Meantime on land that you have control over, plant what you like, rip out what you don't Such a narrow view. There are choices that some people make on their own land that affect others. That is what invasives are all about. Similar to pollution - people that create it (on their own property) eventually share it with others. Was it right that they did what they wanted on their own land? What about if you dump pollution in a stream on your own land but it flows downstream to others? Just like streams, private properties are not isolated, they connect together. To me, and others, invasive plants affect all of us at some point. And yes, bad diseases and pests have been brought in on imported plants by people that thought they could do what they wanted. And now Elms, Chestnuts and Hemlocks are dead and dying. True, it was an accident, no one did this this on purpose; but this is one of the risks that come with "doing what you want". And it affected LOTS of people and even wildlife. I don't know if that was the source of the dogwood issues, btw. I'd like to encourage everyone to think beyond yourself and consider that your actions can have impacts on other people and the environment. When you're considering new plants, research them and find out what they're about. Make an informed decision.

crush the leaves and does it smell like Juniper because that's what those leaves look like.

It looks like a little oak. Do you have a big one in your neighborhood? Dig gently with your fingers down around the base and look for an acorn.

...but all the same, a genus known to shed its leaves among the earliest of all in the fall. One can easily tell what ash they're looking at if the bud scale scars are present, the green ash having a "top" line of more or less straightness, while the white ash has a big smiley face curve. There are other ID'ing techniques, but that's a good one. +oM