Native Plants as Alternatives to Invasive Ones

An invasive plant is defined by the U.S. government as one “that is not native to the ecosystem under consideration and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health.”   Invasive plants displace native plants.  They do so by occupying the same spot, growing faster, taller, or wider and shading out native species.  Invasive plants alter hydrology and disrupt nutrient cycles.  All of this has a devastating effect on native plants and animals.  

A few traits of a plants offer a somewhat foolproof system of knowing whether or not it will become invasive.  Plants that produce fruits that are dispersed by birds are at the top of the list.  You should, thereby, always choose native species when choosing plant material.  So you ask, “What is a native plant?”  A native plant has been defined by the federal plant Conservation Alliance “as one that occurs naturally in a particular region ecosystem, and/or habitat without direct or indirect human intervention.”  Native plants can, rarely, become invasive.  For example, disturbances caused by humans, such as timber cutting, may result in an overgrowth of a particular native plant.  However, once things begin to fill in again, this growth spurt of the native plant stops.