Naturalized vs. Native: Understanding the Difference in Vermont Gardens

If you spend time walking through Vermont’s forests, fields, or even your own backyard, you may notice plants that appear to belong, from wildflowers tucked along stone walls to grasses filling old pastures and shrubs alive with the hum of pollinators. Yet appearances can be deceiving: not all plants that seem at home in Vermont are genuinely native. Some are naturalized, having escaped cultivation and established themselves in the landscape, while others evolved here over millennia, forming intricate ecological relationships. Recognizing this distinction is essential for gardeners, landowners, and conservationists who aim to cultivate healthy ecosystems, support pollinator populations, and maintain biodiversity…