Indigenous plants on average provide more food, resting and nesting sites, habitats for birds, mammals, and other animal life, than exotic plants. Indigenous plants also need less water, which is important in a water-scarce country like South Africa. By gardening or landscaping with locally indigenous plants and creating wildlife-friendly habitats, you can help create ideal habitat for Durban’s amazing diversity of wildlife.

The following resources are available for gardeners and landscapers:
Indigenous Plant Poster series: 

Poster 1              Poster 2              Poster 3              Poster 4              Poster 5               Poster 6

(You can also request printed versions of these posters (or flashcards) directly from the Municipality’s Biodiversity Management Department).

Green Landscaping Guideline:

Download full booklet

Planting locally indigenous plants is also important in areas where declared invasive and weed plants have been removed. To learn more about invasive plants, see our other poster series, titled "Beautiful but Dangerous". Those posters list the plants that should be removed or controlled as they damage to our local ecosystems. More information on indigenous plants in South Africa can be found at the PlantzAfrica website, which is maintained by the South African Biodiversity Institute. If you need help identifying plants and other organisms in your garden or local D’MOSS area, sign up to use iNaturalist website and apps.