Native plants along our highways!?

Send to your local representative here! - p2a.co/XqFD5Zp
We have a chance to make a big change to how we manage our state-owned roadways in Pennsylvania! House Bill 797 aims to direct PennDOT to plant PA-native vegetation along these highways whenever planting is required. If you live in PA and want to see more native plants along our roads, check out the top link in my LinkTree in my bio. You’ll be taken to a webpage from the ‪@ChesapeakeBayFoundation‬, where you can fill out a quick form to send an email to your local state rep in PA!
#nativeplants #roadways #trees #flowers

[@Andrew_the_Arborist]

Here's the link to the webpage! If you live in PA, consider filling this out and sharing: p2a.co/XqFD5Zp

[@mexicas6637]

Signed!!!

[@Agentdude]

I really do wish "wildflower" mixes from major retailers were more tailored to different areas.

[@KittieriRavynVlogs]

I actually am growing a bunch of Dollar Tree seeds this year. A shady flower mix I started apparently has opium poppies in it. Or that's what the plant is app I use said. I may need a new app though so any suggestions 😅

[@SnailHatan]

Literally just buy tailored mixes online. Go to local nurseries. You act like it’s difficult and complicated to do this. I can get a pound of native seeds in 5 minutes

[@Agentdude]

@@SnailHatan I do buy native seeds and starters. However, not everyone knows or cares that the seeds that they are buying at big garden centers are not native. You and I are passionate about it, but many aren't. That's why informative videos like these are important.

[@taylorward6241]

One of the most important things I have learned working at a plant nursery is that you have to assume that most people know next to nothing about plants beyond what their grandparents/taught them, and they will believe anything that plant marketing material says. The "virginia wildflower" seed mixes from eden brothers are all non natives except for echinacea purpura which isn't native to most of the state. It is super easy for the vast majority of people who have good intentions to be misled with materials like this

[@ohboilien]

I work in semi natural gardening here in Germany and here so often seed mixes include species native to North America - the irony 😂

[@Andrew_the_Arborist]

Why is it so backwards?! Lol

[@absurdistsloth]

Yeah this is so common, I guess we want what we can't have, or don't usually see. Imagine if people took the time to pay attention to the little plants growing all around them where they live! There's beauty and purpose everywhere 🌱

[@winterlinde5395]

That’s what I was thinking!

[@blackkennedy3966]

I see online that “native” seed mixes for California where I live contain Chinese flowers and other non native flowers. What the heck is the deal with that!

[@fubar91a5b]

@@Andrew_the_Arborist alot of north american species are invasive in japan and china aswell, such as desmanthus, phytolacca and plantanus

[@dianehenry6540]

Just like Lady Bird Johnson did (with native Texas wildflowers!) with Highway Beautification Act of 1965!

[@kathrinekerns8398]

I 💕💕💕 Texas bluebonnets. They are everywhere in Texas.

[@jfrazz9729]

Silly people saw “wildflower mix” on the package and thought “this’ll do!” I was a silly person once (still WM but I’m just not as dumb) and thought chicory was a native. I also used to think that all evergreens were pine trees in middle school.

[@KaylayaKasintaya]

Yeah, I'll believe it when I don't see the Bradford pears growing wild and blooming before everything else.

[@CarlsGarden]

Maybe with this we’ll have more biodiversity and get our first national park in PA!

[@gerrypower9433]

Maybe we could put it in Valley Forge.

[@CarlsGarden]

@@gerrypower9433I like that idea! Or maybe at Gettysburg!

[@Andrew_the_Arborist]

Have you ever been to Ricketts Glen State Park? I think that would be a great candidate for a National Park :)

[@CarlsGarden]

@@Andrew_the_Arboristmaybe😊

[@Zach-h2l]

wait what??! there arent any national parks in pennsylvania!!? 😮

[@jonwildeman]

Ladybird Johnson highway beautification helping polinators. Excellent!

