Most Hated Plants

We are accumulating a library of the “most hated” invasive plants, which we regularly update. Removal and control of invasive species costs taxpayers more than 32 billion every year. Many of these plants were introduced for sale by the horticultural and landscaping industry to satisfy a seemingly insatiable desire to have the most exotic plants in our own gardens, and this industry has spent billions of dollars convincing us that these exotic plants are much more desirable than any native plant could ever be.

These plants have escaped cultivation and are now destroying native ecosystems because they outcompete native plants and provide no benefits to native wildlife. The real shame here is that many of these plants are still being sold by the horticultural industry, whose priority is the short-term gain of profit, versus the long-term benefit of ecosystem health, biodiversity, and fully functional ecosystem services, upon which all human life depends.

Since the priority of Ecosystem Gardening is to create habitat for wildlife and protect biodiversity, it is very important that you never include these plants in your garden, and to remove them from your garden ecosystem.

The “Most Hated” Plants List:

English Ivy grows fast and is easy to maintain, exactly why is continues to be sold. But it can ruin your house and destroy native habitat by shading out all native plants.

Norway Maple They grow faster than native maples and other forest trees and its dense, shallow root system makes it difficult for native seedlings to get established. They create a dense shade, under which other species cannot survive, hence my naked garden beds.

Brazilian Pepper Tree From  @Gr8RedApe @CB4wildlife It will.not.die. Have burned it, buried it, smothered it w/ oil, pulled out by roots (both it & my hair). Keeps comin’ back.

Paulownia (Princess or Empress) Tree check out the comment from a “responsible” grower of this plant

Chinese Lespedeza Native to Asia and Australia, Chinese Lespedeza was first introduced to the U.S. in 1899 in Arlington, VA as an erosion control and forage plant. It spread across the Southeast, and now occurs throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Autumn and Russian Olive Topping the noxious list this week is Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata) and Russian Olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia), two plants in the same genus that are leaving a swath of destruction in their path.

Oriental Bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus), a particularly noxious invader, but also used in holiday decorations by influential folks such as Martha Stewart because of its pretty berries and ability to be shaped into wreaths.

What’s your most hated plant? How do you feel about “responsible” growing of invasive plants? Let’s discuss in the comments below.

© 2009 – 2010, Carole Brown. All rights reserved.

Tagged as: invasive plants