Native Plants

trees with fall colors illustration

Would you rather spend every weekend mowing, or enjoy a leisurely landscape? Take back your weekends by planting with a blue thumb, for cleaner water. When you landscape with native plants, your yard will need less mowing, fertilizers and pesticides. And native plants use less water, so they’re good for your wallet and the environment.

Native plants can:

  • Reduce the need for mowing, fertilizers and pesticides.
  • Improve air quality and promote pollination.
  • Require less water — saving you money on water bills — and reduce erosion.
  • Reduce pollution in local streams and rivers.

You can help keep our water clean by choosing native plants. Learn more about how native plants improve water quality»

Plant Selection

GrowNative! logo

The Native Plant Database hosted by GrowNative!, an initiative by the Missouri Prairie Foundation, is a wonderful resource to explore your options.

See more attractive and ideal options for residents who want to start landscaping their yards with native plants. Download a PDF of this information»    En Español»

See a list of retailers where you can shop for native plants.

Upcoming sales and workshops

Try the following resources to find a plant sale, workshop or gathering near you:

Become a Tree Keeper

Join The Heartland Tree Alliance’s Tree Keeper program to promote environmental stewardship in the Kansas City region. Joined by other volunteers, tree keepers lead planting, pruning, and maintenance projects for local municipalities, school districts, and neighborhood associations in the community. Participants will receive training in environmental awareness, while learning basic arboricultural principles. Through 12 hours of classroom time and six hours of hands-on outdoor training, participants learn tree identification, site suitability, proper planting techniques, after-planting care and pruning. This comprehensive course provides municipalities with educated community members trained to preserve and protect newly established trees. Register for courses.