Invasive plants
Some plants are perfect little angels who only want to please you. Others are such aggressive brats it seems the only way to end the misery is to pack up and move. The latter usually get their bad reputations for a good reason. However, gardeners may have totally opposite experiences with the same plant, which makes sense when you recognize there are variations in exposure, drainage and soil characteristics even within our own gardens.
Consider these guidelines when choosing and introducing new plants:
- Before planting something new to you, do a bit of research to learn its typical growth rate and how it multiplies.
- Listen to fellow gardeners and weigh their experiences.
- If a plant gets negative reviews, you may not need to rule it out absolutely. A plant that spreads by runners and produces little seed, for example, might remain manageable in a pot or within a barrier.
- You may be able to control a slightly pushy plant by pruning or by pulling suckers or runners to keep it neat and orderly.
- Don’t assume that if a certain species is native, it can’t be as thuggish as a non-native invasive species in a garden setting.
- Some non-native invasives can not only take over your garden but also nearby natural areas. Purple loosestrife, for example, chokes and overtakes wetlands and is so noxious that its sale is prohibited in some areas. A mature specimen may have as many as 30 flowering stems capable of producing 3 million tiny seeds per year, according to the National Park Service. For a list of problem invasives in our area, visit www.invasive.org/eastern.