Which of these should I consider invasive, if any?
trmeyer
17 years ago
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Heathen1
17 years agoherbalbetty
17 years agoRelated Discussions
Are all the Buckthorns considered Invasive
Comments (26)While I might nitpick with your choice of poison ivy as swing species in this example-it is after all used by a number of native lepidopterous species-I do fancy your (and my own) use of the concept of context! What a concept it is! So, let's say you have a relative rarity, an intact old-growth plant community of some type. That's rare and it is valuable, for reasons which I should not have to enumerate here. So let's further say that Dame's rocket-Hesperis matronalis-is creeping in at the edge. Should the dame's rocket be eliminated? In my view, yes, in this context, it and pretty much all non-native species should be kept at bay. Now let's pivot to some hellish-if not outright hell strip-patch of box elders, common buckthorn, and oh....burdock and Canada thistle growing alongside a hill in some "waste place" in one of our cities. And there's dame's rocket growing happily amongst all the other garbage. Is it a problem within that context? I say of course not. Yet there are native plant purists who would argue-and use scarce resources-to do just that-eliminate this pretty flowering mustard relative, I guess in order to free up some more space for the burdock. So context and nuance rules here. Trouble is, lots of folks don't do nuance. It's all one way or all the other-no inbetweens. That's a recipe for much wasted effort.......or an unseemly lack of effort where some would have done much good. Then there are those weirdos like myself-having long considered this issue, and from a variety of viewpoints, who believe a careful addition of certain non-native plant species is not only not harmful, but something that should be pursued with vigor. I think of the demise of eastern hemlock and the possibilities offered by the existence of very similar plants from China as one such example. Then there are those long-known species which, despite having been "here"-N. America for this example-for quite some time, have yet to break out and cause anything like an actual problem. Of course, astute readers will know I am now talking about Norway spruce, a plant which exceeds in many important qualities any roughly similar plant native to these shores. I view the addition of this plant to the landscape as not only not a problem, but as an enhancement of what is already here. Like I said, weirdo....See MoreSAC considered invasive
Comments (37)It's been a few years since I last posted on the clematis terniflora thread, so I thought I should provide an update. The situation here has only gotten worse. In the area by my creek, approximately a half acre of land, I'd say there is hardly 2-3 square feet without a sprouting clematis vine. It is not the native. I know the difference. It was never planted here, apparently it drifted down along the creek. It's infested a mile long valley and there seems to be no getting rid of it. It blankets trees and smothers them, cripples saplings and chokes out new growth. It can't be pulled, it roots too deep or pervasive to dig out (on my property I'd have to dig up a whole half acre!) and even full-strength RoundUp only knocks it back temporarily. It just keeps coming back. The only way I've been able to thwart it is to continually mow, but some places can't be mowed, and besides, I wanted to go natural. Given the endless labor I put into fighting this infestation, not to mention the cost of Roundup, it really pisses me off that people would be so casual about buying and planting this extreme invasive. I'm thinking about taking a video or inviting a state official to see my case, in hopes of supporting a ban in this state. I have to fight invasive honeysuckle shrubs, honeysuckle vines, euonymus, English Ivy and vinca, but I'd say clematis terniflora must be about the most godawful invasive of them all....See Moreis all lantana considered invasive?m
Comments (4)JYG is absolutely correct. There are many new varieties and colors that are wonderful additions to the garden, especially for butterflies. The only problem is, not all of them are marked sterile or non-invasive, so even though you can't buy the one that's a REAL problem, you can still buy some that spread a bit too much. The trailing ones (lavender and gold mound, for instance) are not invasive at all, so no problem. You can prune both back to keep them tidy, and they will reward you by getting thicker and thicker. Read your labels or ask the nursery attendant (some places actually have employees that know their plants!) for guidance, and you should be able to find plenty of them that won't cause any problems. One hint is that a lot of the new hybrids are named, and most of those will be fine. The Patriot Classic series, for instance, has great colors (some almost solid red, and hot pinks) and they are not a problem at all. Designing Women Nurseries on SR 46, just west of Sanford, carries this brand. I'm sure other nurseries have them, too, though I don't know about the Big Box Stores. Good luck! Lantana is a must for my garden, so I hope you find some good ones. Marcia (ps...if you watch the one you have already got and you see it starting to get fruit/berries all over it, it could be one of the troublesome kind. If not, you are probably good to go with it.)...See MoreWhich ones should I not plant? invasive? help please!
Comments (4)Asclepias speciosa is extremely invasive in a garden bed. Roots as thick as your thumb in every direction. I'm in z3, if you lived here I would advise against growing it unless you lived on an acreage where you could give it plenty of room. I had to eradicate it from my garden it was such a thug (and a jolly time I had trying to do it). Grows in large patches on the prairie here. John - my experience is many native prairie plants are invasive in my city garden. Several others I've had to remove from my garden or work hard at containing - Oenothera caespitosa, Sphaeralcea coccinea, Glaux maritima, Rumex venosus, Solidago missouriensis, Artemisia ludoviciana ....See Moretrmeyer
17 years agoDaisyduckworth
17 years agotrmeyer
17 years agoDaisyduckworth
17 years agotrmeyer
17 years agoseysonn
10 years ago
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