Echoes of Leopold: The Spread of Invasive Species

Thus the English Sparrow, rendered innocuous by the shrinkage in horse was succeeded by the starling, who thrives in the wake of tractors. The chestnut blight, which had no passport beyond the west boundary of chestnuts, is being followed by Dutch elm disease, with every chance of spreading to the west boundary of elms. The white pine blister rust, stopped in its westward march by the treeless plains effected a new landing via the back door, and is now romping down the Rocking from Idaho toward California. Ecological stowaways began to arrive with the earliest settlements...-Aldo Leopold (Sketches Here and There)

What's remarkable about this statement is that it was true 1949 and remains true today. If nothing else the purchase and use of cheap bird seed with millet and cracked corn have benefited the House Sparrow and the Starling. Leopold missed the Japanese Beetle introduced to the U.S. in 1916, and he wasn't here to see the introduction of the Emerald Ash Borer or the European Oak Borer. Native plants are under constant attack which can be likened to the spread to the European diseases amongst Pre-Columbian native peoples in the New World. Trees and plants native to the Americas have no or little defenses from these invaders, and we risk losing them because of our landscaping and agricultural behaviors.

Leopold wondered in the 1940's if the West would get a handle on managing Cheat Grass. This also seems to be a battle lost by native plants. The question remains whether or not we have learned anything in 6 plus decades.

Leopold dedicated a good portion of his life to reclaiming the landscape for native plants. He worked on the Curtis Prairie restoration and his famous farm alongside the Wisconsin River. This challenge us to reclaim landscape for native plants is passed down to us and has new standard bearers. Each time we make a decision about which plants put in our yards, which ones to remove, we are having the same effect. Leopold described it as having the same powers as God, the ability to create (via shovel) and the ability to take away or destroy (via axe).

Douglas Tallamy is one of these standard bearers. The author of Brining Nature Home challenges to landscape native plants to the benefit of native insects, birds, and other wildlife. It was in reading Bringing Nature Home that I first felt a moral or ethical obligation to give back my land, to make my yard a viable habitat. If you aren't sure where to start take a look at Bring Nature Home or The Living Landscape, and then also check out the National Wildlife Federation's Gardening for Wildlife program for ideas.

Forget the Blue Spruce, Go with a Midwestern Evergreen

I encountered something strange recently. Folks had homes built in a fairly typical mixed Oak, Pine forest in Wisconsin. They had removed most of the trees to put in turf grass, and then replaced the Pines and Oaks with Colorado Blue Spruce. I haven't quite wrapped my mind around bringing the suburbs to the wilderness, but here's a thought for Midwestern homeowners: forget the Blue Spruce and plant something that would naturally occur locally in your yard.

The Colorado Blue Spruce is a very popular conifer. They have vibrant color, and spruces planted together make excellent wind blocks. However, their native range is a corridor of the American West, and Blue Spruce has little ecological value in the Midwest. It's even become somewhat invasive in places where it's grown for Christmas trees, having escaped some plantations in the Northeast.

There are a number of evergreens native to the Midwest which are commercially available including: Eastern White Pine, White Spruce (sub species - Black Hills Spruce), and Eastern Red Cedar which should be considered in place of planting Blue Spruce.

All plants bring some value to our yards; that's why we plant them. In some cases, it's aesthetic like color or texture, in other cases it's functional like shade or barriers for privacy. All of the plants in our lawns also have some ecological value and function, some more, some less. All of these evergreens will establish roots that will help with water infiltration, and all provide cover for wildlife including nesting birds.

Eastern White Pines can be found in Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, and northern parts of Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana. These Pines have good wildlife value and are a food source for both birds and mammals. Pine Warblers, Crossbills, and Pine Siskins, Chickadees, Nuthatches, and Woodpeckers can all be found foraging in Eastern White Pines. White Pines have low salt tolerance and are not necessarily good candidates to plant along roadsides.

