A Place to Call Home

We’ve discussed families and diversity, and danced around the edges of plant communities. Since the beginning of time, human beings from different families have come together to form communities. The simplest reason for this behavior is survival: safety in numbers, ability to share tasks and build on strengths. The strongest communities are those that meet the basic survival needs of their members and then some, providing other elements that support thriving and growth. These communities then truly become home to their inhabitants. If left to their own devices, herbaceous plants also form communities in environments conducive to their survival. In this lesson, we will explore some of the natural plant communities that include herbaceous plants, how managed or manipulated environments differ, and what is necessary to meet the needs of perennial plants.