Native Plants
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Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
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Saturday - September 03, 2011
From: Anchorage, AK
Region: Northwest
Topic: General Botany, Invasive Plants
Title: Have invasive plants no useful purpose from Anchorage AK
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
Does the definition of invasive plants include that the plant has no useful purpose? Thanks.ANSWER:
Please read our How-To Article When is a Guest a Pest? which covers the things we would say about invasives.
The problem then is to define a "useful purpose." While some of our invasives are native that have gotten ahead of other plants due to environmental conditions, most invasives are non-native or alien. Some were stowaways on ships, some were seeded by birds or strong winds, or have gradually spread from connecting parts of the continent. Most, however, have been deliberately brought here for specific purposes, "useful" purposes in the eye of the conveyor. For instance:
Previous Mr. Smarty Plants answer-King Ranch Bluestem
The United States Arboretum - Invasive Plants
Plant Conservation Alliance's Alien Plant Working Group LEAST WANTED - Bastard Cabbage
On the other hand, to be the Devil's Advocate, let's consider photosynthesis. From a previous Mr. Smarty Plants answer: "When sunlight strikes a leaf, a process called photosynthesis is put into play, the plant converts the energy from the sun, combines it with water and nutrients in the plant, and metabolizes it into food to support the plant, form new structures within the plant, and store food in the roots. Along the way, it releases oxygen, which is a good thing for the human race. The plant uses carbon dioxide, not good for breathing in the process, and releases much needed oxygen as a waste product!" How cool is that? From sunlight and photosynthesis the whole food chain of Nature is begun. This happens in native plants, alien plants and invasive plants. It's hard to call a plant useless. It may be irritating, poisonous, ugly, intrusive, but it is still feeding all the lifeforms and providing oxygen.
More Invasive Plants Questions
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December 31, 2011 - My problem is chickweed. I have found considerable information on how to eliminate the chickweed. My question is after following a suggested elimination process: How and when do I reseed with grass?...
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Possibility of camas being raised in Edmonton, Alberta
September 18, 2007 - I live in Edmonton, Alberta, and wish to find out how "Camassia (leichtlinii white) will fare in this zone.
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Non-native genista racemosa from Leander TX
March 28, 2012 - Hello, Mr. Smarty Plants. I fear I've made a horrible purchase at a local plant place. Bought a "broom" plant--it's not listed in your database. Latin name: genista racemosa, according to tag. ...
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Death of non-native eleaegnus from Austin
March 30, 2013 - We have a long hedge of elaeagnus, about 5 ft tall. Four of them died in the middle of the hedge. Where can we find such big plants? Is it advisable to unroot and transplant from another area?
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Determining whether a wisteria is native in Katy TX
July 30, 2010 - If a wisteria is blooming after the leaves are out (there are a couple of blooms right now, in July), is it a sure sign that this is a native Texas wisteria?
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