Easy Invasive-Plant Management
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| Photo Credit: Jodi Torpey |
| Reliable and beautiful, dame’s rocket was my favorite spring flower in my garden. Then to my surprise, I learned that it’s actually an invasive ornamental! |
It pained me the day I purposefully pulled up my favorite spring-blooming perennial. This plant was in the yard when I moved in, and I was delighted to have such a reliable performer. I loved its tall stems, its showy purple flowers and the way it seeded itself so easily.
That’s why I was surprised to learn that dame’s rocket (Hesperis matronalis) is actually considered a noxious weed in my state – and in many others, too. All of the characteristics that made my favorite flower perfect for my garden just happened to be the same characteristics of a noxious weed. | Add Photo to Journal |  | | Photo Credit: Jodi Torpey | | Dame’s rocket can be mistaken for taller varieties of phlox. However, dame’s rocket flowers have only four petals, and its lance-shaped leaves grow alternately along the stems. |
Many invasive plants started out as non-native ornamentals planted in backyard gardens. But once they escaped into native plant communities, they started to take over. And when invasive plants get a foothold on an area, they can cause irreparable agricultural or environmental damage. Because of their ability to spread quickly, invasive ornamentals can choke out native plants and ultimately change an entire ecosystem. Take for example the non-native plant saltcedar (Tamarix). In Colorado’s wetlands and riparian areas, this thirsty invasive is pushing out the native trees that provide bird and wildlife habitat.
Because invasive plants are opportunistic, climate changes related to global warming help them spread into new areas. That’s one reason the National Wildlife Federation is asking gardeners to help reduce the threat of invasive species expansion. Some of the most harmful invasive plants to be aware of in the US are purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) and Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica). And plants as innocent-looking as English ivy (Hedera helix) are nearly impossible to eradicate once they escape from cultivation in some regions of the country.
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| Warnings |
- Invasive ornamental plants, also known as escaped ornamentals, are considered noxious weeds – no matter how pretty they are. Wherever these non-native plants escape cultivation, they can invade native plant communities and wreak agricultural and environmental damage.
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| Facts |
- Sometimes invasive plants have been unwittingly introduced to the US as ornamentals. It was only once they escaped cultivation that people realized they were a problem. Take kudzu for example. It was introduced to the US from Japan as an ornamental vine to help control erosion. It’s now considered a noxious weed in many Southern states.
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| Faqs |
- Q: If a plant is labeled as a “noxious weed” or an “invasive plant,” does that mean you can’t plant it anywhere in the US?
A: A plant may be classified as a noxious weed in one state and not in another. For example, in Colorado, invasive ornamentals include purple loosestrife, common tansy, oxeye daisy, scentless chamomile and yellow toadflax, but not all of these plants are considered noxious in other states. - Q: What’s the difference between an invasive plant and a noxious weed?
A: Simply put, an invasive plant is one that spreads beyond control and crowds out other plants. A noxious weed is similar, but tends to be more aggressive – it’s generally invasive and not native. (You may hear them referred to as “alien invasive weed species.”)
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| Resources |
- It’s not difficult to find out what plants are considered noxious weeds in your neck of the woods. Contact your state’s noxious-weed board or check out the National Plant Board’s Website, where you can search for invasive plants state by state.
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