Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Native salt tolerant plants
While our weather has been strange, pretty “warm” temperatures for most of us in the Midwest, we have had some snow… and that means salt trucks are out. Many municipalities are working on ways to reduce the use, still, we do need to keep folks safe on the roads.
That said, we know is that our plants are not fond of the seasoning. Road salt can damage plants by interfering with their water uptake through their root system.
It will look like root damage or drought and include stunted growth, scorching on leaves and maybe the formation of witches brooms on shrubs on the salt side of the plant.
We’ve talked before about salt tolerant plants but today I’m focusing on native salt tolerant plants.
First let’s remember to take into account not all plow truck drivers stick to the road. I’ve had them scrape my lawn too. And, always take into account the mature size of your plants as well and place them accordingly, especially if you have on street parking, you don’t want your plants trampled or hide someone’s line of sight for safety.
Consider these:
- Butterfly weed aka milkweed aka Asclepias tuberosa – this is the host for monarch butterflies
- Barren strawberry aka Waldsteinia fragarioides – low grower
- Wild bergamot aka bee balm aka Monarda fistulosa
- Yarrow aka common yarrow aka Achillea millefolium
Ornamental native grasses that tolerate salt include Big Bluestem, Little bluestem and switchgrass. I’m a big fan of grasses and would really consider a mix of these and Blackeyed Susan, which is also salt tolerant.
Additionally, Summersweet, which has a wonderful fragrance is a native salt tolerant shrub.
Others include serviceberry, winterberryand hackberry.
