Local Invasive Species: Information and Management
Why Invasives are a Problem
- Invasive species compete with and displace native plants
- Hurt native wildlife that require native plants for food, habitat, breeding, etc.
- Reduce biological diversity
3 Most Common Ohio Invasive Species
- Japanese Honeysuckle
- Common reed
- Garlic mustard
- Many of these plants grow in the vegetative in and around columbus. Specifically, Japanese honeysuckle has been a large problem along the Olentangy river.
Japanese Bush Honeysuckle
- Description
- Woody plant with oval leaves.
- Flowers are white and fragrant
- Habitat
- Grows by roadsides, trails, forest edges
- Management
- Burning
- systemic herbicide (absorbed through leaves/roots)
- Herbicides should be used when native plants are dormant
- Alternatives
- Virginia creeper
- Wild honeysuckle
Common Reed
- Description
- Tall grass with smooth, wide leaves
- Hollow stems
- gray/purple flower head plume
- Habitat
- Wetlands
- Still waters like marshes, lakeshores, riverbanks, etc.
- Management
- Cutting of stems
- Systemic (grass specific) herbicides
- Alternatives
- Indian grass
- Canada bluejoint
- Prairie cord
Garlic Mustard
- Description
- Biennial plant (flowering plant that has a 2 year lifecycle.
- Grows up to 4 feet tall
- Triangular leaves
- White 4 petal flowers
- Produces a lot of seeds that can stay dormant for 7+ years
- Habitat
- Shady areas
- Floodplain forests
- Yards
- Streams
- Trails
- roadsides
- Management
- Repeated burning
- Hand Pulling (remove plant after pulling)
- Systemic herbicides (for 1st year plants)
- Alternatives
- White baneberry
- Columbine
- Blue phlox