Nuisance Species:
Invasive Non-native Plants

Description:

Exotics or invasive non-native species is a reference to plants or animals that are not native to the area of interest. In a real sense, these species are "out of place," when they are introduced into a location where they didn't naturally evolve.

Exotics represent a threat to the ecosystem because they can displace native plants and animals. Many introduced species are aggressive and spread quickly with no natural pests or predators to keep their populations in check. This allows them to outcompete the native species and dominate the landscape, compromising the richness and health of the ecosystem.

As part of a larger restoration effort at Mud Lake in St. Paul, neighbors were concerned about purple loosestrife outcompeting their native plantings and taking over their common backyard lake (top photo). Instead of spraying the loosestrife with herbicide which would also kill the native plantings, a biological control approach was adopted. Beetles that feed specifically on purple loosestrife were released in 1997 and the loosestrife was in check by 1999. The dramatic results over a two-year period are obvious in the project photos above.

For specific control recommendations, see the Invasive Non-native Plant Section in the Plant Guide.

Reed canary grass is another common invasive species along shorelines. Learn more about how this nuisance plant impacted a shoreland project on Lake Gervais.