Milo Garden Club talks invasive plants

MILO — On Tuesday, Oct. 8 Gary Fish from Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry spoke to Milo Garden Club members and guests about the origins of invasive plant species in Maine, how they spread, and why they are harmful to the environment.

Research suggests that early settlers not only brought their curiosity to this continent, they also brought non-native plant species. Some of those were used for medicinal purposes or as part of their ship’s ballast or food for the animals they brought with them. 

Dandelions and Purple loosestrife are just two of the plants whose ancestors can be traced back to the first visitors to North America. Regardless of your opinion about these flowers, there are other plants that cause greater aggravation to humans and wildlife alike. 

Exactly what is an invasive species? When referring to our own state, the answer is, they are plants that are not native to Maine and have spread into forests and fields and other natural areas in the state.

These species are introduced to an environment where they seem to have no predators. They are uninteresting to some animals who don’t care for their leaves and branches for nourishment. Because these plants are not kept in check by the natural environment, perhaps owing to a long growing season, aggressive, overbearing growth, or a thick root system, they remain sturdy, spread, and overgrow the plants and trees that provide for the birds and bees and mammals thus depriving  them of their own nutrition and habitats.

In the modern world, trends in gardening and lack of knowledge have played a role in fostering invasive species until recently when the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry took steps to prevent the spread of invasive species of plants. By contacting www.maine.gov/hort, gardeners, business owners, and researchers can find out what they need to know about invasive plants prohibited from sale or import in Maine.

But, people should not feel downhearted since, at the same website,  one can also find alternatives for plants that are no longer available and should not be grown. 

One example of a popular but invasive plant species is the burning bush. It spreads into forests preventing native plants from growing. It forms dense thickets preventing light from reaching native plants and its thick root system makes it difficult for native plants to grow.

Happily, there are at least 12 non-invasive alternatives to the burning bush that will bring colorful fall foliage to your yard. Some of them are red or black chokeberry, highbush blueberry, witch hazel, or Carolina allspice, to name a few. 

More information about invasive plants or their alternatives can be found at the following websites: https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org, https://nativeplantfinder.nwf.org/, https://bplant.org/region/142, and 

https://www.wildflower.org, or you can call Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry at 207-287-3891

Milo Garden Club meets monthly and welcomes residents from any community. For more information, please call Victoria at 207-943-2400.