Invasive Plants and their Native Plant Alternatives – Show Notes

Today’s links: ely.how/episode70

Ten invasive plants to avoid and awesome native plants to replace them!

 

  • Some plants are more trouble than their beauty
  • What is an invasive plant?
    • Alien plant
    • Dispersive habit
    • Displaces native habitats
    • Extensive coverage
  • Hurts already fragile natural ecosystems
  • Do not support native birds, butterflies, and moths
  • Many are outlawed for sale in various states

Invasive trees to avoid and native alternatives to invasive trees

  • Norway maple (Acer platanoides)
    • Northern European native
    • Displaces native maple and other tree understory
    • Densely shades out understory
    • Native alternative to norway maple:

Invasive shrubs to avoid and native alternatives to invasive shrubs

  • Amur Honeysuckle (Lonicera maacki)
    • Shrub / tree
    • Forms dense thickets
    • Replaces understory of edge forest ecosystems
    • Native alternative to honeysuckle:
  • Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus)
    • Very popular for red foliage
    • Invades roadsides and edge habitat
    • Native alternative to burning bush:

Invasive vines to avoid and native alternatives to invasive vines

  • Chinese Wisteria (Wisteria sinensis)
    • Beautiful climbing vine
    • Kills trees, takes over forested areas
    • Predominately invasive in SE, Atlantic coast
    • Native alternative to chinese wisteria:

Invasive plants to avoid and native alternatives to invasive plants

  • Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
    • Completely takes over marshes and wetlands
    • Massively disrupts ecosystems and wildlife habitat
    • Native alternative to purple loosestrife:
  • Wintercreeper Euonymus (Euonymus fortunei)
    • Groundcover creeping vine
    • Takes over spaces, similar to English Ivy
    • Displaces native groundcovers in forest ecosystems
    • Native alternative to wintercreeper euonymus:

Special thanks to Missouri Botanical Garden and Invasive.org for their help in compiling this resource

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