GARDENSMART OREGON

A Guide to Non-Invasive Plants

Linda R McMahan, OSU Extension Service, Yamhill County

OSU Plant ID Pictures used by permission of Patrick Breen © Oregon State University

Download at: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pdf/ec/ec1620.pdf

This publication is a “landmark collaboration” among many organizations, including the City of Portland, Oregon Public Broadcasting, the Oregon Association of Nurseries, and the OSU Extension Service

PART OF “THE SILENT INVASION” GardenSmart was part of a campaign

throughout Oregon to raise awareness about invasive species.

The following slide shows the Oregon Public Broadcasting webpage on this campaign, called “The Silent Invasion” as it appeared last year.

As an exercise, visit the current website and explore it for additional information.

http://www.opb.org/programs/invasives/

Invasive Facts – Invasive Species are A Serious ProblemInvasive Species Defined - a species that is non-native or alien to the ecosystem under consideration and whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health http://www.wildflower.org/invasive/PW_Brochure.pdf

Invasive Facts http://www.wildflower.org/invasive/PW_Brochure.pdf

• Invasive species are the # 1 threat tonative biodiversity on protected lands• Invasive plants are spreading overapproximately 1,729,730 acres per year of U.S. wildlife habitat• Scientists estimate that invasive plants cost our economy $35 billion or more in damages and treatment each year

THE IDENTITY OF SOME OF OUR INVASIVE SPECIES MAY SURPRISE YOU

For example, take a look at the poster shown on the next slide. This was published by the City of Springfield, Oregon

http://www.ci.springfield.or.us/ESD/ButterflyBush.jpg

A new “look” at butterfly bush courtesy of the City of Springfield OR

SO WHY IS GARDENING SO IMPORTANT FOR INVASIVE SPECIES?

The plants featured in GardenSmart Oregon were introduced intentionally, primarily for gardens and landscapes

4,000 or more plant species are introduced into the US, 1 in 10 have become invasive, and half of these are of horticultural origin

HERE ARE SOME OF THE GARDENING PATHWAYS FOR INVASIVE PLANTS

Intentional planting for ornamental value, such as butterfly bush

Seed mixes that contain plants with invasive potential or unintended weed seeds

Weed seeds as contaminants in bird seed

A Closer Look at GardenSmart Oregon

GardenSmart Oregon features information about known invasive plants and provides garden alternatives

Included is one featured native plant and several additional Oregon native plants for each invasive ornamental

One featured “ornamental” plant and other alternatives as well

Butterfly bush as shown in GardenSmart Oregon

Butterfly bush Invading a creekside in Oregon’s lower elevation Cascades

Photo courtesy of Brad Withrow-Robinson, OSU Extension, used by permission

GardenSmart Featured Native Plant: Blueblossom

Ceanothus thyrsifolius

http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants

GardenSmart Featured Ornamental Alternative

Meyer lilac – Syringa meyeri

http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants

Another ornamental that has become invasive: English ivy – Hedera helix – invading Forest Park in Portland

ANOTHER EXERCISEVisit the OSU Extension Yamhill County Site to view a fact sheet on controlling English Ivy. http://extension.oregonstate.edu/yamhill/controlling-invasive-plants

GardenSmart Featured Native – Dunes Strawberry

Fragaria chiloensis

http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants

Gardensmart Featured Ornamental – Allegheny Spurge

Pachysandra procumbens

http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants

Creeping raspberry

Rubus calycinoides

http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ldplants

WHAT YOU AS GARDENERS CAN DO Learn about invasives. Read

GardenSmart Oregon Start at home. Remove invasive species

or interrupt their reproduction by deadheading or other methods

Don’t trade invasive plants with other gardeners

Check the contents of seed mixes before you purchase or plant them

WHAT YOU AS GARDENERS CAN DO (MORE)

Support nurseries that offer alternatives to invasive plants

Be especially careful if you have a water garden to keep plants from entering native waterways

WHAT YOU AS GARDENERS CAN DO (MORE) Share the word with other

gardeners Join a local group that helps

eliminate invasive plants from natural areas

Dispose of invasive plants appropriately

Check plant pots before you plant them to catch the “hitchhikers”

SOME THINGS I LEARNED FROM WORKING ON GARDENSMART . . . The featured native plants tend to be

more drought tolerant than the “ornamentals”

Many of the plants often recommended are invasive somewhere in the world

US natives from other states are showing fewer invasive tendencies in the rest of the US than are Asian and European species

THANK YOU!

Yellow Flag Iris, a recently listed Oregon invasive plant

I hope you have enjoyed this brief introduction to GardenSmart Oregon and Invasive Species Information

Stay tuned to new information on invasive species as it emerges