KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Native plants do well in home gardens because they’re adapted to local soils and weather patterns. They are also beneficial to songbirds and pollinator species such as butterflies and bees. The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is hosting a native plant sale with Grow Native! from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 19, at the Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center in Kansas City.

Native plant vendors will be onsite and offering plants while supplies last. A portion of sale proceeds from all vendors will be donated to the Missouri Prairie Foundation to support their conservation work. Besides purchasing native plants, the sale is a chance for visitors to get tips about gardening with natives from the vendors.

Wildflowers have various blooming periods and can provide color in spring, summer, and fall. They also provide interesting structure in winter. Birds benefit because natives host insects important to feeding baby birds in the nesting season. Pollinators such as butterflies and bees benefit because they evolved as specialists using native plants as a food source or as hosts for eggs and larvae.

This native plant sale is open to all ages and registration is not required. Visit https://mdc-event-web.s3licensing.com/Event/EventDetails/207001 for more information. The Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center is located at 4750 Troost Ave. in Kansas City. Direct questions about the event to the assistant Nature Center Manager, Steve Jacobsen, at steve.jacobsen@mdc.mo.gov.