By Dianna Christakos, Master Gardener St. John’s County
We live in a beautiful community here in Marsh Creek. We have gracious Live oaks and handsome iconic palms. Granted, the variety of flora is limited by many factors but the main challenges are heat and deer.
However, little is known about the invasive species of plants growing here. “Invasives” are defined as “a species outside of its natural range that displaces native species and disrupts ecosystem processes.”(FLEPPC”) Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council.
A native plant is defined by the Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS) as one present in Florida prior to European contact, which means prior to 1513. They alter native plant communities by displacing native species, change plant community structures or ecological functions, or “hybridise” with native. (FLEPPC”). They are a huge problem and our state spends $60 million annually on invasive species control programs.
Having said all that, there are some of these bad guys growing here among us. There are two classifications of “invasives”: categories I and II. There are 12 species in Category I, and we in Marsh Creek have some if not all of them.
In Cat I are: Brazilian Pepper, Chinese Ligustrum, Coral Ardisia, Heavenly Bamboo, Mexican Petunia, Elephant Ear, Wild Tato, Asparagus Fern, Wedelia, Japanese Honeysuckle, and Lantana (lantana camara).
The first step is to familiarize yourself with what they look like. Do not be surprised if some look pretty and innocuous.
Secondly, identify any growing near you or on your property. Call the St John’s Extension Office for specific instructions on how to remove them. There are very specific protocols for removing and discarding them and must be followed carefully.
In addition, be sure that you never buy or plant them since some of the big box stores still sell them.
Thank you for helping preserve Florida’s ecosystem.
Dianna Christakos, Master Gardener St. John’s County
What is a St. Johns County Master Gardener?
The St. Johns County Master Gardener Program is part of the Florida Master Gardener Volunteer program, a volunteer training initiative designed to help University of Florida Cooperative Extension faculty share horticultural information and training to the public. The program provides participants with 50 hours of horticulture training and requires 75 hours of volunteer service within the first year and 35 hours each subsequent year to maintain MGV status. Learn more in the video below:
Amen!
I’m thankful that the topic is being discussed again. Some ten-plus years ago I made a list of every visible Chinese tallow tree in MC! (sadly, I can’t find it in my archives, too many computer changes!).
A number of trees were removed, but interest waned and the effort stalled.
I think there should be a renewed and concerted effort on the part of the board to address this “invasion”.
One of the most visible of these “invasives” is vines. Even for those unfamiliar with the various invasive plants, take a look around during your next walk or drive thru the community and notice how invasive vines are smothering an endless number of trees and shrubs throughout the community.
As I ride my bike around Marsh Creek I see an ever increasing number of Chinese Tallows and Brazilian Peppers. These trees are category 1 non-native invasive plants. If left unchecked they will eventually crowd out our native plants.
The plants and animals of a region have evolved together and become dependent on one another. When we introduce an invasive plant it disrupts the balance. Pollinators and other insects depend on the native host plants for survival. Birds in turn depend on the healthy insect population to feed their babies and fuel themselves through the demanding breeding season. This dependence ripples up the food chain. The population of migrant birds in North America has declined 1% each year since 1966. So we’ve lost 50% of the migrant songbird population in 50 years. (Sauer, Hines & Fallon 2005)
I have learned a lot about how to keep my landscape by reading “Bringing Nature Home” by Doug Tallamy. I recommend it.
We should remove the Chinese Tallow and Brazilian Pepper trees from our landscapes, common areas
And wild areas of our community.