Invasive exotics

Invasive Exotics

An invasive plant is one found outside its native range that threatens the survival or reproduction of native plants or animals and threatens to reduce biological diversity. An introduced species that spreads aggressively and causes damage to crops and natives is considered invasive.

Exotic refers to plants not native to an area. Most of our invasive plants are from Asia because of similar environmental conditions to the southeastern United States. They arrived by accident or intentional introduction. Years ago many were imported to improve the ecology of a region but sadly they escaped cultivation and became invasive plants.

Many exotic species become naturalized. This means that they are able to survive, spread, and reproduce on their own. Invasive exotics are usually characterized by fast growth, high fruit production, rapid vegetative spread and efficient seed dispersal and germination. They are especially problematic in areas disturbed by man such as road building, residential development, forest clearing, mowing and erosion control.

Invasive Exotics are considered the greatest problem facing our native plants and wildlife populations in the Southeast. They are pushing native plants out of their traditional habitats and recent research indicates most are not beneficial and many can also be harmful to local wildlife. Animals are dependent on native plants for food and shelter. Most feed on a wide range of plants but some are highly specialized and can be restricted to a single plant. Invasive exotics can replace nutritious native food with lower quality sources.

Approximately 25 percent of plants growing wild in the United States are naturalized exotics and many have become invasive. They grow unabatedly where native plants otherwise would occur. Competitors, diseases and insects control a plant’s growth and dispersal in its native range. Most of the invasive exotics have few insects and diseases to control their growth. They out compete our natives by reducing light, water, nutrients and space available. Especially troublesome are the evergreens and those that leaf out before our natives in the spring. Many of the characteristics that years ago made them attractive to us are the characteristics that make them so difficult to control now. Not all exotic plants become invasive and most can be safely planted as ornamentals but always check before planting or keeping them in your landscape.

We must keep diversity in our environment and this means prevention and control of the invasive plants. What to do?  Prevention means stop buying and planting them on your property. Yes, there are still very good nurseries and landscape companies that sell and plant known invasive exotics. Control means to learn to identify these harmful plants and consider removing and replacing them with more suitable selections. They are much easier to remove while small and before they multiply. Encourage other to do the same. Help with organizations that have invasive removal days along our greenways and in our parks. Organize removal days in your neighborhood.

 This is an overwhelming endeavor but we must educate others and do what we can to restore our native plants. If we remove the exotics, the natives will return.

“When we know better, we can do better”

  A good reference for identifying invasive exotics of the Southeast: https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/gtr/gtr_srs062/

Written By: Hallie Walker, Mecklenburg EMG