Re: invasives

No, I haven't, but I will ask the library to get it for me on inter-library loan.
While it is true that in many countries, plants have traveled freely, there are still many parts of the world that have been relatively (emphasize Relatively) free from intrusion. Some of these have extremely tight import restrictions and eradication programs today.
I hope that Ms. Baskins distinguishes between "native" and "naturalized." Some of our common weeds were brought here by the colonists for food or as medicinals. As such, they've been here for a long time. That doesn't mean that they're not changing, or even damaging, local ecology. Privet, one of our most expensive and damaging pests, was in this country by the mid-1800's . It was first noticed as a pest in 1950, and now is costing millions of dollars per year in removal costs. It severely damages the eco-system around woodland streams, and its removal is not only difficult, but wholesale removal leaves streambanks in danger of erosion, with severe sedimentation downstream.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not a "natives-only" nut, but I think we all need to be more aware of the potential for some plants to get out of control, and to educate ourselves about the habitats that can be damaged by our choices. I used to pooh-pooh the invasive plants lists until I discovered how plants travel, and that they're tied more to the site than the state.
I'm betting that Callery (Bradford-type) Pears and Crapemyrtles will be the next big pests in my part of the world. Chinese Hollies and Eleagnus are starting to pop up everywhere, too, in addition to the before-mentioned Nandinas and Mahonias. Duchesne and Japanese Bamboo Grass (Microstegium- not Bambusa) are also a threat. Buddleias weren't a problem until a couple of years ago. They're starting to spread, too. And then there's Ivy... 

d
----- Original Message ----- From: "Andrea Hodges" <andreah@hargray.com> 
To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2008 11:54 AM
Subject: Re: [CHAT] invasives
Daryl-have you read "A Plague of Rats and Rubbervines" by Yvonne Baskins? It's one of my assigned readings for my oral defense. LONG book but interesting so far. I had no idea that pretty much very little in most countries is a true native for centuries past. 
A
----- Original Message ----- From: "Daryl" <pulis@mindspring.com> 
To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2008 6:51 AM
Subject: Re: [CHAT] Lonicera fragrantissima
A common misconception is that invasive plants are only invasive in an area immediately surrounding them. This is rarely the case. Nandina and Mahonia and Callery Pears are popping up all through the woodlands of Georgia, and even plague my landscape. They're all escapees from landscape plantings.
Many people think of Kudzu as being the premier invasive. It's not nearly as bad as those plants that have berries or seeds that the birds eat spread like a metastatic cancer.
Some plants do both, of course -think of Japanese Honeysuckle and Privet and Oriental Bittersweet.
We don't always see where they're going, since many of them need disturbed soil in which to take root, and that soil may be many miles away. Some need the moisture provided near creeks, and often pop up along streams in the woods, far from where we see them. Others may be held in check by local climate conditions, but take over when spread to other areas.
d (Member of the Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council and instructor on Invasives and Their Control).
----- Original Message ----- From: "Zemuly Sanders" <zemuly@comcast.net> 
To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
Sent: Saturday, January 05, 2008 6:15 PM
Subject: Re: [CHAT] Lonicera fragrantissima
Apparently that's not happening here. The plant I got mine from is ancient and only has suckers as far as the branches extend, which is about 10-12 feet. Sometimes I think the plant police get a little hysterical. I've never heard of it being considered a pest in this part of the state. 
zem
----- Original Message ----- From: "Daryl" <pulis@mindspring.com> 
To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
Sent: Saturday, January 05, 2008 8:46 AM
Subject: Re: [CHAT] Lonicera fragrantissima
You should know that this plant is considered a pest in many parts of the country, including Tennessee. I've never seen a berry on mine, but I've kept an eye out. 

d

U.S. Weed Information:
Lonicera fragrantissima Lindl. & Paxton

January jasmine
sweet breath-of-spring
This plant can be weedy or invasive according to the authoritative sources noted below. This plant may be known by one or more common names in different places, and some are listed above. Click on an acronym to view each weed list, or click here for a composite list of Weeds of the U.S.
SEEPPC Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council. 1996. Invasive exotic pest plants in Tennessee (19 October 1999). Research Committee of the Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council. Tennessee. 


d

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