By now you’ve probably heard some—or a lot—about the importance of swapping out invasive or non-native plants in your yard for native species. Research shows that native plants can help create a healthier environment, a healthier ecosystem, and support a higher diversity of animals. Native plants can host many more types of insects than non-natives. Take a native oak tree, for example. Researchers have found that native oaks can host over 550 different species of moths or butterflies—especially their larvae. Those caterpillars are vital food sources for birds, especially warblers and other songbirds. In contrast, the non-native gingko tree can only host 5 different species. So far, so good. But what about so-called “invasive” plants? “I remember seeing some agency say ‘invasive means non-native’ and that’s not right,” says Senior Director of Bird Friendly Communities, John Rowden. As it turns out, differentiating between native plants, non-native...