WHY NATIVE PLANTS?

• Monarch Butterflies have declined more than 90% since 1976 (Monarch Watch 2013)

• 3 billion US birds gone since 1970 (Cornell Labs, 2019)

• Insects (especially bees of all species) pollinate 87% of all plants. If pollinators disappear, most all plants would as well. This would be fatal to humans and most animals. (Ollerton et al. 2011)

  No pollinators = food crisis!

• 30% of bees are specialists — they can eat only native plants in their range. Imagine if your favorite salad bar replaced lettuce or kale with grass. You simply could not digest it — even if you were starving. The same is true for many insects – they are specialized.

• Threats to biodiversity are on the rise at an alarming rate!

Native plants feed and shelter birds and bees and butterflies and all living creatures. Some animals are generalists — they eat a wide range of plants. But many animals are specialists and can survive only on plants native to their habitat.

Habitat loss is one of the greatest threats to the survival of many creatures. As fields and forests succumb to the construction of sub-divisions and shopping malls, using our yards represents the best opportunity to restore needed “wilderness” for birds and pollinators. If each of us places at least a few native plants in our yards and on our balconies, together, we effectively restore millions of acres of healthy, biodiverse landscapes. We CAN make a significant impact! KISS Native Plants is here to help you meet these gardening goals.