There are so many reasons to support the Arb, but there is a deeply rooted reason why purchasing plants from us is beneficial to you, the gardener. This reason is known as ‘plant provenance’. What is plant provenance one may ask? It is simply where the seed or plant comes from.
Any gardener in Flagstaff knows that the plants grown in our high elevation climate must be tough to survive. From extreme temperature swings to poor soil and low moisture, being a plant in Flagstaff is simply different than being a plant in Springfield, Illinois, and yet both locations have the same USDA hardiness zone. Also consider the fact that there are many native plants with significant ranges that cover over half of the United States. For example, Gaillardia aristata, also known as blanket flower, is native in both Flagstaff and Springfield and yet a blanket flower seed from Springfield will have different DNA than a blanket flower seed from Flagstaff.
That resilient, location-specific DNA takes many lifetimes to generate, which is why starting with plants that have the tough Flagstaff DNA is a huge advantage to the home gardener. Finding a source for locally grown plants is becoming more and more difficult, which is what inspired us to open The Arb Nursery. We are proud to say that most of our plants are grown from seeds collected on site or from seed sources located in the four corners region. This standard makes for the most resilient plants for Flagstaff gardens.
By maintaining the local provenance for the plants we sell, we naturally stock plants that are native to Flagstaff. Native plants are defined as those that grow in a region without human intervention. These plants are the foundation of ecology, upon which many forms of life from birds to insects, mammals, and humans depend on for food and shelter. There are countless benefits to growing native plants in your home garden. These plants have evolved with the turbulent Flagstaff climate, soil, and moisture (or lack thereof). They need far less, if any, fertilizer, soil amendments and pesticides and aid in the conservation of water due to their low water needs. Furthermore, these plants add beauty and a sense of place to your landscape and preserve our region’s natural heritage.
While most of the plants we sell are native to Flagstaff, our founder Frances McAllister had a passion for gardening that, while focused on native plants, also experimented with plants that are adapted to the area. Adapted plants are defined as non-native and, most importantly, not invasive, and yet are able to thrive in the area they are planted. Most Flagstaff adapted plants have similar care to the native plants and in some cases, adapted plants have the advantage of herbivory resistance.
In any case, our selection of plants is based on the species ability to survive the wild seasonal and daily extremes of the Flagstaff climate, which has been thoroughly tested here at the Arboretum since 1981.
Gina Goegan is the Greenhouse Manager at The Arboretum
