Invasive Plants and Their Alternatives

Many plants used in the gardens today can create havoc in our native landscape.  Some plants, when they escape the garden,  can crowd out our native species and take over entire entire ecosystems.  There are, however, beautiful alternatives to these species.  

Lythrum salicaria - Purple Loosestrife

Alternatives
Asclepias incarnata - Swamp Milkweed
Echinachea purpurea - Purple Coneflower
Eupatorium dubium - Joe-Pye Weed
Monarda didyma - Beebalm

Berberis thunbergii - Japanese Barberry

Alternatives
Aronia arbutifolia - Chokeberry
Ilex verticillata - Winterberry
Itea virginiica - Virginia Sweetspire
Myrica pensylvanica - Bayberry
Vaccanium corymbosum - Highbush Blueberry
Viburnum Spp. - Viburnum

Euonymus altas - Burning Bush

Alternatives
Aronia arbutifolia - Chokeberry
Clethra alnifolia - Summersweet
Myrica pensylvanica - Bayberry
Vaccanium corymbosum - Highbush Blueberry
Viburnum Spp. - Viburnum

Acer platanoides - Norway Maple

Alternatives
Acer rubrum - Red Maple
Acer Saccharum - Sugar Maple
 
Other Native Species For The Garden
Cornus sericea - Redtwig Dogwood
Leucothoe fontansiana - Luecothoe
Kalmia latifolia - Mountain Laurel
Amelanchier aboria - Serviceberry
Hammamelis vernalis - Witchazel

Related Articles: Natural Gardens, Lawn Alternatives, Native Plants