Saturday, October 12, 2013

Invasive Species in the Northeast- being mindful of what you plant.

Plants Are Our Story: "“whatsoever whether great or small ugly or handsom sweet or stinking…everything in the universe in thair own nature appears beautiful to me.”  John Bartram, 1740."
...except invasive species :)

 please be careful when you choose your plants and be mindful of what species you are planting- research it a bit- and never leave the landscaping up to your  landscaper/gardener-  many are not trained or don't care about which species they are promoting. We have had many invasive species in our yard ( from previous owners)


Gardening is made more challenging :)  I attempt to use native species./ and rare species in gardening when possible.  It is  difficult but  there are some great resources.

Great  website for those in the northeast:
http://www.delawarenativeplants.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=trees.pageDetails&p=20-6-47


Check your local  horticulture society
link to delaware horticulture society :
http://www.thedch.org/

native plants for the northeast and their invasive species look-a likes:
http://www.nybg.org/files/scientists/rnaczi/Mistaken_Identity_Final.pdf


Don't plant Barberry 

  Barberry and Ticks make friends and are harbingers of Lymes Disease!  See this article :
http://www.ecosystemgardening.com/japanese-barberry-a-threat-to-public-health.html
Chinese Wisteria: 

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/node/470

 It grows so quickly one must trim it at every month in the summer.

    Impacts

    Wisteria was introduced to the United States from Japan and China in the 1800’s for use as ornamental plants. Individual wisteria plants can survive for more than 50 years. Wisteria can reproduce by rooting at each node, via stolons, and will produce new shoots if cut back or trimmed. Wisteria is highly aggressive and can displace native species. Sizable trees have been killed by vining wisteria. When these large trees are killed, it opens the forest floor to sunlight, which allows seedlings to grow and flourish.

 Brurning bush, and barberry are also garden no- no's

No comments:

Post a Comment