White Spruce (subspecies Black Hills Spruce may be easier to find commercially available) is native to the northern part of the Midwest including parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. White Spruce is an important food source for many animals including Red Breasted Nuthatches, Evening Grosbeaks, and Pine Siskins. White Spruce is also an important part of the Red Squirrel diet, and Snowshoe Hares rely on White Spruce as a winter food source. White Spruce is a salt tolerant species and can be planted along roadsides.

Red Cedars procedure "berries" which a host of birds eat, most notably Cedar Waxwings. These berries can be an important food source in late winter or early spring especially for birds like Robins who may arrive to find colder than expected conditions. It is also a fairly salt tolerant species so it can be planted along roadsides.

When next you decide to plant an evergreen, consider one of these three before you purchase the Blue Spruce.

Stop the European Oak Borer! Go with Native Oaks Instead!

Oaks make excellent hardwood, shade trees. They grow tall and full and once grew in large oak forests and oak savannas in North America. They are excellent for wildlife; they provide homes for cavity nest birds, acorns are eaten by birds and mammals, and they house a variety of insects which in turn provide food for other animals like Woodpeckers, Nuthatches, and Creepers. If you are looking to plant an Oak, you will find that you have a host of options; here's some information on the Oaks you may encounter.

The Heritage Oak or the English Oak is an invasive species from Europe. It's commercially available and has introduced the European Oak Borer to Oak forests in Canada and Michigan. The European Oak Borer is a potential threat to native Oak species and provides sufficient justification for planting native Oaks instead.

Historically many of the ecosystems found in the Midwest were transitionary from the forests of the Eastern United States to the prairies and grasslands of the Great Plains. Many species of Oak are relatively fire tolerant; this meant that they could survive grassland fires when other species of tree could not. The specific species of Oak which made up the Oak Savanna varied by state, but the following species are likely to be commercially at your local nursery and could be found in the Oak Savanna:

• Black Oak
• Bur Oak
• Norther Red Oak
• Pin Oak
• Swamp White Oak
• White Oak

Drier, more open sites may have been more prone to fire. The Bur Oak, Black Oak, and White Oak grew in stands along side prairie grasses and wildflowers as well as shrubs like the American Hazelnut. Cavity nesters which depended on these stands include the Eastern Bluebird and Red Headed Woodpecker. The Red Headed Woodpecker is a species in decline due in part to its dependence on these sites and particularly its use of dead Oaks when nesting.

Fuller stands of Oak also included the Northern Red Oak but would have appeared with fewer prairie grasses and wildflowers. The frequent wildfires prevented the development of much woody or shrubby understory, but thicker stands of Oaks would have had shade tolerant plants growing below them such as Culver's Root, Bottle Brush Grass, or Bush Clover. Denser stands of Oak can support bird species normally associated with woodlands including: Tufted Titmouse, Scarlet Tanager, and Yellow Throated Vireo.

This American Robin surveyed the ground below from our Northern Red Oak

We've opted to plant a Northern Red Oak and a Swamp White Oak in the northern half of our front yard. We also included two Nanny Berry Viburnums, after reading this list of shrubs. This summer to continue the Oak-Savanna-fication of our yard, we plan to put in some Little Blue Stem and some TBD wildflowers. This effort will help contribute to creating a no-mow area in the front and help us landscape using plants from the same biome to recreate habitat.

This is the Red Oak we planted two years ago in our front yard.

If you are interested in getting starting with native plants, Oaks are great place to start because there are so many to choose from, and they are capable of doing a lot of good on their own supporting countless species which I did not detail here. If you are so inclined, here are some other good reads about Oak habitats:

• Wisconsin DNR Savanna Communities
• Oak Savannas Dot Org
• Michigan DNR - Oak Savanna

Leave that Austrian Pine Behind, Try These Pines Instead

Conifers make really great additions to our lawns. Many remain green through the winter; they provide shelter for birds, and they can be used as wind blocks. They can grow into big, majestic looking trees which cry out "wilderness" as though they belong with the great Redwoods of the West Coast.

