Invasive species

[John Case]

I was perusig the California Invasive Plants Website and noticed that 2 items in my garden are invasive......

Now I think I have them under control but maybe I should reconsider/

My criminal plants are:

Iris pseudacorus 'Yellow Flag Iris' I keep it in my water garden (in a pot to control it)

Persecaria capitata 'Pink Knotweed' It is between flagstones in my sideyard.

I think I'll have to look around and see what else is invasive.

What do you have?

[junglegalfla]

I didn't look at the official list but some of the more invasive plants I keep tamed in my yard are

Coral vine - Antigonon leptopus

Flaming trumpet vine - Pyrostegia venusta

Mexican petunia

artillery fern

[metalfan]

We have the dreaded artillary fern, and Bishop's Weed (or wood, whichever its called) as well as Coralberry (Ardisia).

I also consider Wisteria invasive, I am not sure if the State of FL agrees, but its a tree strangler. Mimosa trees are weeds around here as well.

[jayfro6]

We have the dreaded artillary fern, and Bishop's Weed (or wood, whichever its called) as well as Coralberry (Ardisia).

I also consider Wisteria invasive, I am not sure if the State of FL agrees, but its a tree strangler. Mimosa trees are weeds around here as well.

Chinese/Japanese wisteria are indeed on the invasive list, but as a Class II (Class I is the worst). I think the Japanese is considered slightly less problematic, but it is really difficult to tell them apart.

I have Ligustrum japonicum, and probably a lot of you all do and don't pay any attention to it. It is a tough plant and the least invasive of the commonly used Ligustrum plants.

[DoomsDave]

mexican primrose!

EEEK! AGGGGHHHH!

If it's not on the list, it should be.

OH!

So lovely! So PINK when they bloom, and so much like the HUNS as they thunder into your garden and if you think I'm joking then HIV, Malaria, and the Black Death were no more than macabre jokes.

Ahem.

Sorry . . .

REALLY!

[Jerry@TreeZoo]

I am not growing any invasives on purpose (that I know of) but have several that keep popping up uninvited. The Mexican Petunia was growing here when I bought the place but I removed (?) them a year and a half ago. They still pop up in between weedings and if I let them go, would take over the garden again.

I have Schinus that volunteers everywhere and must be removed as seedlings. Carrotwood trees, which really aren't bad looking, are just as big a problem for me as Schinus (Florida Holly/Brazillian Pepper). There is a fast growing vine called "skunk vine" that you have to remove every bit of it or it will send down aerial roots and restart. Balsam Apple or Lantern Vine is a summer problem that almost goes away in winter. Almost.

Lastly, my newest "invasive weed" is Washingtonia. I brought in yards and yards of tree trimming mulch instead of buying the expensive bagged stuff. Soon there were hundreds of little palm seedlings spearing through the mulch. I did not know what species they were so I left them to get larger. Now I know.

Geraldo

[peachy]

I was perusig the California Invasive Plants Website and noticed that 2 items in my garden are invasive......

Now I think I have them under control but maybe I should reconsider/

My criminal plants are:

Iris pseudacorus 'Yellow Flag Iris' I keep it in my water garden (in a pot to control it)

Persecaria capitata 'Pink Knotweed' It is between flagstones in my sideyard.

I think I'll have to look around and see what else is invasive.

What do you have?

My place is literally infested with morning glory. I spend most of my gardening time ripping it out by the kilometre. It smothers everything and is so aggressive that it even grew under the house at one stage and I didnt know till it came through the floorboards. The other demon in my little paradise is the tipuana tipu tree. The neighbours have them and my place has seedlings popping up everywhere. They grow about 3 metres per year so if I dont spot them when they are under 30 centimetres high, when they can be pulled out by hand, they are up over head height in no time flat and I have to call in the tree removers at about $300 a visit !!!

Peachy

[tjwalters]

Years ago I planted wisteria out back along the woods. It went crazy and I ended up cutting them down several years ago. I'm still trying to kill all the seedlings that are coming up, and shoots coming up from the original roots. They are gorgeous, though. Here are a few shots in all their glory:

[osideterry]

Not sure if these are on a list, but to me they are invasive:

Brazil Pepper

Bailey Acacia

Ivy Geranium

Ice Plant

All came with my house, and as much as I get rid of them they keep coming back.

Edited May 4, 2009 by osideterry

[DoomsDave]

Hedera (Ivy), any species. Cancer with green leaves.

Horsetail, don't know the botanical name, don't wanna know, just wanna know how to kill.

Asparagus sprengeri. Mommeeeeeeeee . . . . .. . !

Fortunately, our lack of water here prevents plants from going Palmazon-poopy the way they do in Florida. Melaluca, Brazilian Pepper, etc. aren't the horras here they are there.

[PalmatierMeg]

What seedlings I constantly have to pull out of my pots & garden:

Australian pine (they line my canal wherever there is a vacant lot)

Melaleuca (big time invasive that blooms 3-4 times per year. And I am highly allergic to it)

Seedlings of these pop up overnight.

