For as long as people have been moving around plants and insects have been moving along with them. Often we focus on the invasive insects but today I’m talking about invasive plants. What is an invasive plant? Invasive plant is a name for a species that has become a weed pest, a plant which grows aggressively, spreads and displaces other plants. Invasive plants tend to appear on disturbed ground, and the most aggressive can actually invade existing ecosystems. They are difficult to control, can escape from cultivation and can dominant whole areas. They are expensive to control and environmentally destructive.
Frequently invasive plants were initially beneficial and only became invasive once their usefulness to humans declines. European settlers brought dandelions to the new world as a source of food and medicine, but interest or knowledge of their original use has declined; they are generally considered a weed.
Well-intentioned horticulturists wishing to expand their gardening options introduced many other invasive plants, but when these plants escaped into the forests and fields, they became a costly headache. There are many shrubby honeysuckle species that are an example of this.
Weather and climate play a role in the spread of invasive plants as well. Tropical Storm Irene caused enormous damage to Vermont towns, roads and farms and did her share of spreading weeds along our streams and rivers.
Japanese knotweed, which spreads primary by movement of pieces of roots and stems in soil, in now showing up along riverbanks where it was previously unknown, due to riverbank erosion and downstream movement of these plant parts during the flooding.
Many of the state university’s offer information on the invasive plants in your area. The State of Vermont, UVM extension Services, and The Nature Conservancy jointly maintain a website with information on invasive pests, the threats they pose to our economy and environment and identification and control tips. The website is accessible at vtinvasives.org, this is a great starting place for those interested in learning more about these threats, their history, and what we can do to prevent their introduction and control their spread and how to get in touch with others working on the invasive species problem.
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