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.
Why Invasive Plants are such a problem:
Learning From Our Mistakes–are new hybrids of invasive plants really sterile? Listening to the “experts” can get your wildlife habitat in trouble.
Sentimentality and Silk Trees–guest post by Ursula Vernon discusses why we get so sentimental over invasive plants
Doug Tallamy speaks out about the dangers of invasive plants and answers critics
The “Most Hated” Plants List:
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.
Bamboo (Phyllostachys spp) forms an impenetrable thicket, blocking out all native plants.
Bishopweed, goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria) smothers everything in its path.
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.
Bush Honeysuckle–rapidly colonizes an area, wiping out native plants and wildlife habitat. It is really difficult to get rid of once it gets established.
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.
Chinese Wisteria–grows very fast and strangles out everything in its path. Can collapse your arbors, fences, and even ruin your siding, let alone the havoc it is wreaking to native habitats. Plus it is VERY difficult to get rid of.
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.
Japanese Barberry is not only destroying native wildlife habitat, but may also pose a threat to human public health.
Lesser Celandine, or Fig Buttercup (Ranunculus ficaria) greens up and blooms in very early spring, forming a dense mat that prevents the native spring wildflowers from growing.
Multi-flora Rose will quickly cover natural areas, preventing native plants from growing, but Mother Nature may be taking a hand in dealing with this highly invasive plant.
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.
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.
Paulownia (Princess or Empress) Tree check out the comment from a “responsible” grower of this plant
What’s your most hated plant? How do you feel about “responsible” growing of invasive plants? Let’s discuss in the comments below.
© 2009 – 2011, Carole Sevilla Brown. All rights reserved. This article is the property of EcosystemGardening.com If you are reading this at another site, please report that to us
About Carole Sevilla Brown
Last night I was reading a permaculture book which took a slightly different slant on the problem of non-native and invasive plants. I shall have to write about it.
.-= Alison Kerr´s last post ..Tallgrass Prairies =-.
Some of the really bad ones we experience here in Mass are Japanese Knotweed, Buckthorn & Swallowwort.
I especially hate garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata), which is taking over the forest floor around here (Toronto), replacing our beautiful trilliums and other natives.
.-= Rosemary´s last post ..Does growing invasive plants help birds? =-.
Houttenyia and Bishop’s weed.
.-= tina´s last post ..Spectacular Sango Kaku and J. Maple Fall Color and a Vacation =-.
Tina:
I’ve been pulling Bishop’s Weed from my front garden for the 10 years we’ve lived at this house. Just when I think I’ve gotten it all, more pops up. Grrrr.
Perennial Sweet Pea (Lathyrus latifolius)! I mistakenly planted some seeds that I got from my mother-in-law (whom I still like despite this!) and have been fighting it for over five years now. The first year it was lovely, and stuck to the area along the chain-mail fence I wanted covered. The second year, it went insane! Not only does it climb the fence, but it rambles out horizontally and has smothered out most of my ornamental garden in that area, and I need to cut it back at least twice a year. It’s rooted in so deeply that I can’t yank it out. What’s worse, it’s seeded itself somehow across the yard.
So now I’m pulling it out of the lawn (or mowing it), and trying to keep it from taking over my other garden beds. Even if I condoned using herbicides, I can’t because of some of the other plants in those areas. Worse, I researched it first and didn’t find any indication it could be so invasive. It’s almost as bad as the goutweed that I planted. Wish I had known what THAT one was when I did. I only discovered what it was today, and researching that is what brought me to your blog.
Chris
Johnson Grass. Introduced as animal feed after being breed by the Extension Center and widely planted. Then discovered it was not only noxious and invasive, it died if you mowed it regularly for hay. Not one of Extension’s better moments.
Stephanie Suesan Smith recently posted..Multiflora Rose in Bloom
I would add Vinca major and minor…I can’t remove it all it continues to move here from other yards… but, I do try to keep it at bay. It’s on the TN Invasives watch list.
Gail recently posted..Into Every Garden A Little Rain Must Fall
I’m surprised no mention of kudzu
Terri recently posted..Random thoughts
Kudzu is coming. I just didn’t get to it yet. Stay tuned…..
Himalayan Blackberry! It grows like crazy anywhere and everywhere, and it has thorns! Granted, the berries are nice, but it grows over everything else.
Crownvetch is very invasive. I unknowingly bought it from a Internet nursery for soil erosion problems. Now it’s all over my yard, gravel driveway & even in my gutters. I tried smothering it out with plastic tarps. Doesn’t seem to be working very good. Any advice on getting rid of this.
CORRECTION – 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.
From what i have learned about this invasive tree that i am slowly trying to get under control on my property as it continues its propagation is that the tree is successful because it is not so much the dense foliage but that it actually gives off highly toxic anti growth chemicals that kills other trees it is next to and wont allow growth in the soil that its shallow roots touch… a very nasty neighbor and a tree everyone should consider to get rid of! Supposedly the invasion started around the american revolution in Philadelphia and spread from there…
If you have them, cut them down! They will only multiply and kill off many things in their wake… some other nasty neighbors like poison ivy grow better with their roots also, creating other problems!
I’m with the people that mentioned english ivy, and vinca, to which I’d like to add winter creeper, Chinese wisteria, and Florida betony.
People continue to plant invasives in spite of how the landscape is completely over-run with these thugs.
Education is a good thing, but I’m just about to the point where I think people should be required to fight invasives b4 being allowed to garden… How about required courses in school, and a 4h group?