What plants are native to the East Tennessee area?
Tennessee, including East Tennessee is home to species conditioned to its Eastern woodlands region. Such plants and wildflowers include, the Tennessee cone flower, butterfly weed and columbine. • Why are native plants so special? Native plants are less resource intensive, and they are beneficial and compatible with area wildlife. They also contribute to a healthy ecosystem and display a regions natural beauty. • Do native species require special attention? No, these plant species are already adapted to the area. Some wildflowers self-seed, and they are often more resilient and require less maintenance than exotics. • Why are non-native plants a problem? Exotics, or non-natives, affect the vital characteristics of an ecosystem, and threaten bio-diversity as they often displace native species at rapid rates. Since they are not adapted to the area, they also require high costs for resources and upkeep. • How do non-native plants come to an area? The growth of trade, travel and migration h