Pine trees in particular strike us. More often than not when evergreen trees are misidentified, they are misidentified as pines. "Look at those pine trees." "I found those pine cones." In many cases, the tree identified could be a Fir or Spruce. People assume Pine and evergreen are synonymous. This says something about Pines, they are the representative for all evergreen trees.

The Austrian Pine is a relatively popular choice for yard and urban plantings. The tree tends be very full and is popular because it's tolerant of winter salting. This tree is capable of naturalizing and becoming invasive. It was cleared from the Sleeping Bear Dunes on Lake Michigan in 2011 and can be found in wild tree stands in the Eastern United States.

Like many other plants, there are native alternatives to consider when selecting a pine.

The Eastern White Pine is an excellent choice. Not only is it native, but it's fairly common and commercially available. It's also the tallest conifer native to the Eastern U.S. The White Pine grows quickly but is not as salt tolerant as the Austrian Pine. White Pines are not necessarily good choices when planting along side roads and sidewalks because they may succumb to salt injury. However, they can be a beautiful addition to your yard and may help attract song birds such as Pine Grosbeaks.

This Eastern White Pine grows in our front yard.

The Jack Pine can be found natively in parts of the Midwest including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan. Young Jack Pines may attract nesting Kirtland's Warblers, so like the Eastern White Pine they can be good for attracting birds. They are also one of the first trees to grow after forest fires as the cones will open from immense heat of the fire. Jack Pine is more salt tolerant than White Pine and will do better along roadsides.

Red Pine (also called Norway Pine) is native to Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan. It is the official state tree of Minnesota. The tree tends to be very healthy and resistant to pests. This Pine does not grow as tall as other Pines and should max out around 50 feet. The Red Pine can be an attractive addition to your landscaping because of its unique reddish bark. The Red Pine like the White Pine may succumb to salt injury and should not be planted in areas which receive heavy winter salting.

If you are planning on putting in any Pines this spring try to see if you can find a White Pine, Jack Pine, or a Red Pine; they are excellent choices when going native.

Know Your Weed Ordinances

Many cities have regulations about lawn care, in particular they tend concern themselves with noxious weeds. Noxious weeds are typically highly invasive plants which grow rapidly and are concerned a threat to agriculture. The list of weeds varies some by state.

Here are weeds for you to be aware of:
• WI Noxious Weeds
• MN Noxious Weeds
• IL Noxious Weeds
• MI Noxious Weeds
• IA Noxious Weeds
• Federal List

If you are considering a no mow lawn you will want to be aware of these plants and local regulations. These plants are not likely to be something you have intentionally planted, but that doesn't mean they won't take root amongst your native plants. Given that going to a native plant landscape can stir some trouble with the neighbors, it's best to make sure any complaints they may have are not legitimate. Be sure to weed out or remove any noxious weeds.

Most municipalities have ordinances which read something like this:

Properties should be maintained, with lawns, hedges and bushes kept from becoming overgrown or decayed. Vines, grass and rank vegetation may not exceed a height of 6 inches on developed lots and 12 inches on undeveloped lots. Trees limbs near sidewalks should dip no lower than 8 feet from the ground. Overhanging branches may be trimmed back to the property line. Dead trees and limbs or other natural growth that is rotting should be removed.

Noxious weeds must be cut down prior to blooming, and in no case shall be allowed to grow to a length of 6 inches or more on developed lots and 12 inches or more on undeveloped lots.

Check with your local government to make sure you understand any local regulations before going mow free. Also consider lower growing plants when choosing natives, as this may help you steer clear of trouble.

The goal isn't just about growing native plants in your yard, but ideally convincing others to do the same, and this may mean being a good neighbor while playing by the rules.

Native Lilies for Your Lawn

Many people plant a variety of lilies, most of which are from Asia. Certain types of Tiger Lilies have overtaken roadway ditches. Asiastic Lilies (Lilium asiastica) have also become incredibly popular. Some people are unaware that there are species of lily which are native to the Midwest. While it's very easy to go to the box store and pick up Day Lilies or Asiastic Lilies either as small plants or as bulbs, planting native lilies can be more work. The lilies native to the Midwest are primarily taxonomical section Pseudolirium.

