When we consider the thousands of plants that will grow in our landscapes, we sometimes overlook native plants that thrive on their own. They have survived many millennia and are adapted to our soils, our rainfall, our climate and even our pests.
I recently spent a day with one of Utah's top experts on native plants. For the past 40 years, Dr. Jim Bowns has been teaching about Utah plants and their ecology. The state's deserts and mountains are literally his teaching laboratory.
Over the course of his career, thousands of students, ranchers, professors and other interested individuals have tramped his outdoor laboratories to learn about the plants that he has spent his life studying.
I visited with him to learn more about native plants that can be used in home landscapes.
Bowns grew up in the small, eastern Utah town of Castle Gate. He received a bachelor of science degree in forest range management and a Ph.D. in range ecology at Utah State University. He holds a joint appointment with USU and Southern Utah University in Cedar City in a historic collaboration.
"I came to SUU back when it was part of Utah State Agricultural College. I thought I would come down here and work two or three years at the branch campus and then move back to Logan." He fell in love with the area and the move back never happened. He is now practically a legend among educators, government officials, students and ranchers in southern Utah.
Bowns loves the area's ecological diversity. The Mojave Desert in the Beaver Dam area southwest of St. George is just over 2,000 feet in elevation. Peaks above Brian Head are near 12,000 feet.
"To understand native plants and where they grow, you have to understand their needs," he said. "I like to point out to people about the geology, the climate and the plants, because they are all interrelated. Looking at these, you can tell where a plant is going to succeed."
All plants are native, but the ecology means you need to ask, "Native to what?" he said. Look at where they thrive naturally and then see how they adapt.
Bowns said you need to "understand what the plant means."
When you try to grow a plant in your yard, you need to provide conditions similar to native conditions. Natives never thrive in landscapes if you don't understand what the plant means, he said.
To this end, Bowns shares some favorite natives that will thrive in northern Utah landscapes.
"Cliff rose is an excellent shrub. It requires no (extra) water after it is established and is a real show stopper when it is in bloom. It is covered with yellow and white blossoms that resemble small roses. It gets 3-10 feet tall depending on moisture and other conditions," he said.
Mountain mahogany is another favorite. "There are three different types of mountain mahogany. Curly leaf is the parent plant that grows in high mountains.
"The alder leaf mountain mahogany also grows at high elevations and is deciduous. The little leaf mountain mahogany grows at low elevations and is evergreen and provides good browse for elk and deer, so it is a good plant for areas where these animals graze."
Serviceberry is another plant Bowns recommends. "In southern Utah, Amelanchier utahensis is our most common plant and it grows on dry hillsides. The fruit is somewhat dry and pulpy.
"In northern Utah, Amelanchier alnifolia is common in the canyons and grows as a small tree that gets about 20 feet tall. Their fruit is dark purple when ripe and is seedy and bland but edible. Native Americans made bows out of serviceberry.
"Oakleaf sumac is another excellent native. Native Americans used the berries for food, and they used the flexible straight branches for weaving baskets. Pioneers used seeds like popcorn. Throw a bunch in the pan and heat them to pop them," he explains.
Among other shrubs Bowns likes are fern bush and blue elderberry. Both are drought tolerant.
False indigo has a long taproot and loves dry soil. Manzanita is another native plant that is on his list as a good landscape possibility.
Buffalo berry also works well in landscapes. There are two species. Silver buffalo berry is a larger plant that has gray textured leaves and edible berries. The round-leaf buffalo berry is a smaller compact evergreen shrub that is an excellent choice for landscaping. Neither of these tolerates excess water, so place them carefully in the landscape.
Bowns grows many native plants in his own yard. "One of my favorites is the pinyon pine Pinus edulus that flourishes on the Colorado plateau. It is not great for nuts — they are very small. The single-leaf pinyon has very nice pine nuts, and I have one of those in my landscape.
"I also grow rabbit brush and sagebrush. I have several cactus including a cholla cactus and pretty good-sized barrel cactus," he said.
Indian rice grass Oryzopsis hymenoides is a native grass that has good landscape potential. Bowns adds that although most people don't realize it, this is the official state grass as designated by the state Legislature. It grows well without water and has an attractive seed head so it makes a nice ornamental.
Jim Bowns is a man who truly wants to know what plants mean. He lets the plants tell their story and then he knows where they will grow. He wants plants that flourish and survive without constant watering, pest controls and other inputs. The right native plants can do all of this and be beautiful and functional, as well.
Larry Sagers is the Regional Horticulturist, Utah State University Extension, at Thanksgiving Point.