers above leafy green stems. — Choose the ones that bring everyone else to life.

Researching your region and the plants that grow naturally there can start in different places, but they should all lead to similar results. I recommend beginning with keystone species. These are great plants to start with because of their substantial impact.

Keystone species are those that contribute most to the health of the local ecosystem. They play a significant role in supporting biodiversity, providing essential resources such as food and shelter for many organisms and creatures. As a result, they have the most significant impact on the food web and the region’s biodiversity.

If you’re only going to plant a few things or you intend to build upon your native garden over time, start with keystone species. The National Wildlife Federation offers a valuable resource for researching these species. This will provide a solid foundation to build upon.

Step 3: Utilize Online Databases

Young woman with red hair searches information about plants on the internet on a grey laptop while sitting at a wooden table on the porch among various container plants. — A well-built database is a gardener’s quiet superpower.

There is a wealth of information available online to help you locate the right native plants for your region. At Epic, we love to collect and share this information with you, so take a look at some of our articles on finding native plants for your garden.

There are also several other valuable online sources you can tap into. If your specific area of interest is in supporting local pollinators, the Xerces Society has an excellent database.

Here, you can search by state or region to find a list of plants, which includes both common and scientific names, making them easier to locate. This resource will also inform you about when specific plants bloom, whether they are annuals or perennials, and the type of soil and exposure conditions they require.

Another valuable resource is the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center. Their database contains over 25,000 plants, which you can search by common, scientific, or family name. It’s easy to navigate and includes a wealth of details on where specific things grow and under what conditions.

Step 4: Visit Local Nurseries and Gardens

A young gardener chooses flowering native plants at a local garden center nursery with wide, tightly packed counters of potted plants. — Local experts often know exactly what thrives around you.

If you have a local nursery that specializes in native plants, this is a fantastic resource. Unless your plant purchasing source specifies that they only carry natives, or they label them as such, much of what they sell is certainly non-native. Many nurseries even sell invasive plants without warning!

If you don’t have a local retailer that sells explicitly native plants, look for one that at least notes which ones are. If it’s a trusted source, this eliminates a lot of the guesswork. It’s also going to be a more convenient and reliable way to start your search.

Step 5: Connect With Experts and Community Groups

A group of gardeners clean up a garden plot and plant native trees and plants. — Community groups make growing wild feel a little easier.

Finally, whether or not you have a good native nursery, some of the best local resources will be local gardeners and gardening groups. Most universities have programs that provide excellent resources for locating native plants. You may also find workshops with these sources that walk you through the process of re-wilding and teach you about the regional ecosystem.

Another great resource is Wild Ones. Find your local chapter where people from your community connect to share information and advocate for the restoration of native plant life. Through them, you’ll also find native landscapers and other resources for creating a more natural environment in your own garden.