The Bad Guys

These in my opinion should not be planted at all, anywhere. There is no reason to do so. If a plant is destroying our woodlands, why use it? For curb appeal? There are equally stunning alternatives.

I have heard people claim that if you just plant responsibly it’s not a problem. I’ve always felt that this argument lacked a degree of common sense – how can you plant an invasive species responsibly? That plant will live longer than you. Twice now I have had to clear out masses of English Ivy planted by gardeners that had passed away – they planted the ivy decades before, responsibly I am sure. I dealt with the results and it killed huge oaks that were a hundred years old. The price of those gardeners wanting this particular ivy was too high. Sure you can keep the English ivy off the trees today, but what about tomorrow? No one can guarantee this.

Can you follow the seeds around when a bird eats one, poops it out a mile away and a new plant is started? And it will seed, and birds will carry the seeds away. Instead, let the birds carry seeds of native plants that can co-exist in our environment and not smother and kill our natural habitats.

This is a partial list of “worst offenders” from Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council. Their site provides full lists along with photos of each plant. Please consider not using any of these in your landscape, and if you have vegetation such as Chinese privet, pleas consider removing it. The seeds of such plants spread, choke out and take over our native species. Anyone who has been to Georgia can understand kudzu but there is more problems out there than just this one plant.

Invasive Plants of the South

Invasive Plant Definition

Invasive species is defined as any species, including its seeds, spores or other biological material capable of propagating that species, that is not native to that ecosystem; and whose introduction does or is likely to cause environmental harm. Political boundaries are not used when determining a species nativity. Instead a species is defined as being exotic when it is not native to a particular ecosystem, making it possible to have a species that is native to parts of Georgia, but considered invasive in others.

Category 1 – The worst of the lot, these are exotic plants which are a serious problem in Georgia natural areas by extensively invading native plant communities and displacing native species.

Alligatorweed – Alternanthera philoxeroides
Autumn olive – Elaeagnus umbellata
Chinaberry – Melia azedarach
Chinese privet – Ligustrum sinense
Chinese tallowtree – Triadica sebifera
Chinese wisteria – Wisteria sinensis
English ivy – Hedera helix L.
Japanese climbing fern – Lygodium japonicum
Japanese honeysuckle – Lonicera japonica
Mimosa – Albizia julibrissin
Multiflora rose – Rosa multiflor
Nepalese browntop – Microstegium
Princesstree – Paulownia tomentosa
Sericea lespedeza – Lespedeza cuneata
Shrubby lespedeza – Lespedeza bicolor
Tree of heaven – Ailanthus altissima

Category 2 – Exotic plant that is a moderate problem in Georgia natural areas through invading native plant communities and displacing native species, but to a lesser degree than category 1 species.

Amur honeysuckle – Lonicera maackii
Bahiagrass – Paspalum notatum Flueggé
Bigleaf periwinkle – Vinca major
Bigpod sesbania – Sesbania herbacea
Brazilian egeria – Egeria densa
Camphortree Cinnamomum – camphora
Chinese silvergrass – Miscanthus sinensis
Chinese yam – Dioscorea oppositifolia
Common periwinkle – Vinca minor
Coral ardisia – Ardisia crenata
French tamarisk – Tamarix gallica
Golden bamboo – Phyllostachy
Japanese privet – Ligustrum japonicum
Japanese spiraea – Spiraea japonica
Oxeye daisy – Leucanthemum vulgare
Parrotfeather
Rattlebox – Sesbania punicea
Sacred bamboo – Nandina domestica
Thorny olive – Elaeagnus pungens

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