Episode 4: Native Plants, Native Pride!

Native Plants, Native Pride!Episode 4 | Host: Tiffany McCoy | Published: November 22, 2025 | Runtime: 9:40Listen to Show-Me Horticulture on Spotify & YouTubeAbout This EpisodeIf you've been battling the same old weeds and the same tired boxwoods, this episode is for you. Tiffany dives into twenty minutes of fast facts and local stories that will fundamentally change how you view your Missouri landscape. She makes the case for ditching high-maintenance non-natives and embracing the thriving, resilient beauty that defines the Show-Me State — from Missouri's 900+ native bee species to the legend of the Sassafras tree to the forgotten fruit that foragers are rediscovering.What You'll LearnWhy Missouri hosts over 900 native bee species — and why they're specialists that need native plants to surviveThe ecological desert hiding in plain sight: your lawn, and what to plant instead (Little Bluestem!)Why Monarchs can't survive without Milkweed — and what you can do about it right nowThe legend of the Sassafras tree — from Ozark folk medicine to one of the New World's first exportsWhy Sassafras has THREE different leaf shapes on the same tree and what wildlife depends on itThe Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) — why you should never cut it back in fallThe Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) — Missouri's forgotten native fruit and how to grow itNative Plants FeaturedLittle Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) — drought-tough prairie grass with 10-foot rootsCommon Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) — the Monarch butterfly's only host plantSassafras (Sassafras albidum) — three leaf shapes, spectacular fall color, Spicebush Swallowtail hostPurple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) — goldfinch magnet, leave seed heads standing all winterPawpaw (Asimina triloba) — largest native fruit in North America, forest understory growerAbout Your HostTiffany McCoy is the host of Show-Me Horticulture and founder of the Show-Me Horticulture pilot farm in northeast Missouri. She is pursuing a B.S. in Sustainable Horticulture at Unity Environmental University and is passionate about connecting people to the food they grow. Every episode is rooted in real Missouri gardens, practical growing advice, and the community that makes local food so meaningful.Connect With Show-Me HorticultureEmail: [email protected] & Facebook: @ShowMeHorticulturePodcast: Spotify & YouTube — search Show-Me Horticulture📦 CSA Sign-Up: show-me-horticulture.polsia.app/#/csaIf you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Spotify or YouTube — it helps more Missouri gardeners find the show! 🌱