A Word of CAUTION: Invasive Plants to Avoid

Natural Landscaping
in Northfield and the Cannon River Region

Invasive Plants

Almost every garden is home to at least a few exotic species. Often determining what is (and isn't), however, is difficult, as the definition of exotic (as well as of native) is continually debated. One term that conservationists and naturalists alike do generally agree on though is 'invasive exotics'. These harmful plants threaten native plant communities, degrade fish and wildlife habitat, restrict recreational activity, and reduce agricultural yields if they naturalize in a foreign environment (MnDNR).

Here are a few important questions to ask to determine if a plant is invasive:

Is it self-sowing or does it naturalize?
Can it spread its seeds far by wind or water (or by being wildlife food)?
Are there any natural controls (climate, pests, mainenance)?
Does it kill or suppress the growth of surrounding plants (shading them out, poisoning them or out-competing them for food and water)?

Listed below are several exotic and/or invasive plant species the DNR and EPA recommend avoiding, due to their invasive natures in American soil.

TREES
Amur Cork Tree Phellodendron amurense	Norway maple acer platanoides
Amur Maple Acer ginnala	Siberian Elm Ulmus pumila
Black Locust Rominia pseudocacia	Siberian Peashrub Caragana arborescens
European Alder Alnus glutinosa	Tree of Heaven Ailanthus altissima
Goldenraintree Koelruteria paniculata	White Poplar Populus alba

SHRUBS AND VINES
Amur Honeysuckle L. maackii	Japanese Honeysuckle Lonicera japonica
Autumn Olive Eleagnus umellata	Japanese Spiraea Spiraea japonica
Burningbush Euonymus alatus	Japanese Yew Taxus cuspidata
Butterfly Bush Budlia davidii	Morrow Honeysuckle Lonicera morrowi
Common barberry Berberis vulgaris	Multiflora Rose Rosa multiflora
Common Buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica	Oriental Bittersweet Celastrus orbiculatus
Cotoneaster Cononeaster microphyllus C. pannosus, C. lacteus	Porcelainberry Ampelopsis brevipendunculata
English Ivy Hedra helix	Privit Ligustrum vulgare
Glossy Buckthorn Rhamnus frangula	Russion Olive Eleagnus angustifolia
Guelder Rose Viburnum opulus var. opulus	Tartarian Honeysuckle Lonicera tatarica
Japanese barberry Berberis thunbergii	Wintercreeper Euonymus fortunei

GRASSES AND GRASS-LIKE PLANTS
Amur silver grass Miscanthus sacchariflorus	Giant Reed Phragmites communis
Chinese Silver Grass Miscanthus sinensis	Reed Canary Grass Phalaris arundinacea
Smooth brome grass Bromus inermis

FLOWERS AND GROUNDCOVER
Crown Vetch (or Axseed) Coronilla varia	Grecian foxglove Digitalis lanata
Dame’s Rocket Hesperis matronalis	Japanese Knotweed Fallopia japonica
Flowering rush Butomus umbellatus	Myrtle, or Periwinkle Vinca minor
Foxglove Digitalis purpurea	Pachysandra Pachysandra terminalis
Garlic mustard Alliaria officinalis	Purple Loosestrife Lythrum salicaria
Spotted Knapweed Centaurea maculosa

HERBACIOUS PLANTS
Birdsfoot trefoil Lotus corniculatus	Leafy spurge Eupohorbia esula
Bull thistle Circisum vulgare	Musk or nodding thistle Carduus nutans
Butter and Eggs or common toadflax Linaria vulgaris	Orange hawkweed Hieracium aurantiacum
Canada thistle Cirsium arvense	Oxeye daisy Chrysanthemum leucanthemum
Common tansy Tanacetum vulgare	Perennial sow thistle Sonchus arvensis
Cow vetch and hairy vetch Vicia cracca, V. villosa	Queen Ann’s lace Daucus carota
Creeping Charlie, ground ivy, or gill-over-the-ground Glechoma bederacea	White and yellow sweet clover Melitotus alba M. officinalis
Hoary alyssum Alliaria petiolata	Wild parsnip Pastinaca sativa
Japanese knotweed Polygonum cuspidatum	Yellow iris Iris pseudacorus

Information collected from:
Invasive/Harmful Terrestrial Plants (MnDNR)
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/terrestrialplants/index.html
EPA: Going Native, Homeowner’s Series, sheet #5
http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/ecopage/springfieldtwp/Sheet5.pdf

read over the city codes
back to top

Lawn History

A Landscaping Revolution

Getting Started

CAUTION!!!

Invasive Plants

City Codes

Northfield Lawns

Local Resources

Conclusions