Native plants plants that evolved in local area

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Native and Invasive Plants

• Native plants plants that evolved in local area

• Advantages of using native plants

• Best adapted to local conditions

• Species available for all local soil and light
  conditions

• Provide habitat for native wildlife

• Perennials do not need to plant each year

• Reduces need for herbicides, fertilizers and
  irrigation

• Part of local heritage

• Wherever I go in America, I like it when the
  land speaks its own language in its own regional
  accent -- Ladybird Johnson, 1993

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Native and Invasive Plants

• Some native plants in woodland garden

3
Native and Invasive Plants

• Some native plants in woodland garden

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Native and Invasive Plants

• Some native plants in woodland garden

5
Native and Invasive Plants

• Native plants not without problems

• Susceptible to new and introduced diseases

• American elms killed by Dutch Elm Disease
  (fungus)

• Flowering dogwood killed by dogwood anthracnose
  (fungus)

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Native and Invasive Plants

• Native plants not without problems

• Can be overgrown by invasive plants

• Invasive plants plants that become established
  in natural ecosystems and threaten survival of
  native species

• Official U.S. definitions provided in Executive
  Order signed by President Clinton in 1999

• "Invasive species" means an alien species whose
  introduction does or is likely to cause economic
  or environmental harm or harm to human health

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Native and Invasive Plants

• Invasive plants

• May be introduced accidentally on horticultural
  stock, in agricultural seeds, or attached to
  domestic animals

• Introduced intentionally

• Wildlife food

• Erosion control

• Ornamentals for landscaping

8
Native and Invasive Plants

• Invasive plants of New York State

• Amur honeysuckle

• Native of Asia planted as food for wildlife

• Opposite, simple leaves with trumpet-shaped
  flowers

• Bird eat berries and disperse seed in fall

• Invasive in woodlands, particularly along
  forest-field edges

9
Native and Invasive Plants

• Invasive plants of New York State

• Purple loosestrife

• Herbaceous perennial that can be 2-6 tall

• Small, attractive flowers on long stem

• Introduced as ornamental plant

• Invades wet areas and shallow water crowds out
  natives

• Two beetles being introduced from Europe to act
  as biological control agents

10
Native and Invasive Plants

• Invasive plants of New York State

• Multiflora rose

• Thorny bramble with many white flowers

• Introduced from Japan as root stock for
  cultivated roses and used by U.S. government for
  soil conservation

• Infests 45 million acres of pastures in eastern
  U.S.

• High reproductive potential 500,000 seeds/plant
  (viable 10-20 years) fruit dispersed by birds

11
Native and Invasive Plants

• Invasive plants of New York State

• Japanese Barberry

• Dense thorny shrub with attractive leaves and
  berries

• Introduced as ornamental (great living fence)
  invades pastures and open forests

• Reproduces by seeds, rhizomes, and layering

• Widely used on Hartwicks campus

12
Native and Invasive Plants

• Invasive plants of New York State

• Spotted Knapweed

• Colonizes disturbed areas (e.g. roadways) and
  fields

• Produces chemical that retards root growth of
  nearby plants

• Herbaceous biennial 1-3 tall with silvery green
  leaves and thistle-like flower

• Accidentally introduced on alfalfa shipments in
  1800s

• Plants produce 25,000 seeds (viable for 10 years)

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Native and Invasive Plants

• Invasive plants of New York State

• Eurasian Milfoil

• Attractive, underwater plant with feather-like
  leaves

• Introduced from Europe in late 1800s (probably as
  fragmented stems on ship)

• Forms dense mats decomposition of milfoil causes
  low O2, high P and N

• Difficult to control costs some states millions
  of dollars annually

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Native and Invasive Plants

• Invasive plants of New York State

• Garlic mustard

• Biennial herbaceous plant with white flowers on
  2-4 stems

• Infests partially shaded, moist habitats (e.g.
  forest edges)

• Introduced by European settlers as vegetable
  greens produced early in Spring (high in Vitamin
  C)

• Each plant produces 200-1,000 seeds grows in
  dense stands