The Michigan Lily (Lilium Michiganse). This lily ranges widely across the central United States. It is commonly mistaken for the Turk's Cap Lily, and even the seed packet I picked up referred to it as such. The petals of the flower arch backwards pushing the stamen outward. The flower blooms in mid-summer in June or July. Seeds for this lily can be found from Prairie Future Seed Company at a number of retailers including Jung and Wildbirds Unlimited. Prairie Moon Nursery also carries seeds for this lily.

The Turk's Cap Lily (Lilium Superbum). The range of this lily only extends as far north as Illinois in the Midwest but spreads into the Northeast. This lily can grow upwards of 7 ft. The Turk's Cap Lily has reflexed petals much like the petals of the Michigan Lily. The orange blooms are present in June or July. In Wisconsin the Turk's Cap Lily is available at the Flower Factory in Stoughton; seeds are available through Prairie Moon Nursery. I've also been told that these plants should be available at the UW Arboretum Native Plant Sale.

The Wood Lily (Lilium Philadelphicum). This lily ranges from the Northeast, across the Great Plains, and into Canada. Unlike the other lilies above, the petals do not arch backwards, but it also blooms in mid-summer. This plant is listed by the USDA as threatened or endangered across much of its range. Prairie Moon Nursery carries seed for this variety of lily.

The large red-orange flowers are noted to attract hummingbirds and other pollinators. Like many of the Asian varieties of lily, these plants are noted for their large showy flowers. All three varieties are much less common than they once were, and have been largely displaced by Lilium Lancifolium (Tiger Lily) and Hemerocallis Fulva (Orange Day Lily) which have spread along roadside ditches. By planting these varieties of lily you are helping native plants that are in trouble as well as beautifying your lawn. It should be noted that starting lilies from seed can be difficult, and you may need to stratify your seeds. We currently have some in the refrigerator, and they'll be planted indoors shortly.

Winged Wednesday: Plants for Birds - Alternative Native Plants

I picked up a book titled Garden Secretes for Attracting Birds, and generally speaking it has lots of good ideas. So if you are in the market for birdscaping ideas, I recommend picking up a copy. The book does not however distinguish between native and invasive plants. Here are few take-aways which I wanted to share.

Beware of Honeysuckle! Lanicera sempervirens is a native plant from North America, but it is not native to Wisconsin or Minnesota. There are a host of invasive honeysuckles which have damaged wild places in Wisconsin. Some of these species include: Tartarian Honeysuckle, Amur Honeysuckle, and Japanese Honeysuckle. Invasive bush honeysuckles can take over the understory of wood lots, forests, and even our preserves and state parks. Invasive Honeysuckles spread quickly from our yards to wild spaces because birds eat the berries and deposit the seeds elsewhere. There are some native species of Honeysuckle you may want to consider instead: Northern Bush Honeysuckle, American Fly Honeysuckle, and Limber Honeysuckle. When these native plants have their seed spread by birds, they don't damage our wild spaces because they evolved as part of the biome.

Norway Spruce is suggested as a good evergreen tree for attracting birds like Red Breasted Nuthatches and Cross Bills. Instead of planting Spruces from across the pond, consider planting some that already grow in the state; White Spruce and Black Spruce are both native to Wisconsin. White Spruces are popular plants in people's yards and make good windbreaks. Black Spruce is not as common in yards but is used by Black Capped Chickadees, Warblers, Owls, and Jays for nesting and roosting; in other words, there is not an advantage to planting their Norwegian cousin.

