Assertiveness vs. aggressiveness in Horticulture

Call out to The Casual Gardener and Yardeners:

Quick note to those who wish to appreciate easy care plants but not create extra work in the landscape.


Please take the time to become familiar with the plants considered possibly invasive in Missouri and don't plant them. When you find them- remove them while they are small and easy to manage.


These are at the least high maintaince plants when you decide enough is enough. Also take care not to use the word "invasive" carelessly as many harmless plants that reseed easly and can be controled with a quick clip are getting confused with some more problematic plants that are moving out of our reach and causing control difficulties by crowding out our natural landscape ( see invasive Honeysuckle picture above)


Most importantly- know what is a problem in your specific area. All adaptive plants are not invasive everywhere and there are friendly plant members in many of these plant families that are best choices for a garden. My favorite honeysuckle is a non-invasive native to the lower Midwest, Lonicera sempervirens- I wouldn't ever have a garden without it!

Hopefully Growing Smarter All The Time,

MaryAnn


P.S. Here are some helpful links to help you know more about this topic!


http://www.cas.vanderbilt.edu/bioimages/pages/invasive-plants.htm

http://www.usna.usda.gov/Gardens/invasives.html

http://www.fleppc.org/FNGA/St.Louis.htm

http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/unitedstates/mo.shtml

http://www.ill-inps.org/

http://www.chicagobotanic.org/research/conservation/invasive/index.php