Cultivars & Nativars

What are Cultivars, and Why Avoid Them?

Cultivars, sometimes called “nativars”, are variations of a species, most of which are bred to produce different colors, fancier petal structures, etc., to appeal to human ideas of beauty or novelty. Unfortunately, many cultivars have lost what makes them valuable to pollinators and other wildlife. For example, the Annabelle hydrangea, Hydrangea arborescens ‘Annabelle’, is a popular cultivar of the Wild Hydrangea, Hydrangea arborescens. Although the Annabelle flowers are beautiful, they are almost entirely sterile, having neither pollen nor nectar, and tend to bow over under the weight of their heavy blossoms, creating the need to remove or stake their stems.  If you observe an Annabelle shrub, you will not see bees around it. On the other hand, the more delicate blossoms of the native species will have lots of bees which will linger a while, looking drunkenly happy as they collect nourishment.

How can you tell a cultivar from a native plant? “Grow Native” tags used by many growers and nurseries to identify native plants will save you the need for detective work. Where such tags are not in use, an additional name in quotes after the botanical name (such as the ‘Annabelle’ just mentioned) indicates a cultivar, not a native plant. After the native species of Purple Coneflower, Echinacea purpurea, which is extraordinarily valuable to birds and many pollinators, the Missouri Botanical Garden lists no fewer than 57 cultivars of Echinacea purpurea with intriguing extra names like ‘Fatal Attraction,’ ‘Flame Thrower,’ or ‘Pink Poodle.’ Many of these cultivars will have little ecological value, so it is always best to choose the original native species. 

Fortunately, the increasing popularity of native plants in our region means that local nurseries and garden centers are keeping more and more native plants in stock. Additional resources for finding purely native species are listed later in this report. For more information, check out

•  The article linked here from Grow Native! 

• This Grow Native! webinar: