Our ancestors arrived from other continents at various times finding existing diverse habitats with native plants and animals similar but often different from their homeland. Allen County, Indiana was originally dense oak hickory forests with some prairie areas, wetlands such as Eagle Marsh and Little River Wetland in southwest Allen County and the Great Black Swamp that stretched from eastern Allen County northwest through Ohio to Lake Erie. See our Trees page. Some of our ancestors brought their favorite plants and animals for food, pets, and economic reasons eventually changing the habitats of this New World. Modern technology advances enable researchers to show that over time our activities are changing the native habitat where native animals and plants successfully co-exist together. Every year it becomes easier to find examples of wide spread problems with non-native plants, animals, and diseases. Native pollinators are vital to pollination and reproduction of many native plants. These changes are affecting the survival of many native species often costing taxpayers millions of dollar and untold volunteer hours to stop and try to reverse negative changes. Our Maps page shows aerial, border, street, and highway changes over time, our Timeline page shows history milestones, and our Wildlife pages will show changes.
FWIW I took horticulture classes at Purdue University in 1993, bought my first computer so I could easily write reports and bought my first software a genealogy program called Family Tree Maker by Banner Blue on floppy disks. I joined a new organization called Indiana Native Plant Society of Indiana as a charter member in 1993. In the late 1990s, I worked one summer season with a local native plant restoration company. We collected prairie plant seeds in various locations mostly in rural locations on the east and west side of Allen County, indicating that local prairies did exist at one time. Over the years I took photographs and a few videos of ancestor tombstones in cemeteries across Indiana and Ohio. In the early days some cemeteries were overgrown, neglected, and often had heirloom plants perhaps planted at the time of burial or later by family members. Some had ornate wrought iron entrance gates and fences, others likely recycled the iron during WWII metal scrap drives. A few cemetery entrances in Allen County have changed over those decades and I hope to add photos to the cemetery pages when I can. Over the years technology has introduced affordable power tools and herbicides allowing cemetery maintenance to remove many native and heirloom plants. Cellphones with cameras and the internet allow anyone to easily document changes. As coordinator of Allen INGenWeb since 2009 I have felt I should do something to document these changes while I still can. Like our landscape, these pages started in Spring 2024 will change over time.
According to the Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources "Got Nature?" blog, invasive species are non-native plants, animals, insects, or diseases that can cause harm to the environment, disrupt ecosystems and threaten native species. As spring approaches, it's an ideal time to address them before they overtake native plants and affect water availability or soil quality. Read more here: What Are Invasive Species and Why Should I Care?
Indiana Invasive Plant Advisory Committee on Facebook description: This is the FB group for the Invasive Plant Advisory Committee (IPAC), which was created by the Indiana Invasive Species Council in 2010. I'll be using this to share information about IPAC's activities and request information from you when needed. Welcome!
The Terrestrial Plant Rule (312 IAC 18-3-25) designates 44 species of plants as invasive pests. This rule makes it illegal to sell, gift, barter, exchange, distribute, transport, or introduce these plants in the State of Indiana. Learn what you need to know in the Terrestrial Plant Rule Brochure.
This rule went into effect April 18, 2019 .
Plant species already in trade will be prohibited from sale one year later (April 18, 2020).
In recognition of Illinois Invasive Species Month, The Morton Arboretum released 13 invasive species videos - one on...
In recognition of Illinois Invasive Species Month, The Morton Arboretum released 13 invasive species videos - one on basic concepts and 12 on species ID. Check them out! They cover a few species that don't typically get a ton of attention, including lily-of-the-valley, reed canary grass, and narrow-leaved cattail.
Learn the basics of how invasive species spread as well as how to identify some of the most common invasive plant species of the Chicago Region/Midwest. Learn more on how to identify and manage invasive plants at: https://mortonarb.org/explore/activities/adult-programs/invasive-species-online/
Please be a good neighbor and SHARE! The TERRESTRIAL PLANT RULE (312 IAC 18-3-25) goes into full effect on April 18th,...
The TERRESTRIAL PLANT RULE (312 IAC 18-3-25) goes into full effect on April 18th, 2020. For a complete list of plants that are illegal to sell, gift, barter, exchange, distribute, transport, or introduce in the State of Indiana, visit the Indiana Department of Natural Resources' list here: https://www.in.gov/dnr/6351.htm. Please feel free to message us with any questions. [ What is the Rule? INDNR]
Although not required by law, be a conservation champ and eradicate any of these found on your property. This will increase biodiversity and help our native plants, animals and insects. For help with identification, removal, and replacement, please reach out to us or NRCS.. For identification, you can also try the free PlantSnap app on your smartphone. Download it here: https://www.plantsnap.com/.
What is are invasive species and why do we need to be aware of them? They are plants/bugs/animals/diseases etc. that aren't native to our state that will likely cause some sort of harm (health, financial, environmental). Indiana Department of Natural Resources has some great info on invasive species, including photos and reporting tools. #invasivesawarenessin
Spring is on its way - and so are invasive insects! The Purdue Landscape Report recently shared the news on insects to watch for - and report! https://buff.ly/3sPagji
All those white blooming trees you see everywhere... do you think they are pretty? If you knew what they actually represent, you would choke on your morning coffee.
All those white blooming trees you see everywhere... do you think they are pretty? If you knew what they actually represent, you would choke on your morning coffee.
I have always loved this quote [ When you know better... You do better ] by Maya Angelou and I was thinking about it this morning as I was driving by all of the pear trees that are blooming so profusely around town. This tree was planted when no one knew any better and originally was sterile when it was first introduced into the landscape industry. Over the years, it has become highly invasive and is now in natural areas like our Eagle Marsh wetlands. It is out-competing our native plants and it is time that we do better. Please don't plant this tree at your house and if you see it for sale, feel free to respectfully ask that it not be sold. Here are a couple photos of the trees that have invaded an area along W. Jefferson Blvd., just one of many. Look around as you drive and you'll notice where these trees are growing that they were obviously not planted.
Now that we know better, we can do better.
Small blooming pears along US-24/I-469 at Stellhorn Road, May 2018 Street View photo from Google Maps
Several housing subdivisions surround shopping centers extensively planted with flowering pear trees which are escaping into the surrounding areas as birds consume the fruit and drop seeds as they fly around. Current Street View photos show larger fuller trees.
Callery pear, also known as Bradford pear, so pretty blooming but it’s a fast-growing non-native tree that is spreading...
Callery pear, also known as Bradford pear, so pretty blooming but it’s a fast-growing non-native tree that is spreading from our yards, crowding out our native trees & taking over our public places & wild woods. Many pears were planted along streets & in parks before the landscaping community understood the hazards of invasive trees like the pear. Serviceberry or Eastern redbud are nice alternatives here in the Midwest.
There are a lot of pretty #TREES in Fort Wayne, but some of them can be pretty terrible too. Our Superintendent of Urban...
There are a lot of pretty #TREES in Fort Wayne, but some of them can be pretty terrible too. Our Superintendent of Urban Forestry Derek Veit put together an informative article about one of those AWFULLY beautiful trees. #ArborDay#TreeCityWeek#FortWayneAn AWFULL Beautiful Tree
Invasive exotic Bradford pears being removed. They will take over natural areas, and their seeds are mildly poisonous. ...
Invasive exotic Bradford pears being removed. They will take over natural areas, and their seeds are mildly poisonous. Please don't plant these, and if you have them, consider replacing them with native trees like serviceberry.
Q: What's the best way to prune a Bradford Pear?
A: CUT IT DOWN!
Can you smell rotting fish in the air this spring? That’s the awful Callery pear tree, also known as Bradford pear, one of the earliest trees to bloom and one of the most terrible threats to Indiana’s natural landscapes. Overused by landscapers due to its showy blooms, fast growth, and upright stature, this tree is wreaking havoc on Indiana’s biodiversity by spreading rapidly to wild open spaces, where seeds from bird droppings and cross-pollination create monoculture landscapes of dense thickets with sharp thorns – sharp enough to puncture a tractor tire! – that choke out native species and diminish crucial habitat and food for pollinators.
The Bradford pear’s showy white spring blossoms smell disgusting (many compare it to dead fish) yet these trees are a popular landscaping choice for many who don’t realize how devastating they are for Indiana’s environment. A weak tree prone to wind and ice damage, they are also a hazard with a very short lifespan of only 20-25 years.
The Callery pear issue is a rather complex one. Broadford Pear was first introduced to America in the late 1950's. It was the almost perfect tree. It came from a region in China similar in latitude to the U,S. it had a lollipop form, spring flowers, great fall color. The tree was also virtually sterile producing little if any fruit. I remember looking at some examples of the first flowering Bradford pears planted at Purdue in the mid-1980's. The issue with Bradford was their branching habit since all the branches were attached in the same area of the tree, it would break up over time in ice or snow or wind events. So plant breeders went back to that region of china and found other flowering pears that had better branching habits than Bradford. Cleveland select was and still is a common flowering pear cultivar. The other issue with flowering pears is that they are grafted on a rootstock of a similar species that has thorns and has roots that are highly adaptable to tough soil types. In recent years all of a sudden the different overplanted flowering pears scattered across our landscapes began to cross pollinate and produce fruit. In addition the rootstocks of these ornamental pears began to produce suckers below the graft union that also crossed pollinated with the pears and also produced berries. The berries were eaten by birds and scattered over areas. So the pears we see invading wild areas are actually wild hybrids and not the actual cultivars. In other words Bradford pear itself is not the issue, it was a combination of factors that led to wild seedlings of flowering pear becoming invasive. it happened and it is regretful perhaps our zeal to find the perfect tree for landscapes backfired and certainly money was involved. it is too late to point fingers but it is clear that this is an increasing problem because the trees are taking over areas that normally would be occupied by natives such as eastern red cedar. The point of my post was to say that confusing information about the issue and inaction by task forces only will make the problem worse. Trying to fix this issue will present many challenges but i think we can solve it over time.
Ricky Kemery is a Professor of Horticulture at Purdue University Fort Wayne and Former Extension Educator at Purdue University. He posts to The Plant Medic on Facebook with Intro: Gardening information from the Horticulture Educator (retired from the Allen County Extension for 20 years) Ricky Kemery and Jane Ford, Advance Master Gardener and garden writer columnist for the News Sentinel for 9 years. Ricky occasionally writes articles for The Journal Gazette newspaper.
Callery pear is one of the most urgent threats to Indiana’s natural areas. Cultivars include Bradford pear, Cleveland...
Callery pear is one of the most urgent threats to Indiana’s natural areas. Cultivars include Bradford pear, Cleveland select, autumn blaze, aristocrat, red spire, Chanticleer, and many others. All cultivars of Callery pear are invasive - there are no exceptions.
Overused by landscapers due to their showy blooms, fast growth, and upright stature, Callery pear trees are wreaking havoc on Indiana’s biodiversity by spreading rapidly to wild open spaces, where seeds from bird droppings and cross-pollination create monoculture landscapes of dense thickets with sharp thorns (sharp enough to puncture a tractor tire!) that choke out native species and diminish crucial habitat and food for pollinators.
Callery pears are one of the first trees to bloom in spring. Their showy white spring blossoms smell disgusting and many compare it to dead fish. Yet these trees are a popular landscaping choice for many who don’t realize how devastating they are for Indiana’s environment.
A weak tree prone to wind and ice damage, they are also a safety concern with a very short lifespan of only 20-25 years.
Protecting Indiana’s forests starts at home in our backyards. Help by removing invasive species before they spread into the natural areas we love and protect.
MIPN has just posted a new article "Pears on the Loose!" contributed by Dr. Theresa Culley. Ohio is the first state to outright regulate the Callery pear, banning it from commercial sale and distribution in January of this year. Learn more about this tree and what is being done to help curtail its spread and impact. Pears on the Loose!
For those wondering why callery pear isn't regulated in Indiana (yet), it was proposed to be included on the Terrestrial Invasive Plant Rule that when into effect in 2020, however it was removed after an economic analysis. It is on a list of species prosed to be added as an amendment to the rule (all species ranked, or revaluated as highly invasive), however that is awaiting next steps by the DNR Division of Entomology and Plant Pathology. More info on that at Indiana Invasive Species Council.
Did you see Cliff on FOX59 News this morning, talking about the issues with Callery pear trees? If not, you can catch it here.
Often times when sunlight can get to the forest floor, you end up having to deal with invasive plants. One plant that I have seen around Fort Wayne and the surrounding area is Dames Rocket. I just learned that there are things you can do with this plant.
I'm hoping to do a program about this plant. Have a great day!
Garlic Mustard
Invasive species: Garlic mustard May 8, 2013 The State Journal-Register on YouTube Garlic mustard was brought by early settlers for use as a substitute for garlic. It has escaped cultivation and is rapidly invading forests in the eastern and midwestern United States. For more outdoors news, visit: www.prairiestateoutdoors.com.
This week is National Invasive Species Awareness Week - a week dedicated to raising awareness of invasive species, their...
This week is National Invasive Species Awareness Week - a week dedicated to raising awareness of invasive species, their threat and we can collectively stop their spread.
Today: Garlic Mustard.
Garlic mustard poses a threat to local biodiversity by outcompeting native species in ecosystems due to its ability to spread seeds through wind and its early emergence in spring, which deprives native plants of sunlight and vital nutrients.
Because the understory of a forest is so important for insects and other species at the bottom of the food chain, plants like garlic mustard can weaken the entire ecosystem.
The ACRES community has spent years pulling this invasive weed from ACRES preserves. If you're ready to get involved and help stop the spread of garlic mustard, check out these opportunities:
What is garlic mustard? Garlic mustard, originally from Europe and Asia, has become a very troublesome invasive plant across the Northeast, Midwest and Northwest of the United States. The plant was introduced to North America in the mid 1800s for its herbal and medicinal qualities and as erosion control. Its aliases are Poor Man’s Mustard, Hedge Garlic, Garlic Root and Jack-by-the-Hedge. It is called garlic mustard because its leaves have a garlic smell when they are crushed.Garlic Mustard: Invasive, Destructive, Edible Wild garlic mustard is a highly destructive invasive species in the United States, but anyone can help stop its spread. The Nature Conservancy Stories In Indiana.
February 28, 2024 post by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources on Facebook: INVASIVE SPECIES WEEK: GARLIC MUSTARD (ALLIARA PETIOLATA) discusses European garlic mustard aphids (Liaphis alliarae) discovered in Cleveland, Ohio, in 2021, feeding on this invasive a possible beneficial control.
Asian Bush Honeysuckle is pretty much the only green you can see at this point along the riverfront.
“It was brought in the 40’s and 50’s as a landscaping plant, but it has taken over,” says Dan Wire, Riverfront Riparian Management Supervisor.
The invasive species is one of the first plants to get leaves in the spring, and one of the very last to lose leaves in the fall, putting a canopy over the soil before anything else can grow.
“It limits the natural variety of vegetation for wildlife to feed on, and for us to look at as beauty along the rivers,” explains Dan.
Honeysuckle gets tall with thick trunks, making it hard to see and enjoy the views from the waterways. Over 20 tons of honeysuckle have been removed the past couple of years.
Did you know there are 4 different species of invasive bush honeysuckle in our state? Tatarian honeysuckle (Lonicera tatarica) was introduced to this continent in the 1700s and has since spread across much of the eastern half of the United States. It can usually be distinguished by its pink flowers, orange fruits, and glabrous (no hairs) twigs, though it can sometimes hybridize with other invasive honeysuckles leading to variations in these characteristics. While telling the difference between these species can be tough, practices for controlling them are similar. For more information about invasive species in Indiana, visit: Invasive Indiana Plants Highlights!
Japanese Tree Lilac - Syringa reticulata
Have you seen this plant? Japanese tree lilac (Syringa reticulata) is a non-native tree often used in urban landscaping....
Have you seen this plant? Japanese tree lilac (Syringa reticulata) is a non-native tree often used in urban landscaping. This species has been considered a plant of concern from experts within the Midwest region and has been reported as spreading from cultivation by 3 Midwest gardens (via Public Gardens as Sentinels against Invasive Plants). Syringa subspecies have also been reported as potentially invasive.
Japanese tree lilac can grow 20-30’ tall and 15-25’ wide. Blooms appear in late spring to early summer, later than other lilac shrub species. Flower clusters can grow up to 12” long and are creamy white and fragrant. Dark green, ovate leaves with pointed tips grow in pairs on the stems. Bark on the tree is reddish-brown and peeling, and turns gray with age.
With few reports so far in the Midwest, additional observations of Japanese tree lilac will be necessary to determine its behavior as a potential invasive species.
{This is an alien and highly invasive species. This post is not meant to promote this plant but as an informational warning of its negative effect on native species]
This perennial plant is a member of the Buttercup Family and is native to Europe, North Africa and Western Asia. It has been introduced to North America and is now widespread, mostly but not entirely in the East. It can spread by seed and also by underground stems. It is also called Pilewort or Fig Buttercup;
The flowers have 8 glossy petals. The long-stemmed leaves are heart-shaped. It is a low-growing plant but a single rosette cluster can be up to 12 inches in diameter. It grows best in moist sandy soil often, but not always, along stream and river banks. It is mostly hairless.
It emerges very early, often from March to late May. Since it shares the same habitat it can out-compete native early spring flowers, especially Spring Beauty, Trillium and Blood Root. Once established it can be difficult to control. Botanists recommend use of herbicides when it first emerges and before the native plants appear. It can also be removed mechanically, but it is hard to get all the roots.
Common names can be confusing in botany. There is another plant called Celandine (Chelidenium majus) that is a member of the poppy family. It has similar flowers but only with 4 petals. There is also the Celandine Poppy or Wood Poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum) that is a native species. Both of these have deeply lobed leaves, but those of Celandine Poppy are in pairs and the seeds are hairy. The leaves of the alien Celandine are single and the seeds hairless.
This photograph of the Lesser Celandine was taken by Lisa Pawelski at Emmerling Park, Indiana Twp., Allegheny County, PA on March 17, 2024.
Invasive flowering plant often confused for native species Did you see last week’s spotlight on marsh marigold—a...
Invasive flowering plant often confused for native species
Did you see last week’s spotlight on marsh marigold—a native, yellow beauty of a spring wildflower? The post really gained steam as it became clear that many folks thought what they saw on their property was marsh marigold, when in fact, what many were seeing was a very aggressive non-native plant impacting habitats across Ohio.
At first glance, it’s easy to confuse our native marsh marigold (Caltha palustris) and the non-native invasive, lesser celandine (Ficaria verna). Both are flowering plants whose bright yellow flowers bloom in spring and typically grow in wet locations. However, once you know what to look for, it gets easier to tell them apart!
Where you find the plant is the first clue! Marsh marigolds are found in high quality, intact wetlands with groundwater influence, such as swamps, fens, seeps, and sedge meadows. Lesser celandine tends to grow in disturbed habitats including floodplains, ditches, wet yards, and roadsides. This non-native and invasive plant can tolerate drier upland habitats as well, while marsh marigold needs to keep its “feet” wet.
While the two superficially look similar, up close they are quite different. Marsh marigold has larger flowers (1-1.5” wide) with usually 5, but up to 8, golden yellow, sepal-like petals. Lesser celandine has smaller flowers (up to 1” wide) with 8-12 shiny bright yellow true petals AND 3 green sepals. Marsh marigold has larger, darker green leaves on longer stalks, compared to lesser celandine’s smaller, shiny green leaves on shorter stalks.
Another key difference is how these two plants reproduce. Marsh marigold spreads only via seed production, while lesser celandine can spread by both seed and its tubers. These tubers easily break off to create new plants, which is how this non-native wildflower can quickly become immense monocultures in floodplains. Sadly, those huge swaths of lesser celandine can take over native plant communities which is why ecomanagement on public lands has become critical in some areas. Marsh marigold cannot create dense carpets of plants, rather occurring and scattered clumps.
We are thankful for all the attention paid to lesser celandine—we hope you’ll consider removing it from your property now that you know what it looks like!
Poison Hemlock - Conium maculatum
Native Cicuta maculata, or water hemlock, tends to stay in wet areas and doesn't spread so aggressively.
Exotic Species: Poison Hemlock Native to Europe, western Asia, and North America, poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) is now naturalized in almost every state in the United States. It was introduced in the 1800s as a garden plant, marketed as being a “winter fern”. Poison hemlock is highly poisonous to humans and animals. It can acts as a pioneer species and quickly colonized disturbed sites. Infestations occur along roadsides, field margins, ditches, marshes, meadows, and low-lying areas, but poison hemlock prefers shaded areas with moist soil. From the National Park Service.
Poison HemlockHemlock poisoning can occur if you accidentally ingest poison hemlock. Symptoms can range from vomiting to seizures to respiratory failure. There’s no antidote for hemlock poisoning. Your healthcare provider will treat your symptoms, but the condition can be fatal. You can prevent hemlock poisoning by getting rid of any hemlock plants in your yard. From the Cleveland Clinic
Here is the second Poison Hemlock video featuring bolting plants, which is exactly what we are seeing in Dubois county right now. It's also your last chance to control hemlock with herbicides before it flowers. View the 3 video series that includes bolting and flowering hemlock at https://www.facebook.com/watch/169702553062476/224035992172032 or on youtube at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEWqT_8rlzku_zVYMzCF_S-IOl2a8QbFk. For more info on poison hemlock, including herbicide options, check out this handout from Purdue: https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/FNR/FNR-437-W.pdf.
Here is the second Poison Hemlock video featuring bolting plants, which is exactly what we are seeing in Dubois county right now. It's also your last chance to control hemlock with herbicides before it flowers.
View the 3 video series that includes bolting and flowering hemlock at Invasive Plants or on youtube at Invasive Plants.
For more info on poison hemlock, including herbicide options, check out this handout from Purdue Invasive Plant Series: Poison Hemlock.
During Wednesday's Garlic Mustard Pull with the Friends of Ferdinand State Forest, Invasive Species Specialist Emily Finch also pulled up some poison hemlock! Check out this video she shared comparing the fern-like hemlock leaves to those of actual native ferns growing in the same area. #invasivespecies, #noxiousweeds
During Wednesday's Garlic Mustard Pull with the Friends of Ferdinand State Forest, Invasive Species Specialist Emily Finch also pulled up some poison hemlock! Check out this video she shared comparing the fern-like hemlock leaves to those of actual native ferns growing in the same area. #invasivespecies, #noxiousweeds
Poison Hemlock VS Look-Alike Plants. Check out the differences! Poison Hemlock (Conium maculatum) ACUTELY TOXIC!...
These are the egg cases of the non-native Chinese praying mantis. Our horticulturists have found them throughout the gardens. Note that they are poofy and can be found on almost any plant material. These non-native praying mantises are out of balance in our ecosystem and consume our pollinators, butterflies, and native Carolina mantises in huge numbers.
Our horticulturist says, "There have been times when I have seen a pile of butterfly wings on the ground to find when I looked up a Chinese mantid poised like a sniper on a flowering perennial."
EDIT: We've added a photo of the native egg case and native adult Carolina mantis for reference!
Chinese Silvergrass (Miscanthus sinensis)
Ohio Native Plant Month: Indian Grass It is time for another Plant This, Not That! This time between the invasive...
It is time for another Plant This, Not That! This time between the invasive Chinese Silvergrass (Miscanthus sinensis) and the Ohio native, Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans). There are a number of potentially invasive exotic grasses in home landscapes, and a number of wonderful Ohio native alternatives, but for now we are focused on these two!
Chinese silvergrass, also known as zebra grass and Maiden grass, is native to China, Japan, and Korea. Chosen for its large size and showy elegance for home gardens, it features vigorous roots and rhizomes that allow it to aggressively spread into disturbed areas. It also is extremely flammable and can increase the risk of wildfire. Chinese silvergrass can reproduce through rhizomes and seeds can be dispersed by wind. It prefers full sun and moist, rich soil that drains well. As with many exotic species, it does not support many wildlife species.
Indian Grass on the other hand is a beautiful native grass that hosts 9 species of Lepidoptera. Once a dominant grass of the tallgrass prairie which once covered parts of Ohio, it provides excellent cover year round for birds and mammals. Birds eat the seeds and it is resistant to deer browse. It has green foliage that ends in long feathery plumes in August. The plant grows in a wide range of soils including heavy clays, but thrives in moist, rich soils. It is able to withstand drought, erosion, and air pollution! It may not be suitable for small spaces as it reproduces from seed and rhizomes. That being said, there are many native Ohio grasses and grass like plants that can be used, like prairie dropseed, various sedges, sweet flag, northern sea oats, switchgrass, and little bluestem. There is a native grass for every scenario!
Shrubs in the forest starting to green up with new leaves is a great sign that spring is on the way, right? It depends on the plant! Not all new leaves are a good sign. The invasive, non-native multi-flora rose (Rosa multiflora) is a great example. Here in the mid-Atlantic, this plant is already leafing out, and areas with a lot of this species are tinged in green. However, many of our native plants have yet to reawaken for the season. This is a common issue with invasive plant species, which often leaf out earlier and keep their leaves longer than many of our native species. A study by Penn State showed that non-native shrubs in the eastern US keep their leaves between 30 and 77 days longer than their native counterparts. This phenomenon is problematic because the invasive species get a jump on and outcompete native plants for light. Plants like spring ephemerals, which emerge early in the season, are especially susceptible as they are denied the sunlight that would normally be present when surrounded by native shrubs without leaves.
You can get involved by volunteering to help remove invasive species from natural spaces in your area, not planting invasive plants, and educating others. Check out this site from the USDA for more resources: Take Action Against Invasive Species
Non-native Phragmites australis is one of the most invasive plants in North America, having been found in all lower 48 states. In the Laurentian Great Lakes basin, it has invaded over 60,000 acres of U.S. coastline and an unknown amount of inland habitat. Upon invasion, #Phragmites is capable of shifting ecosystem functions and services, including outcompeting native species and limiting access to recreation areas. Although control efforts are successful in some situations, most treatment techniques are expensive and their effectiveness under varying conditions remains uncertain.
To reduce uncertainty and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of all future management actions, the #USGS and partners have developed the Phragmites Adaptive Management Framework, or PAMF: http://bit.ly/2oCWxdM. This free program uses citizen science to analyze outcomes from all participants’ Phragmites management efforts. PAMF is a win-win: It benefits its participants and the #GreatLakes basin by improving Phragmites management, increasing transparency and accountability in decision making, and uniting resource managers, researchers, and others in an effort to promote enduring conservation.
Image: A Phragmites rhizome, or a belowground stem that puts up new shoots, dug up in a coastal marsh of Lake Erie in northern Ohio. Phragmites' belowground biomass can exceed that of its aboveground biomass. (Credit: Dan Engel, Five Rivers Services)
Over many decades it has spread from garden plantings to unmowed areas including natural areas where it is easily seen growing in wet areas like ditches along roads, along river banks, streams, and other wet areas.
Purple loosestrife Lythrum salicaria Purple loosestrife grows 3-7 feet tall and puts up several spikes of purple flowers in June-July. It spreads aggressively by seed and by rhizome. Even “sterile” cultivars can still produce viable seed. Purple loosestrife has invaded wetlands in northern Indiana, forming pure stands that choke out native vegetation. It has also been found in parts of central and southern Indiana. It is ILLEGAL to buy, sell, or plant purple loosestrife in Indiana.Ohio Fact Sheet. Copied from Meet Indiana’s Bad Guys at the Indiana Native Plant Society.
Another invasive plant species is in full bloom right now. Those patches of purplish-pink flowers you see along...
Another invasive plant species is in full bloom right now. Those patches of purplish-pink flowers you see along waterways (and in some home gardens) are purple loosestrife. While it may look pretty, according to a fact sheet at Indiana Native Plant & Wildflower Society, it readily adapts to wetlands, edging out native grasses, sedges, and other flowering plants that provide a higher quality source of nutrition for wildlife. Even if not planted near a waterway, its seeds are widely distributed by animals, machinery and people.
Check Invasive Plants of Ohio - Purple Loosestrife for more info and to learn removal strategies. In Indiana, it is illegal to buy, sell, or plant purple loosestrife. It is also illegal to sell in Ohio and restricted in Michigan.
PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE: Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) is a colorful perennial invasive plant introduced as an ornamental over a hundred years ago. A well-known invasive, this costly natural lake and wetland invader dominates the plant community, reduces open water habitat, and crowds out native wetland species. As a prolific seeder producing millions of seeds per plant, purple loosestrife creates large populations very quickly. What few Hoosiers may not know is it is illegal to sell, offer to sell, give away, plant, or distribute any Lythrum species.
Indiana’s natural resources are everyone’s responsibility. Be aware of what species are non-native and which have shown invasive characteristics. Plant natives whenever possible.
Don’t be tricked by Purple Loosestrife’s (Lythrum salicaria) pretty flowers! It is an aggressive invasive plant found in wetlands throughout the park. A single plant can release millions of seeds a year! Because of their aggressive nature, Purple Loosestrife can easily outcompete native vegetation in wetlands, diminishing their value to native wildlife. Blue Flag Iris is one of many native plants that purple loosestrife threatens in these unique habitats.
Picture 1: Invasives Purple Loosestrife along the edge of The Calumet Lagoon in Miller Woods.
Picture 2: Native Blue Flag Iris in a wetland at Miller Woods.
Star of Bethlehem is a member of the lily family. It is believed to have originated in the Mediterranean region in countries such as Italy, Greece and Turkey. It is a highly aggressive poisonous plant. It has naturalized in the Eastern United States. It grows especially well in disturbed and degraded waste areas. The bulb consists of alkaloids and is poisonous to grazing animals. Some folks develop skin rashes simply by handling the plant. A few people have died as a result of thinking the bulbs were wild onions and eating them. Copied from The Plant Medic: Get rid of invasive, poisonous Star of Bethlehem Ricky Kemery April 6, 2024 The Journal Gazette newspaper.
