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Butterfly milkweed wins!
Butterfly milkweed, the High Line’s nominee for official wildflower of New York City, has won the popular vote in the WildflowerNYC campaign by a landslide. This showy Manhattan native is an essential food source for endangered monarch butterflies, whose caterpillars only feed on milkweed.
Events
Ruinart x High Line “Keep It Wild” Tours
Ruinart x High Line “Keep It Wild” Tours
October; Fridays, 10 - 11am
Participants will learn about the High Line and Ruinart’s sustainability practices, the park’s native plants, art program, and how these elements relate and blend with Ruinart’s shared vision.
Participants will learn about the High Line and Ruinart’s sustainability practices, the park’s native plants, art program, and how these elements relate and blend with Ruinart’s shared vision.
Seated Conversations: Horticulture
Seated Conversations: Horticulture
June 14, Sept. 13, 10am – 12:30pm
This conversation, led by High Line Director of Horticulture Richard Hayden, will offer a behind-the-scenes look at the wild-inspired gardens we see today.
This conversation, led by High Line Director of Horticulture Richard Hayden, will offer a behind-the-scenes look at the wild-inspired gardens we see today.
Family Workshop: Fantastic Forests
Family Workshop: Fantastic Forests
July 22 & 29, 1 – 4pm; Aug. 2 & 9, 3 – 6pm
Families are invited to explore the role the High Line’s native trees play in New York City’s unique ecosystem through our series of free kid-friendly art workshops.
Families are invited to explore the role the High Line’s native trees play in New York City’s unique ecosystem through our series of free kid-friendly art workshops.
What are native plants? And why are they important?
A simple definition of a native plant is a plant that has been growing in a particular habitat, ecosystem, or region naturally without human introduction for some extended period of time sufficient to develop complex relationships with other plants and organisms. They are distinguished from cultivars (varieties cultivated by people), naturalized plants (plants that have come to live and spread in an area), and exotics (both invasive and non-invasive exotic species, species that are not native to an area). Even the plants that sprung up along the High Line after the trains stopped running can’t all be considered native plants—in fact, many of the plants we generally consider wild are naturalized or exotic. About 20 species found along the original High Line could be considered native; 17 of which are part of the High Line landscape you see today.
For Celebrating Native Plants on the High Line, we’re highlighting plants native to the five boroughs of New York City—of which there are 150+ species on the High Line! You may be accustomed to the concrete jungle but New York City was once mostly forests, meadows, and wetlands. Over thousands of years—way before European colonization of North America—local plants evolved side by side with insects, birds, and animals. While the city is much more paved than green nowadays, the strength of these natural relationships forged over millennia remains.
One great example—and our entry for the New York City Wildflower Project’s “Native Wildflower of New York City” contest—is butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), an important food source for a plethora of insects. This Manhattan native’s nectar attracts insects such as digger bees, sweat bees, swallowtail butterflies, and monarch butterflies, among others. While the flowers attract pollinators, caterpillars of monarch butterflies and adult milkweed bugs feed on the leaves and stems. Milkweed is a critical host plant of federally endangered monarch butterflies, whose caterpillars depend on the leaves of milkweed plants for food.
When home gardeners or public spaces—like the High Line—choose to use native species of plants, we’re also supporting all the insects, birds, animals, and other plants that rely on them.
Native plants are also often more resilient and adapted to local conditions, which means they’re less likely to need pesticide interventions—which we don’t do at all on the High Line—and less likely to need heavy fertilizing. One example is the stiff-leafed aster, Ionactis linariifolia, which is well-adapted to live in the drier soils between our path’s tapers. Using the ethos of, “right plant, right place”, means the planting design is informed by the needs of specific plant communities, which results in less environmental degradation, due to minimizing harmful inputs to the garden. Additionally, design informed by the needs of native plants adds so many positive benefits to the park, from showing off the diversity and beauty of local flora to the unique visual impact that makes the High Line unique.
Dig Deeper
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Be part of the deep care and effort that goes into keeping the High Line wild—and free for everyone.
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From the Vineyards of Champagne to the High Line: A Joint Initiative to Celebrate Native Plants & Biodiversity
Ruinart is proud to support the High Line’s “Keep It Wild” tours, as part of the park’s 2023 native plants celebration. Ruinart’s interest in supporting these initiatives on the High Line stems from their commitment to promoting biodiversity, sustainable viticulture, and reducing their carbon footprint in the production of its champagnes. In response to the global environmental challenges, Ruinart works hard to implement many practices to create a positive impact on the planet.
Major support from Ruinart Champagne in celebration of biodiversity.
Lead support for Horticulture on the High Line is provided by Amanda M. Burden.
Program support for Horticulture on the High Line is provided by Greenacre Foundation.
High Line Tours and accessibility are supported, in part, with public funds from the New York City Council, under the leadership of Speaker Adrienne Adams, with special thanks to New York City Council Member Erik Bottcher.