Common Foxglove is a flowering plant suggested for attracting Hummingbirds and American Goldfinches. There are a number of tall flowering plants native to the American Prairie. Plants like Lavender Hyssop, Blazing Star, Wild Bergamot, Blue Lupine and Joe Pye Weed all make excellent replacements for Foxglove. There are a host of other tall flowering plants, so when you are looking for plants for Hummingbirds, it's very hard to imagine why you would need or want to plant Foxglove. If you are looking for flowers which will have seeds to attract American Goldfinches, I would recommend Pale Purple Coneflower, Purple Coneflower, or Black-Eyed Susans as being excellent seed producers and very effective for attracting finches.

These are just some suggestions about plants from the book that can be easily replaced with native plants. The book itself is pretty good and had some helpful ideas, but be aware that if invasive plants attract birds, the birds themselves will spread the seed and therefore distribute the invasive plants across their territory. No invasive plants are truly confined to your yard or garden; they will make their way out and about. So take a look at the book and use your best judgement.

Wisconsin Garden Expo Recap

We spent most our Saturday at the Wisconsin Garden Expo where we met with some friends, spoke with some vendors, and attended a few seminars. I wanted to take a few minutes to highlight some of what we saw.

We started the expo in the main hall looking at the various vendor booths. We noticed that it seemed to be more crowded than last year, to the point of being somewhat claustrophobic. We also had this experience in some of the seminars. While it's good that attendance was high, the folks planning the expo may want to address the overcrowding. We had pretty good conversations with the folks from the Bluebird Restoration Asso. of Wisconsin, Wild Ones, and Midwest Decorative Stone & Landscape Supply. I also took a gander at the new Fiskar's StaySharp mower; it looks really cool!

We took in a few seminars as well. I was most impressed with Samantha Peckham of Olbrich Gardens who spoke on The Good, The Bad, and The Hungry. Her presentation grouped wildlife into two categories: the ones we want to have in our lawns or gardens, and the ones we don't. Her "Good" category consisted of three subgroups: "Parasites & Pathogens, Predators, and Pollinators." While parasites may not sound like a good thing, she specifically addressed Milky Spore and Bt used to control insect populations. Some of her garden good guys included: Parasitic Wasps, Dragonflies and Damselflies, Lady Bugs, Swallows, Robins, Amphibians, Bees, and Butterflies. She also included some more controversial animals like Coyotes and Foxes because they help reduce rodent and lagomorph populations. Her list of "not so good guys" was more contentious, and I've no intention of adding Chipmunks, Squirrels, and Red Winged Blackbirds to a list of backyard bad guys (while I don't like them at my feeders all of the time, I rather enjoy them in the yard). However she also spoke about Yellow Jackets, Gypsy Moths, Tent Worms, Japanese Beetles, and Emerald Ash Borers which can certainly be problematic in a lawn or garden. It is however worth noting, that Ms. Peckham suggested that it would be okay to disturb a Red Winged Blackbird nest and remove it as they can be very territorial; this is however unlawful as these birds are protected by the North American Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

We also enjoyed a presentation about water features which was presented by Shane Wagner of the Bruce Company He presented a lot of interesting information about three types of water features: Bubbling Urns, Pondless Waterfalls, and Ponds. He gave excellent details about how much each of these projects would cost and how to do it yourself. After his presentation we were convinced that we no longer want a pond.

Liza Lightfoot of Avant Gardening spoke about natural stone in landscaping. While she seemed to really know her stuff, there was a malfunction with the PowerPoint and the presentation ended 15 minutes early.

Birdscaping in the Midwest was presented by Mariette Nowak, formerly of the Wehr Nature Center. Her presentation validated much of what we've tried to do in the yard so far, and we were excited when plants such as viburnums, chokeberries, dogwoods, and serviceberries all got a shout out, as we have planted shrubs of these types. The most interesting part of her presentation were the graphs that demonstrated how increasing your yard's native plant density will also increase your overall bird abundance as well as the variety of species that spend time in your yard. When living in suburban Milwaukee on a small lot, she had counted close to 90 different species in her yard. She also plugged Doug Tallamy's Bringing Nature Home, which was awesome! Her presentation was generally good and had a lot of information, but it was too long for the allotted time so the end was rushed.

