Invasive and Native Plant Resources||Invasive Exotic Plants Chart

Invasive Exotic Plants

Non-native (exotic) plants can invade your woodlands and out-compete native plants, resulting in:

slower tree growth
loss of biological diversity
threats to native plant populations
degraded wildlife habitat
poor hiking conditions

Learn how to take back your forest.

What Are Invasive Exotic Plants?
When a plant is not native to an area it is an exotic. That means an exotic plant could be from thousands of miles away, or from a neighboring state. How do exotic plants get to Ohio? Some were brought here on purpose to grow for food, medicine, or for beauty. Some were brought here for functional purposes such as erosion control or for wildlife food. Accidental introductions occur when seeds come mixed with other seeds, in the ballast waters of ships, or as hitchhikers on clothes, pets, etc.

Some of these exotic plants are also invasive, meaning they can take over our native woodlands. These plants have few or no natural enemies (insects, disease pathogens). They are mostly of little wildlife value.

Invasive exotic plants, such as multiflora rose, are causing serious ecological problems for native plants and wildlife, as well as problems for farmers and other landowners. At one time, multiflora rose was promoted as a living fence row. Today we know better; multiflora rose will spread to just about any open space. It shades out forage grass for livestock and will prevent reforestation by choking out tree seedlings. Multiflora rose displaces native plants and costs millions to control statewide. Other invasive exotic plants cause similar problems for landowners.

Aggressive Defense...
The control of invasive plants can be labor intensive, so an aggressive defense is necessary:

Do not landscape with potentially invasive exotic plants.
Landscape with native plants, trees and shrubs. Many native plants have wildlife food value and are adapted to this area so they require less watering and care. Contact the Ohio Division of Wildlife for information on beneficial native plants. Nurseries are now starting to carry native stock for landscaping needs.
Landowners need to survey their land for invasive plants and remove them before they get a strong foothold.

Safe Removal...
In order to take back your land from invasive exotic plants, the most environmentally safe method is hand removal:

The invasive plants growing in the forest shade are the easiest to pull and remove.
Please be careful that the plant is not in seed or you many spread the seeds on your land.
If a plant is small, just pull it up. Remove as much of the root systems as possible. If it re-sprouts , keep pulling.
If a plant is too large to pull, and especially if it is growing in full sun, then cut it year after year to weaken and eventually kill the plant.
Many invasive plants stay green longer than native plants, so the best time to identify and remove them is during late fall and winter months when the other plants are leafless.