Does Knowing Native Grass Benefits Influence Customer Purchases?

Native grasses, such as Koeleria macrantha (junegrass), Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem), and Sporobolus heterolepis (prairie dropseed), can be an essential component to urban and suburban landscapes as they provide numerous ecosystem services; however, many of their benefits are widely unknown outside the scientific community. The objective of this project was to determine if displaying educational signage in garden centers would increase gardener's awareness of these benefits and influence them to purchase native grasses. We designed and displayed four 22"x28" double-sided posters and five-thousand 2"x4.5" customized plant tags at four Minnesota garden centers to educate consumers on the benefits of native grass. The signs showed pictures of Minnesota native grasses, butterflies, and songbirds, and listed four benefits of native grass; attract wildlife such as songbirds and turkeys, feed more than 75 butterflies and moths, reduce soil erosion, and require no pesticides or fertilizers. The educational impact of the signage was determined by interviewing customers on site in the garden centers to measure their knowledge of native grass benefits after viewing the signs. Customers were asked the following questions; 1) Do you recall seeing the signs and displays of native grasses? 2) After seeing the display did you purchase one or more native grass plants, examine the native grasses, or consider purchasing a native grass in the future? 3) Have you ever purchased a native grass before today? 4) How would you rate your knowledge on the benefits of native grasses? 5) True or false: Native grasses need a lot of water and fertilizer; Native grasses attract wildlife such as songbirds and turkeys; Native grasses help reduce soil erosion; Native grasses attract a lot of pests; Native grasses feed more than 75 butterflies and moths. 6) Agree or Disagree: If I knew native grasses helped butterflies, moths, and songbirds I would be more willing to purchase them; Even if a plant looks plain but a sign shows it reduces soil erosion and needs no pesticides or fertilizer, I would be more willing to purchase it. The responses to these questions were evaluated to determine how effective the signage was in educating customers and influencing them to purchase native grasses. We hypothesized that increasing consumer awareness of the benefits of native grasses will increase the sales of native grasses, thus supporting the business of our local economy and leading to more diversified landscapes to support our local ecosystems.