A great reference of native plant alternatives to plants that can become invasive. (Source: US Forest Service Celebrating Wildflowers Website: http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/nativegardening/alternatives.shtml#note1)
Traditional Planting |
Desirable Characteristics |
Great Alternatives |
Japanese Wisteria | showy flowers, fragrance | woodland phlox, Phlox divaricatus sweet azalea, Rhododendron canescens coast azalea, Rhododendron atlanticum American wisteria, Wisteria frutescens |
Japanese Honeysuckle | fragrant flowers | leatherflower, Clematis viorna Carolina jasmine, Gelsemium sempervirens trumpet honeysuckle, Lonicera sempervirens sweetbay magnolia, Magnolia virginiana purple passionflower, Passiflora incarnata |
English Ivy | Drought Tolerant Evergreen | plantain-leaved sedge, Carex plantaginea marginal woodfern, Dryopteris marginalis woodland aster, Eurybia divaricatus alumroot, Heuchera villosa creeping mint, Meehania cordata Allegheny spurge, Pachysandra procumbens creeping phlox, Phlox stolonifera Solomon’s seal, Polygonatum biflorum Christmas fern, Polystichum acrostichoides |
Autumn Olive | Drought Tolerant | strawberry bush, Euonymus americanus wax-myrtle, Myrica cerifera meadowsweet, Spiraea latifolia mapleleaf viburnum, Viburnum acerifolium |
Barberry | Cheap/Nice Fruit | strawberry bush, Euonymus americanus shrubby St. Johnswort, Hypericum prolificum winterberry, Ilex verticillata deerberry, Vaccinium stamineum mapleleaf viburnum, Viburnum acerifolium |
Purple Loosestrife | Long Bloom Season/Wet Tolerant | swamp milkweed, Asclepias incarnata sweet pepperbush, Clethra alnifolia purple coneflower, Echinacea purpurea gayfeather, Liatris spicata grass-leaved blazing star, Liatris pilosa green-headed coneflower, Rudbeckia laciniata New York ironweed, Vernonia novaboracensis |
Miscanthus species | Strong Vertical and Fall/Winter Interest | split-beard bluestem, Andropogon ternarius switchgrass, Panicum virgatum sugarcane plumegrass, Saccharum giganteum little bluestem, Schizachyrium scoparium Indiangrass, Sorghastrum nutans |
Lesser Celandine | Early Color | spring beauty, Claytonia virginica yellow ragwort, Senecio aureus Other spring ephemerals, if nursery propagated |
Asian Bittersweet | Showy Fruits | American bittersweet, Celastrus scandens Virginia rose, Rosa virginiana |
Porcelainberry | Fast Grower/Colorful Fruits | gray dogwood, Cornus racemosa Virginia creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia swamp haw viburnum, Viburnum nudum |
Shrubby honeysuckle | Replant after removal | spicebush, Lindera benzoin highbush blueberry, Vaccinium corymbosum arrow-wood viburnum, Viburnum dentatum |
Burning Bush Euonymus | Fall Color | fringed bluestar, Amsonia ciliata Hubricht’s bluestar, Amsonia hubrichtii witch-alder, Fothergilla gardenii oak-leaf hydrangea, Hydrangea quercifolia fetterbush, Leucothoe racemosa swamp haw, Viburnum dentatum arrow-wood viburnum, Viburnum nudum |
I’m truly enjoying the design and layout of
your website. It’s a very easy on the eyes which makes it much
more enjoyable for me to come here and visit more often. Did you hire out
a designer to create your theme? Exceptional work!
Glad you like it. It’s just a WordPress template with personal photos.
Awesome blog you have here but I was curious about if you kne of any forums
that cover the same topics talked about in this article?
I’d really like to be a part of communty where I can get opinins froom other knowledgeable
people that share the sae interest. If you have
any suggestions, ploease let me know. Cheers!
Check the Master Gardener program in your area to find like minded gardeners perhaps.