Re: Geroge Ball's talk at GWA Philly Flower Show

**"Peter Loewer" t*@earthlink.net**

Regarding kudzu, one should remember that it was specifically the railroad barons who needed a cheap erosion control as they dug their way throughout the Southeast slashing hillsides and making incredible tunnels. One should also remember the corn lobby and their intense efforts to discredit the vine has led to the result that most people have no idea just how valuable a resource it is. As the invasive plants, most of the problems in this country are the result of nurseries bringing them in. For example, spiraea, honeysuckle, the multiflora rose (Horticulture magazine ran ads for this invasive all through the 1970s), the wineberry, Arundo donax, Himalayan Steppe grass ( brought in for packing material in Tennessee), and on and on and on. And before you discredit poison ivy, John Bartram sold it by the pot in the first American nursery as everybody wanted it in their backyard, climbing up an apple tree, not only to feed wildlife but for the great autumn color.
This argument has been simmering for years and while it simmers, gardening itself has been stolen by the folks with more money than brains, and they will continue to set the trends. Peter
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <FRIELSTER@aol.com>
To: <gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 21, 2006 8:24 PM
Subject: Re: [GWL] Geroge Ball's talk at GWA Philly Flower Show


> Well, y'know, there ARE invasive plants that should not be planted in  places 
> where they're apt to cause problems. Orum's "right plant/right place" is  
> right on. Case in point: Miscanthus. This most popular ornamental grass is  
> invasive in some areas, perfectly okay in others. 
> That's not the case with, say, Lythrum, which some nurseries still  sell, 
> years after we know better. It's a problem from the Great Lakes to  the 
> Midatlantic.
> One of George Ball's arguments, if I recall correctly, seemed to be  that 
> kudzu entered the US by accident, mixed with cattle feed. Not so: Kudzu was  
> brought in quite deliberately, to be used as cattle feed and for erosion  control. 
> The USDA encouraged and subsidized farmers to plant it. Does anyone  think 
> that was a good idea? Doesn't it tend to argue that we should be just a  tad 
> cautious about new plants?
> Orum's also right about ground covers: Any plant worthy of the name HAS to  
> be somewhat invasive, or at least aggressive, to do the job. But I'd like to  
> know what he's taking to task. Do you know where I can find Becke  Davis' 
> article on invasives?
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