Generally the expo was fun, and we came away with some good ideas about how best to go about this year's landscaping. It's too bad that we'll need to wait another couple of months before we can really do anything.

Green Stuff? In February?

As the snow started falling this morning just as I was headed off to work, I had to wonder how we managed to have such a lovely, balmy weekend only 6 days earlier. Last Saturday, I spent some time out in the yard cutting back some our of plants. I brought the beagle out with me for some company and came to two realizations while I was out there.

Firstly that I needed to do some weeding. And I needed to do it in February.

Secondly, I had some green. Some of plants had come back and were just as ready for Spring as I am.

I was not overly surprised that I needed to pull some Quackgrass, and I even found some spots in the yard where I could justify taking the mower out. (Note: I did not actually take the mower out.) I did however notice that many of the invasive plants which I thought I had successfully removed last Fall were blooming. It appears that we will be stuck with Purple Pansies and Asiatic Lilies forever. They seem to be doing quite well in front of our house.

Pansies are hybrid plants based on European Violas.

The Lilies seeded themselves.

When I made it to the backyard though I found cause for some celebration. Some of the native plants which I planted last year were coming back. It was late Spring last year when I started pulling up the invasive plants which the previous owner had planted and began adding native plants like Purple Coneflower and Little Blue Stem. Neither of these plants were coming back, but I as cut back some of the native plants, I found three surprises.

The Blue Lupine is coming up already. This was good news considering the rabbits had chewed it to the ground.

The Prairie Coneflower (Ratibida Columnifera) was looking very green.

And here's some white clover which despite being invasive adds nitrogen to the soil, so I usually leave this one alone.

The Not So Good Weeds

Weeds are defined by Webster as "a plant that is not valued where it is growing and is usually of vigorous growth; especially : one that tends to overgrow or choke out more desirable plants." Notice that Webster makes no claims about where the weeds have come from. The USDA lists both introduced (invasive) and weedy plants as weeds. So what is a weed? There's really no right answer, but for the sake of this post I'll address common invasive plants that have the potential to overgrow the other plants in our yard. While generally in favor of a biodiverse lawn, these are plants I remove.

Canada Thistle is in fact not native to the U.S. or Canada; it's a European thistle. It's deep rooted, prickly, and grows pretty quickly. It can grow pretty much anywhere in the yard and has spread through most of the U.S. Most states list it as a noxious weed. It can travel large distances because finches will feed on its seeds, and as they fly through your yard or feed at your feeders, they deposit the seeds.WI DNR on Canada Thistle

Quack Grass is a plant native to Europe that often grows in our yard, flower beds, and even in our flower pots. It's native to Europe as well and spread through most of the United States and Canada. Quack Grass grows very quickly, spreads rapidly, and from my experience seems to be able to take over turf grass. This stuff will grow anywhere. I've also found it difficult to mow with the push-reel mower when it grows in a bunch. Quack Grass on USDA

Yellow Sweet Clover and Red Clover These clovers are not native to the U.S. The Red Clover is native to Europe and parts of Western Asia. It's a nitrogen fixer and grows in your lawn along side white clover. It has pretty purple flower and large leaves with a characteristic light water mark on the leaves. Yellow Sweet Clover is in fact not a clover at all. It's native range is also across the pond. It will overtake natives. Sweet Clover can grow tall and shade out native plant species.

Bird's Foot Trefoil is vine-like crap that grows along the ground. I personally have a terrible time getting rid of this one. It spreads quickly and creeps out of the yard over the curb and into the street. It may also appear in driveway cracks and disturbed soil. This plant is available for purchase and can choke out other plants in your yard or garden. Bird's Foot Trefoil at the Minnesota DNR

Canada Thistle

Bird's Foot Trefoil

Seed Preview 2012 Part 2

When last I posted about the seed available for 2012, I focused my attention on the local "box" store, Farm & Fleet. While Farm & Fleet has a surprising variety of seed available through the Livingston Seed Company, I knew I needed to make it out to a "real" garden shop.