[@ericolens3]

I love folks like you guys. theres an another dude, Andrew Haritan who studies plants and brings awareness to the PA ecosystem. It makes me want to learn more about trees and other key stone plants for the ecosystem.

[@floweryomi5351]

Agree! The way I see so many seeds being advertised as "native" when really they may mean "native" to CA and you're in the SE. I love comparing these to state-specific plant data bases. You never know what kind of fantastic ornamentals grow naturally in your own state.

[@that_auntceleste5848]

It's so lovely to hear this message of hope for a shift on the right direction on a legislative level!

[@marccreter9348]

Just want to say I love this channel, I always appreciate the great information you share.

[@skyadventurer7574]

They keep shelving that bill. We gotta do more

[@PLM_RO]

Nice initiative, maybe in the future you can make a short about inaturalist, citizen science and invasive species? Just an idea, I follow you on Inat and see that you're quite active there too, regards from Romania, Lucian

[@TobsterWobbles]

Google "(your state) DNR 40 noxious species list" and you'll get a comprehensive list of invasive, noxious and restricted plants in your area (usually with pictures!)

[@Andrew_the_Arborist]

Thanks a lot! I plan to make an iNaturalist video soon about the City Nature Challenge coming up! Will you be participating?

[@PLM_RO]

@@Andrew_the_ArboristI would but iNat is not that popular here, in Romania, so until now nobody organised a City Nature Challenge, last year I started to map systematically all invasive plants and i'm halfway there, this year I'll finish

[@Andrew_the_Arborist]

That's great work, thanks for doing that for your area!@@PLM_RO

[@Zach-h2l]

​@@TobsterWobblesbruh (your state), they just told you theyre from romania lol

[@CGZollars]

At least they’re trying which is alot more than most places.

[@kathrinekerns8398]

Oh noooop, I love bachelor buttons ..I have been planting them since I was a little girl. 🤔🤔🤔🤔

[@ourfamilyoutdoors7331]

It will look great also

[@positivelynegative9149]

👍

[@shingala8544]

History repeats itself....

[@TheNewYear75]

dude yes!!!!

[@jeanmichel4630]

Damn 😪 I planted these flowers in my yard

[@miles_quartz]

tysm for sharing this it made me smile :) it's definitely a step in the right direction! texas needs to do better too!! protect texas wildlife!!!

[@Trickyboy486]

I have been to the turn pike so much times

[@sagetmaster4]

So crazy rhat people could be against this

[@mhknfh3049]

I’ll sign it but I’ll say as a person in pa I’ve literally seen bamboo trees lol

[@renge3084]

Something important for these highway projects is understanding natural ranges and differences in ecotypes. While a flower may be native to your state, that does not mean you should plant it. Especially in states where the geography and ecology vary wildly, some plants will have more wildlife benefit if they actually existed in your location for thousands of years and not a few counties over for thousands of years. With ecotypes it's similar. Some plants have massive ranges, like Lanceleaf Coreopsis, and they will vary in form and habit to suit the geography and precipitation of those different regions. The Lanceleaf Coreopsis here in the gulfcoast looks very different from the ecotypes you find in the midwest. In order to keep this genetic this diversity within the species, it is important for states to plant locally sourced seed if it is available.

[@jacobcloyd8486]

As much as I like the exploration of planting native plants, I think it is important that the native plants are created or collected from different localities to ensure genetic diversity

[@joshuapritt4627]

I love your page man I'm not from PA or else I would hope you help get plenty of signatures. Keep fight8ng the good fight❤

[@casesandcapitals]

My roommates parents got her a couple packs of native wildflowers because they knew we were converting a lot of our yard into native habitat. Unfortunately they got the seed packs in Texas while they were on vacation to see the eclipse... and we live in New Hampshire. Ya know, good on them for trying but boy, the effort was minimal lol

[@KneehowMeow]

My biggest concern with native planting odds that when it replaces grass on major thoroughfares is visibility. Also I feel like a lot of times natives need scheduled planting as in the first two years the site selects only drop seed or switch, and then the nest two years adds golden rod or so on because the native planting can quickly turn into a monoculture and a weedy nightmare of not done right.