[John Case]

Has anyone intentionally planted something that they know is invasive?

[tank]

My invasives:

Air Potato (I wonder if you could use this in biomass energy production, I'd be rich!)

Camphor

Japanese climbing fern

Chinese tallow

[palmmermaid]

We fight melaleuca, brazilian pepper, australian pine, stink vine, old world climbing fern, air potato, and wodelia constantly. I did plant one invasive thing - root beer plant - before I knew better. Now I am pulling it out and pulling it out. Hopefully it will be gone eventually.

[MattyB]

Well, I checked the list for SW CA and here's the ones I have that I know how to I.D.:

Star thistle - Centaurea solstitialis, do not walk around these in shorts they prick

Brassica nigra & rapa - Mustard

Nicotiana glauca - tree tobacco

Phoenix canariensis

Washingtonia robusta

Pepper tree

[Kim]

Crows.

[MattyB]

The Counting Crows or The Black Crows?

[Kim]

The Counting Crows or The Black Crows?

Not sure, can't make out the lettering on their shiny black jackets. They're a bunch of thugs, though, messing with my new plantings, chasing innocent migrating bystanders, harrassing neighborhood residents, making a racket, and leaving cigarette butts in the alley behind the house.

[tjwalters]

The Counting Crows or The Black Crows?

Counting Crows. (Black Crows are hard to handle.)

[Daryl]

I'm always doing battle with:

Singapore Daisy

Morning Glory

Kennedia

Camphor laurel

Brazilian Pepper tree

Eucalypts

Casuarina

Schefflera

Lantana

Fishbone Fern

Bracken Fern

Asparagus Fern

Slash Pine

Velcro Vine

Syngonium

These are the worst and most persistent of the large 'tree' or vine weeds. They pale in comparison to some of the smaller weeds though like Farmers Friend and Blue Billy goat Weed.

Daryl

[Redland]

Mangroves and Saw grass are by far the most invasive species in South Florida.

[EllisB]

The number one invasive species is us (humans).

[tjwalters]

Mangroves and Saw grass are by far the most invasive species in South Florida.

Aren't those indigenous?

[_Keith]

The number one invasive species is us (humans).

Assuming that you believe in "invasive species" you may just be correct. I believe that man is just as natural as anything else on the planet right along with anything we introduce or any changes we make, and that is just part of nature too. Just like a super volcano, or an extinction level meteor event, it is all nature, and nature itself will balance out any temporary imbalance. And that is indeed, the scariest part of all.

[SunnyFl]

The number one invasive species is us (humans).

Dang straight!

Bepah asked

Has anyone intentionally planted something that they know is invasive?

Yeah.... GRASS

The real nasties that we're always doing battle with are Air Potato and Virgina Creeper. And once I even found some kudzu - how the heck did it get here?

[EllisB]

The number one invasive species is us (humans).

Assuming that you believe in "invasive species" you may just be correct. I believe that man is just as natural as anything else on the planet right along with anything we introduce or any changes we make, and that is just part of nature too. Just like a super volcano, or an extinction level meteor event, it is all nature, and nature itself will balance out any temporary imbalance. And that is indeed, the scariest part of all.

I agree we are part of nature,but unfortunatly there are laws being pushed through congress that will prohibit the sell and purchase of animals and plants using the theory of invasive as well as indigious. Therefore with that in mind people should be put on that list. It seems to me it is easier to purchase an assault weapon then 1 cycad seed. I just don not understand.

[Dave-Vero]

Brazilian pepper and carrotwood (Cupania, from Australia) keep popping up. Murdannia (dewflower) is a pest in beds. Lantana is being kept on the other side of a fence.

[tank]

The number one invasive species is us (humans).

Assuming that you believe in "invasive species" you may just be correct. I believe that man is just as natural as anything else on the planet right along with anything we introduce or any changes we make, and that is just part of nature too. Just like a super volcano, or an extinction level meteor event, it is all nature, and nature itself will balance out any temporary imbalance. And that is indeed, the scariest part of all.

Styrofoam is natural! Benzene too!

[www.dadluvsu.com]

The number one invasive species is us (humans).

Assuming that you believe in "invasive species" you may just be correct. I believe that man is just as natural as anything else on the planet right along with anything we introduce or any changes we make, and that is just part of nature too. Just like a super volcano, or an extinction level meteor event, it is all nature, and nature itself will balance out any temporary imbalance. And that is indeed, the scariest part of all.

Styrofoam is natural! Benzene too!

Not looking forward to nature balancing out those compounds either...

What defines invasive vs. naturalized? Dypsis lutescens certainly has invaded the world and for that matter coconuts have as well...

Down around here the iguana are about the second most invasive species...

[tjwalters]

Down around here the iguana are about the second most invasive species...

I hear they are good eatin'. Maybe you could set up a road-side barbecue.

