Re: Invasives vs vigorous plants (Was:Re: Concern for us collectors(Please Read)/ Diann)

Excellent point, Gerry.  Thanks.

Diann

> -----Original Message-----
> From: PRIMROSES [s*@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU]On Behalf Of
> Gerry/Bob O'Neill
> Sent: Friday, August 04, 2000 6:25 AM
> To: shadegardens@MAELSTROM.STJOHNS.EDU
> Subject: [SG] Invasives vs vigorous plants (Was:Re: [SG] Concern for us
> collectors(Please Read)/ Diann)
>
>
> Gene, there's another distinction that is getting lost in this discussion.
> That is, plants that have the potential to take over your yard vs. plants
> that have the potential to escape from cultivation and outcompete natives
> in the wild on a large scale. Maybe that's the difference between
> "invasive"  and "vigorous."  A plant that spreads rampantly in
> your yard is
> vigorous...Plants like purple loosestrife or kudzu or banana poke
> in Hawaii
> that have altered entire ecosystems are invasive.
>
> It is the nurserymen like yourself and Dan who have to have the skills and
> perception to know the difference, not we gardeners. It is your
> responsibility to determine which plants are potential threats and it is
> our responsibility to listen to you and then not become agents of
> destruction by growing them.
>
> No, I don't want the USDA to tell me which plants I can grow or not grow,
> but if nurserymen are not responsible enough to stop selling the stuff and
> gardeners are not responsible enough to stop growing the stuff, then maybe
> some regulation *is* needed.
>
> Gerry (ducking and covering)
>
>
>
> At 05:35 PM 8/3/00 -0400, you wrote:
>   Invasive? you decide. I have them here and they have not taken over the
> >garden as yet.
> >    On the "invasive" versus "vigorous" we are back where we
> started on this.
> >There is no way to tell all gardeners all over the U.S. that a plant will
> >definitely be one or the other. Dividing line is also pretty fine here.
> You may
> >"want" an invasive in some situations.. such as an embankment
> that washes out
> >continually. There is a place in nature and gardens for these types of
> plants or
> >they would not have evolved to fill the niche. My suggestion is when you
> read the
> >word vigorous, do your homework before ordering and then if you
> choose to go
> >ahead... keep an eye on its performance.
> >    The previous owner who used ivy probably worked hard to get
> that stuff
> all
> >over the place... see, they wanted it.. It is you who does
> not... now that
> it is
> >there. Differing perceptions of the same area by different gardeners.
> >    No easy answers.. if there are "answers"
> >    Gene Bush     Southern Indiana    Zone 6a     Munchkin Nursery
>
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