What is a “native” Texas plant?
Plant scientists (botanists) suggest “native” plants grow “naturally” in Texas.
Yet, we have a dilemma: what is a “native” organism; what has become used to desirable climates; what organisms are invasive, and what introduced?
According to the Native Plant Society of Texas, what is “native” is not always clear. The Native
Plant Society of Texas, (NPST) says Texas has “over 5,000 plants”; yet, Texas may have over 7,000 plants. Some plants are native, naturalized, crop, forage, opportunists, or, ornamental.
Which of the Kingdoms of Life were introduced to Texas by humans; what were carried by weather; what were in this area before humans; which ones threaten?
The U.S. Department of Agriculture definition of “native plant” is “a plant that lives or grows naturally in a particular region without direct or indirect human intervention.”
But what is “natural” ? Do we use a human life span or two for us humans to state: “This organism is here naturally.”
Humans brought living things to Texas. Some on purpose; some not.
Perhaps, the climate so fit the organisms’ reproductive needs, or, that organism evolved (changed) so quickly over time, the living thing thrived, replacing other organisms.
So: what IS “native”?