LANDSCAPE AND GROUNDS MANAGEMENT

By Evelyn Long

When deciding what to plant , landscape and grounds management professionals must be sure they don ’ t incorporate invasive species , as they can pose a threat to the surrounding natural ecosystem . Many of the plants that are now considered invasive have escaped from past gardens and landscapes , and even though they look beautiful in a flowerbed or landscape , it ’ s best to steer clear of them .

Invasive plants are alien or non-native to the ecosystem . They will spread when introduced to a region because they have little competition . If things get out of hand , they will likely cause economic , environmental and health damage .

Here are some reasons why invasive plants are thriving in almost any climate or region :

They produce many seeds in a short amount of time , making them easy to spread .

Invasives thrive on any soil , even if it is disturbed .

Some non-native plants can produce chemicals that prevent other plants from growing near them .

Root systems on invasive species can stretch far and wide , preventing natives from spreading .

The seeds are distributed by various means , such as animals , wind and even human contact .

The root systems also grow densely , meaning they overtake others around them .

The impact of invasive species makes it difficult to grow any native plants , and invasive plants often hard to get rid of . These efforts can

Japanese honeysuckle ( Lonicera japonica ). Photos by Ann Murray . Copyright University of Florida

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