Bonehead said: I include native information in the comments section, and try to clarify that a certain plant is native IN my region as opposed to native TO my region, two very different meanings to me. I do agree that place of origin would be helpful in the database - to more easily determine if it is a native in your area, to have a better idea of the plant needs, and for a bit of history.
Could you explain this, In versus To? I tend to use them interchangeably.
"how far back does one go?"
How about as far back as the USDA? That could be a guide, maybe. At least for North American plants.
I understand about well behaved in one area, but not so much in another. One example is the California Poppy. Someone gave me seeds, so I planted them. Later I read something that they can be very aggressive outside of its native range. I yanked them up even before the first growing season completed. Haven't seen any since. But I do have some aggressive native to Iowa plants that I let roam. We have the space Yet, for many with smaller areas, this would a concern. One I need to be sensitive to when I leave comments and want to do a better job of this.
Today, there was an interesting plant that came up as a random plant. I was curious where it came from, but would have to search outside of the site. Yes, it can easily be done, but I was thinking it would be nice if I could see that here at a glance. Knowing the native status is important to me, even before looking into growing conditions. For the most part, I believe I have learned a lot in the last couple of years, but there are still some surprises.
I can understand people can get heated about issues and this is not anything I want. I do appreciate the willingness to discuss this.