[@cheesypoofs1703]

Ladybird Johnson implemented this.

[@audio323]

Also corporate America " IS THIS GAY /BLACK/WOMEN ENOUGH" DISCLAIMER-we have done no research, we are just projecting as hard as we can.

[@CRBungalow]

I have been working on removing invasive English Violet from my yard. The yard hasn't been properly cared for years.

[@eelfood]

They went to Walmart and bought “wildflower” seeds. Hahahahaha There’s probably only one person in the whole office that knows the difference between wildflower seeds and native plants.

[@danieljordan2442]

this is ridiculous man what the hell, glad theres at least someone out there trying though!!

[@rockpooladmirer]

what's ridiculous? (/genuine)

[@ethanallenhawley1052]

Does any one think the native plants along highways might increase the number of animals crossing our roads? As much as I like natives, I'm worried the small animals may not understand roads.

[@edbrown7919]

How far apart should I plant hass avocados trees from each other? Thanks

[@tjherman3839]

Now Florida!!

[@artofmagi]

If only that Centaurea were Marshallia grandiflora, they could be aiding conservation efforts too. Sigh... they tried. Wait they won an award for this too?

[@jenelaina5665]

Maybe they thought they were getting coneflowers... But yeah, its not difficult in 2024 to get the right natives.

[@kurtroedeger1012]

Can we get a link to that page?

[@Andrew_the_Arborist]

Here it is - p2a.co/XqFD5Zp

[@kurtroedeger1012]

@@Andrew_the_Arborist awesome sauce

[@waltwills2479]

'native' lol😭

[@vollderchriss]

There are lots of beautiful native plants. Why do we have to import foreign invasive plants that harm our native ecosystem.

[@tommygamba170]

Nathan be to america not Asia or EU

[@ammantophori]

😅

[@TS-jm7jm]

why is native better than nonnative??,

[@audio323]

😂😂😂

[@Uninspired.Creations]

Cornflowers are considered naturalized in most of the world, like dandelions. Cornflowers are not really invasive, as they benefit most ecosystems they "invade", just like dandelions

[@skylarschell7858]

Doesn't "naturalized" just mean that a species has an established and persisting population in a non-native region?

[@Uninspired.Creations]

@skylarschell7858 naturalized means that a species has been introduced for long enough that is has no drastic negative effects on the native environment anymore, either because it wasn't highly invasive when it was first introduced, or the native ecosystem has evolved to "get used" to this new species, like how most environments are used to dandelions. The only thing cornflowers are bad for is human farming which makes it more of a weed than an invasive. That's the way I look at it, at least. Besides, like he said, cornflowers are better than shit turf grass

[@kathrinekerns8398]

Whew...I plant them every year. And, I am 69. I remember my Aunt planting them when I was a child. This is the first time I ever heard about them being invasive.

[@Uninspired.Creations]

@kathrinekerns8398 they are very good for pollinators, even native pollinators love them! I have a few in my garden pop up every year and the bumblebees go to them first every time

[@kathrinekerns8398]

@@Uninspired.Creations I sometimes plant a border of flowers around my vegetable garden. Zinnias, marigolds, bachelor buttons, are always in the mix. Exactly for the purpose of attracting pollinators.

[@glenncordova4027]

The state shouldn't be planting foreign plants and invasives along public highways.

[@t78907]

Am I the only one that thinks this is a bad idea because it’d likely just be an ecological sink? It would draw all those insects in just for them to be hit by passing cars….especially that central strip of grass between the roads😢

[@ineedsomechips]

Some will definitely be hit by cars, but it would be a net increase to the insect population, which has drastically reduced everywhere across the US

[@chaboondavis123]

If we put more plants by the highways, won't more bees get hit by the thousands of cars that drive past? Shouldn't keep the bees away from the highway?

[@rockpooladmirer]

not all of them would, it'd still be a net positive population increase. and the habitat provided would help out other fauna too, not just flying insects.