Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii) is a deciduous, multi-stemmed ornamental shrub that has escaped cultivation to become a severe threat to forest ecosystems. Promoted in the late 1800s as a hardy, disease-resistant alternative to European barberry, it grew rapidly in popularity in the nursery trade due to its easy maintenance, adaptability, and high resistance to deer browsing.
Invasive knotweed can reproduce underground through horizontal roots and adapt to a wide range of habitats, making it among the most difficult invasive plants to eradicate.
Is the “Invasive Species Spotlight” useful to you? Let us know how. Hesperis matronalis Dame’s Rocket (Hesperis matronalis) is a 2-3 foot tall flowering biennial often found along moist roadsides and wooded areas. Its erect, multi-stemmed structure and purple/pink flowers resemble native eastern blue phlox (Phlox divaricata) and therefore often misidentified as native. Dame’s rocket was introduced to the US in the 1600’s as a garden plant; however, its success invading the wild is largely due to its popularity in commercial […]
Is the “Invasive Species of the Month” useful to you? Let us know how. Ampelopsis glandulosa var. brevipedunculata synonym Ampelopsis brevipedunculata Porcelainberry, also known as Amur peppervine, (Ampelopsis glandulosa var. brevipedunculata) is a fast-growing, woody, deciduous vine (liana) that easily blankets any object or vegetation, smothering trees, shrubs, vines, herbaceous plants, and even other invasive plants. […]
Invasive vines such as Wisteria spp. can kill healthy, mature trees. Simple actions like controlling invasive vines can help save trees, which are vital for capturing greenhouse gases and reducing the impact of climate change.
Round-leaved bittersweet, Celastrus orbiculatus, is an invasive vine that climbs, strangles, and smothers live trees.
Privet, Ligustrum species, is an invasive, flowering, deciduous shrub. Various privet species are commonly used as hedges in residential and commercial landscapes. Some privet species have spread into understory forests and roadsides and are considered invasive plants in New Jersey.
Jetbead, Rhodotypos scandens Jetbead is an invasive spring flowering, deciduous shrub. It is available as an ornamental and spreads into understory forests and roadsides. Its attractive white flower starts blooming in April making it easy to identify this time of year. Jetbead can grow in both full sun and shade. Due to its tolerance of […]
December Angelica Tree Aralia elata Japanese angelica tree (Aralia elata) is an extremely aggressive, fast growing, deciduous tree that invades forest canopy gaps, forest edges, and right of ways. It is a heavy seed producer and once this tree invades an area it takes over quickly, forming dense stands (Figure 1) and suppressing native vegetation […]
Miscanthus sinensis, Chinese Silver Grass
A common ornamental grass, Silver Grass quickly spreads over open disturbed areas and pushes out native plants that wildlife depend on for habitat.
