Invasives on the Horizon is a series of articles which ran in the Wild Ones Journal in 2008 and 2009. Written by Journal contributing editor and Wild Ones member Janet Allen, each Invasives on the Horizon focuses on a different invasive plant species.
Adding insult to injury “The native American beauties that turned rural roads into blazes of color in the days when America was naturally beautiful!” Wouldn’t you know that people – even this nursery – often call this invasive plant a “native”? As galling as it may be, it’s understandable. All our lives, we’ve seen this […] Continue reading "The Daylilly (Hemerocallis sp.)"
“I know that Dame’s rocket is technically an invasive exotic, but I love this plant. Despite being labeled an exotic, they have also long been a staple of American gardens – an heirloom species from the nineteenth century. So, while not native, they’re traditional.” – Found on an Internet gardening site. This comment illustrates a […] Continue reading "Dame’s Rocket (Hesperis Matronalis)"
Natural landscaping advocates rejoice when they see homeowners reducing the size of their lawns. This isn’t always good news, though. Back in my conventional landscaping days, I got rid of lawn in places where turf grass didn’t grow well. And what did I plant instead? Groundcovers – the kinds readily available at garden centers and […] Continue reading "Covering The Ground With Invasives"
Last summer, we stopped to camp in a state park just north of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It had been a long day’s drive, so we were ready to stretch our legs and see a bit of the natural world in an ecoregion different from our own. In one way, though, we felt right at […] Continue reading "Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii)"
The Northeast is renowned for its fall color – the reds and golds of maples, the yellows of clethra and spicebush, the ruby glow of blueberry and chokeberry bushes. And, since its introduction to the United States, from Asia in the 1860s, the gaudy red of burning bush (Euonymus alata), also known as winged euonymus, […] Continue reading "Burning Bush (Euonymus alata)"
Nothing draws people’s ire as quickly as suggesting that they not plant buddleia in a butterfly garden. It’s understandable that people plant buddleias (Buddleia davidii or B. alternifolia; sometimes spelled Buddleja). After all, most garden books and websites include them in their lists of butterfly garden plants. And it’s easy to see why people like […] Continue reading "Nipped In The Buddleia (Buddleia davidii)"
Last summer at the edge of my yard, I spotted a vine with an unusual purplish-black, starshaped flower. In the past, I might not have noticed it. But courtesy of the hours we Habitat Gardening in Central New York (NY) Chapter members spent in intimate contact with that plant, I immediately recognized the villain: black […] Continue reading "Black Swallowwort (Cynanchum nigrum)"
Looking for a big impact in your garden? Want to shade an undesirable view, or create a shady sitting area under a pergola? Cover a fence? How about a plant for a small garden where vertical gardening is necessary? Need a plant for erosion control? A fast-growing vine with beautiful red stems and bright blue […] Continue reading "Porcelainberry (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata)"