A couple of weeks ago, we noticed that Jung Garden Center was advertising that their 2012 seeds had arrived. It was time to pay Jung a visit. Along an entire wall of the store, one can find seed packets for a huge number of plants. Over three quarters of it is vegetable or herb seed; it's a fantastic selection if you are planning to grow your own food. However, this is not our current objective.

Annual and perennial seed packets make up the remaining quarter of the wall. Most of which was annual seed for a variety of invasive plants. The perennials which were available from Jung included invasive plants: like Delphinium, Fox Glove, and Hollyhocks. Jung also had some native plants as well like: Purple Coneflower, Butterfly Milkweed, and Missouri Primrose (this plant was unique to Jung). They have their own cultivar of Lupine, Tutti Frutti.

The real bonus to shopping at Jung is that they carry seed from the Prairie Future Seed Company. It's on a rotating stand and appeared to be fairly picked over, as I only found empty rungs for plants like Cardinal Flower and Joe Pye Weed. This rotating stand had seeds for a cornucopia of native plants including: Blazing Star, Ox Eye Daisy, Goldenrod, and Compass Plant. I picked up some seed incorrectly labeled "Turk's Cap Lily". The scientific name on the package is Lilium Michiganense which means it's actually Michigan Lily, and I picked up some Wild Columbine seed.

While Jung as a seed company isn't providing a lot in the way of native perennials on their own, at least they are catering to those who are interested by selling seed from Prairie Future. If you are looking at replacing your invasive plants, it's a good stand to check-out. The common and scientific names are posted with images of each plant. Selecting some native lilies and irises to replace invasive varieties is made simple, other than needing to start from seed. I'll post about my progress with the lily seeds some time later.

Blue Flag Iris

Michigan Lily

Replacing Invasive Plants

Invasive Plants - Non-Native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. (as defined by the USDA)

Why replace your invasive plants?

1. They do not tend to provide food for native insects
2. Because they aren't eaten by the native insects, they do not provide food for native wildlife like birds
3. If they fruit or seed, they may not provide food for native wildlife like birds
4. They may require more care (fertilizer, water, pesticides, etc)
5. They may not be appropriate for your USDA zone, and they may die
6. Invasive plants eventually escape our lawns and may degrade our local environments

Doug Tallamy presents other benefits of working with native plants and details some problems caused by invasive plants in his book, Bringing Nature Home.

Our yard contained a lot of Asiastic Lilies. They are quite popular, and they look like this:

I really like the look of my invasive plants, what should I replace them with? This will be the focus of many the posts, but here are some quick wins whereby you can replace your invasive plants with similar native plants:

1. Asiatic Lilies - Replace with Wood Lilies (Lilium philadelphicum), Michigan Lilies (Lilium michiganense), or Turk's Cap Lilies (Lilium superblum)
2. Purple Butterfly Bush - Replace with Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), Pink Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata), or Narrow-leaf Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium)

We left the irises and tulips in tact for now. They were a gift from our current neighbors to the previous owners, and I don't have the heart to take them out. The tulips are also my only early bloomers, as I already pulled the daffodils. But these could be replaced with native early blooming flowers as well.

What We Started With

Everyone has to start somewhere. We started here:

The Front

The Back

Our house is about 60 years old. The previous owners removed multiple Red Cedars or so I'm told. So the yard started with no trees. In the front, they planted Asiastic Lillies. These were also planted along the south side of the house. Also in the front, we found a Rose Bush, two Purple Butterfly Bushes (buddleja davidii), and a Black Eyed Susan.

There were also some other perennials in the back and on the side: tulips, irises, and daffodils. There is also an evergreen of unknown origin in the planter on our stoop. Other than perennials, we found some annuals which had been left and seeded themselves: petunias, marigolds,and pansies.

As the backyard seemed like the best location to start experimenting, we decided to start there. Knowing that in time, we'd remove nearly everything the previous owners had planted and replace these plants with a variety of native plants.