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INVASIVE PLANTS
Florida brought in Old World climbing fern as an ornamental; the vine later smothered more than 100,000 acres and can carry ground fires into tree canopiesOnce admired for its ornamental beauty, the old world climbing fern has now wreaked havoc on Florida's ecosystems. This invasive plant grow...- In 1830, chinaberry was introduced to the US as an ornamental tree; it later spread into forests across the SouthChinaberry trees, initially brought to the Southern U.S. in the 1830s for their beauty, have proliferated extensively. These invasive speci...
- Florida planted Australian pine for shade, windbreaks, and storm protection; by 1993, the fast-growing tree had invaded more than 372,000 acresAustralian pines were brought to Florida in the 1800s as a means of protecting against storms and enhancing landscapes. By 1993, however, t...
- Japanese climbing fern came to the US as an ornamental; it now spreads across at least 6 Southern states, climbing over trees and helping fire reach their crownsJapanese climbing ferns, introduced for ornamental purposes, have proliferated across southern forests since the early 1900s. These ferns p...
- In 1927, the US brought in weeping lovegrass for cattle and erosion control; one strain was later planted across 2 million acres of Oklahoma and TexasInitially introduced to the U.S. in the 1930s to alleviate soil erosion caused by the Dust Bowl, weeping lovegrass rapidly expanded across ...
- Hawaii introduced black wattle as a forestry tree; it escaped cultivation and now chokes about 3,000 acres of Maui pasture, gulches, and empty lotsBlack wattle has become a formidable invasive force in Hawaii, spreading rapidly beyond its initial planting zones into the island's treasu...
- US oil companies aim to squeeze more out of refineries as war supply crunch weighsUS oil companies are enhancing refinery capacities and reopening closed plants due to global supply disruptions. ExxonMobil and Chevron rep...
- They cleared invasive shrubs from a Pennsylvania forest; What grew back surprised researchersResearchers cleared 18 invasive shrub species from a Pennsylvania woodland and followed it for seven years. Native plants and young trees r...
- Musk says he was behind Starlink speed restriction after service in Ukraine restoredUkraine's Starlink services were restored after speed restrictions affected military operations for over a week. President Volodymyr Zelens...
- In the late 1800s, America imported Japanese hops for medicine and gardens; escaped vines can now form 4-foot-thick blankets with thousands of plants per acreIntroduced to the United States in the late 1800s, Japanese hops were initially valued for their ornamental and medicinal qualities. Howeve...
- Missiles strike Ukraine's Kyiv after Russia agrees to US call to resume Ukraine peace talksMissiles struck Kyiv early Thursday, following a previous evening air strike that injured six people. In Lipetsk, a drone attack resulted i...
- Before 1850, Americans grew Dyer’s woad for blue dye; in the Great Basin, one infestation later grew from 12,000 to 150,000 acres in eight yearsDyer's woad, once used for blue dye, has become an invasive species in the American West. This plant produces a high number of seeds and th...
- In 1935, Australian government released 2,400 toads to destroy crop-eating beetles. Almost 100 years later, 200 million giant toads threaten 75 wildlife speciesSometimes, a solution can become an impending disaster. In the 1930s, the Australia government released more than 2000 cane toads imported ...
- In the late 1800s, Americans planted lesser celandine for its bright yellow flowers; it escaped gardens, reached 31 states and covered 400 acres in one Ohio parkLesser celandine, once embraced for its beauty, has turned into a significant environmental challenge across multiple regions. This invasiv...
- In the 1950s, California brought in Cape ivy as an ornamental vine; it spread across 500,000+ acres, cutting native seedling variety by as much as 95%Cape ivy, introduced to California in the 1950s for ornamental purposes, has turned into a destructive invasive species. Its rapid growth s...
- By the late 1700s, European periwinkles had reached America; planted as ornamental ground cover, escaped plants covered 29,254 acres across 12 Southern states by 2008European periwinkles, once introduced to enhance gardens in the US, have become a troublesome invasive species in natural habitats. Their s...
- Connecticut began clearing an invasive reed from Highstead Pond in 2012; 98% was killed, and by 2017 native plant richness around the pond had increased 39%Highstead Preserve embarked on an ambitious multi-year project aimed at controlling the invasive common reed to foster the growth of native...
- In East Texas, excluding feral hogs from forest plots for 7 years more than doubled the abundance of woody plant species with large seedsIn the Big Thicket National Preserve, feral hogs significantly disrupt forest ecosystems by consuming seeds and disturbing soil. A study re...
- In the 1700s, European teasel reached America, including a type used to finish cloth; today it grows in 43 of 48 lower states, and one plant can make 2,000+ seedsIntroduced to North America in the 1700s for its valuable role in the textile industry, teasel quickly outgrew its intended purpose, becomi...
- Researchers removed invasive Japanese stiltgrass from 8 Indiana forest sites; native plant diversity rose 24%, while herbicide-treated plots had 123% greater tree seedling density than controlsThe spread of Japanese stiltgrass across eastern forests poses a significant threat to the diversity of native plants. Research indicates t...
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