Invasive plants
By KATHRYN LITTEN Reprinted from "Garden Gateways

Gardeners are not generally aware that many of the nonnative plants put into the landscape are considered invasive.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Southern Research Station, has published a Field Guide for identification and control, available from USDA Forest Service.

A quote from the Guide says, "Some [invasive plants] have been introduced into this country accidentally, but most were brought here as ornamentals or for livestock forage. These robust plants arrived without natural predators or insects and diseases that tend to keep native plants in natural balance. Now they increase across the landscape with little opposition."

Some of the most common invasive plants are listed here. Also log on to search engines and look up "invasive plants" and much information will appear.

Mimosa tree (Albizia julibrissin), greatly admired by many gardeners, is invasive. It spreads by root sprouts and millions of seeds, forming colonies along stream banks to choke out indigenous plants.

Princesstree (Paulonia Tomentosa), is greatly admired by many. The terminal clusters of pecan-shaped capsules hang on the trees for a year or two. It forms colonies from root sprouts. Tallowtree (Triadica sebifera), spreads like wildfire, It invades stream banks, and wet areas like ditches, as well as upland. It thrives in both freshwater and saline soils, with no natural predators.

A beautiful plant for fall color is burning bush (Euonymus alata), with its winged stems and lots of red fruit in the winter. Birds have scattered the seeds, as well as

colonized by root sprouts. It is considered

invasive in seven southern states.

Of course everyone know the invasiveness of privet, kudzu,

Japanese honeysuckle, wild roses,

sweet autumn clematis. Also

widely planned by landscape

architects for groundcover

plants, now on the invasive

list: Wintercreeper, euonymus

fortunei; common periwinkle, vinca minor and vinca major; as well as all forms of English ivy.

Chinese silvergrass (miscanthus

sinensis) has spread

relentlessly across the entire

Southern region, choking out

native grasses in its path. It is

highly flammable and a fire

hazard.

It is recommended that gardeners

do much research before

planting all those "newest and

hottest" plants on the market. Just

remember, our beloved Sacred Bamboo, the much used Nandina, is now on the noxious weed list!