[www.dadluvsu.com]

Maybe someone wants to be a bit more adventuresome than me...

http://www.iguanatrap.com/snare_setup.htm

Then from wikipedia:

Iguana Pozole

two medium iguanas

five cups of freshly bleached hominy

10 cloves of garlic

1 onion

1 slice of cabbage - diced

bay leaf

mexican oregano

salt and pepper

Butcher skin and cut the iguana in pieces. Wash, salt and blanch for 15-20 minutes.

Simmer the corn, garlic, onion, a bay leaf, and salt to taste. At 10 minutes add the meat. Cook for another 15-20 minutes. Serve with sliced cabbage some of the onion slice, cilantro, oregano and pepper to taste.

[palmmermaid]

The number one invasive species is us (humans).

Assuming that you believe in "invasive species" you may just be correct. I believe that man is just as natural as anything else on the planet right along with anything we introduce or any changes we make, and that is just part of nature too. Just like a super volcano, or an extinction level meteor event, it is all nature, and nature itself will balance out any temporary imbalance. And that is indeed, the scariest part of all.

I agree we are part of nature,but unfortunatly there are laws being pushed through congress that will prohibit the sell and purchase of animals and plants using the theory of invasive as well as indigious. Therefore with that in mind people should be put on that list. It seems to me it is easier to purchase an assault weapon then 1 cycad seed. I just don not understand.

But the assault rifles can be used to emilinate invasive species - human or otherwise!

[EllisB]

The number one invasive species is us (humans).

Assuming that you believe in "invasive species" you may just be correct. I believe that man is just as natural as anything else on the planet right along with anything we introduce or any changes we make, and that is just part of nature too. Just like a super volcano, or an extinction level meteor event, it is all nature, and nature itself will balance out any temporary imbalance. And that is indeed, the scariest part of all.

I agree we are part of nature,but unfortunatly there are laws being pushed through congress that will prohibit the sell and purchase of animals and plants using the theory of invasive as well as indigious. Therefore with that in mind people should be put on that list. It seems to me it is easier to purchase an assault weapon then 1 cycad seed. I just don not understand.

But the assault rifles can be used to emilinate invasive species - human or otherwise!

Ahmen, sister

[amazondk]

I guess you could say that all life is invasive as living things will always occupy spaces that are created by lack of predators, change in climate and ecosystem, etc. Eventually nature comes up with a balance as things evolve. That does not mean that the balance is necessarily what many humans may wish though.

dk

[palmmermaid]

People seem to have a different opinion about invasives depending on whether the invasive is plant or animal. Many of the do-gooders (and this from a person who has been called a treehugger on many ocassions) think it is an awful thing to get rid of the iguanas. Despite the fact that they poop all over, dig holes, eat your plants, they are so cute! Gag! They are a huge nuisance here in south Florida and a war is on - between the people (like me) who want to eliminate every single one no matter the method and the people who think they should not be harmed. We had an iguana workshop here a few days ago. Both sides were represented. The do-gooders were aghast that anyone would want to know how to kill the things. And the wimpy state people said that if it takes more than 1 blow to the head to kill or stun them, it is cruelty. I've killed rats with a shovel. I even stepped on one because I didn't have a weapon in my hand. When it comes to invasives, it is all out war. Death by any means. But for native species, I serve and protect.

[amazondk]

When I was in Florida a few weeks ago the iguana disposal subject came up. My son and his girl friend told me that the best way to get rid of them was to put them in the freezer as it was the most humane. I brought up the point that cutting their heads off with a machete would work fine. And, I was told this was not humane. I guess freezing one may be less painful for the animal. But, in the end does it really matter. I would think that putting one in a freezer would also be a problem. I guess you could put it in a sack and then freeze it. We have iguanas around here. But, they are native and seem to be under control. Our main invasive species is the african snail which transmits disease and has spread all around the place.

dk

[Jeff in St Pete]

Down around here the iguana are about the second most invasive species...

I hear they are good eatin'. Maybe you could set up a road-side barbecue.

They eat them here. Most locals I've talked to say they have eaten iguana. I usually ask them what it tastes like and the answer is always "como pollo" (like chicken!)

I imagine it to taste more like gator - which I have tried before.

[ghar41]

My neighbor to the North has blessed me with running bamboo, and my neighbor to the South, horsetail.

[John Case]

My neighbor to the North has blessed me with running bamboo, and my neighbor to the South, horsetail.

glenn,

do you know which species of Bamboo?

It may have value!

[ghar41]

My neighbor to the North has blessed me with running bamboo, and my neighbor to the South, horsetail.

glenn,

do you know which species of Bamboo?

It may have value!

Not this stuff. It has decent looking black canes, but runs underneath the fence and everywhere else. Its roots form a mat just below the surface and it starves everything out that lies in its path. It'd be great, if all you want is bamboo and enjoy cleaning up the leaves it drops constantly. Its beyond worthless. I wouldnt plant running bamboo within 5 miles of my house.