Multiplying Alien Vegetation in New Hampshire: Suggested Native Plant Alternatives
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Hey there, gardening buddies! Let's dive into the world of invasive plants in New Hampshire that could sabotage your beautiful garden and local ecosystem. These unwanted guests initially graced gardens as decorative or functional plants but soon revealed their aggressive nature in their new environment.
Some of these non-native plants may have only recently been flagged as invasive or prohibited from sale, which means you might accidentally find them growing in your own backyard! Fret not, let's get acquainted with some common invasive plants in New Hampshire and replace them with stunning, native alternatives.
Invasive Plants in New Hampshire: The Bad Guys
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Here's a list of some common invasive plants that have made their home in the Granite State. If you spot any plant not listed here with weedy tendencies, give it a second look, as it might be invasive.
1. Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus)
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This deciduous shrub grows up to 20 feet tall and wide, with simple, elliptic, opposite leaves that turn an eye-catching red in the fall. Its other common name, winged euonymus, comes from the lateral tan corky "wings" growing from the younger stems. Inconspicuous greenish-yellow flowers bloom in late spring, followed by fleshy green berries that ripen to dark red in the fall.
Consider replacing this bush with its native cousin, the American strawberry bush (E. americanus), which boasts equally striking fall foliage and berries. A bonus option is black hall (Viburnum prunifolium) with beautiful fall color and black berries, accompanied by white spring flowers.
2. Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii)
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This small deciduous shrub averages around two to four feet tall, with small, ovate, simple leaves that boast rounded tips and a spoon-like shape. Clusters of two to four yellowish flowers bloom in May, and small drupes ripen to red in the summer.
Swap out Japanese barberry for the native lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium), another small shrub with similar size and small, rounded leaves, pinkish flowers, and edible blueberries. Spicebush (Lindera benzoin), slightly taller at six to 12 feet, also produces yellowish flowers, red drupes, and is an excellent option.
3. Japanese Knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum)
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This herbaceous perennial can reach heights and widths of 10 feet, resembling a large shrub. The greenish stems are jointed and hollow, much like bamboo but with broad, ovate leaves that have a flat base. Panicles of small, whitish, tubular flowers bloom in late summer, followed by three-winged seeds.
Choose wild raisin (Viburnum cassinoides), a similarly sized shrub that produces white flowers in spring and showy fruit in fall, in place of Japanese knotweed. Obidient plant (Physostegia virginiana) with spikes of white or pink flowers from midsummer until frost can also be an excellent choice.
4. Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora)
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This large, aggressive, sometimes climbing shrub can grow up to 15 feet or higher, with long, arching stems that form dense clumps and often have thorns. Numerous small, white, fragrant flowers bloom in June and July, followed by rose hips that redden in the fall.
Opt for one (or more!) of New Hampshire's lovely native roses, such as pasture rose (R. carolina) or Virginia rose (R. virginiana), instead.
5. Norway Maple (Acer platanoides)
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The invasive Norway maple can easily be confused with the native sugar maple though it has a couple of noticeable differences. First, Norway maple leaves are wider than they are long, while sugar maple leaves are longer than they are wide. And when pulled off the branch, a Norway maple leaf will exude a milky white sap. The leaves turn pale orange to yellow in fall and persist long after other maples have shed theirs. In addition, the winged seeds form in wide, oppositely arranged pairs at almost a 180-degree angle.
Sugar maple (A. saccharum) is an obvious native alternative, though red maple (A. rubrum) also makes a lovely replacement.
6. Oriental Bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus)
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A deciduous vine reaching lengths of 60 feet, Oriental bittersweet can be recognized in the autumn, when it retains its lemon-yellow fall foliage longer than most native plants. Look for bright yellow seed capsules split open to reveal vibrant orange-red arils, which form in the axils of the stems. This is a contrast to native bittersweet, which has fruits at the ends. Tiny, greenish flowers bloom in spring. The alternate, ovate leaves are bluntly toothed and taper at the base.
Instead, go for American bittersweet (C. scandens) or another native vine like trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens), which attracts hummingbirds with its red, tubular flowers.
Enrichment Data: Native Alternatives & Invasive Prevention
For gardening, using native plants like American Beautyberry, American Cranberrybush, and Red Osier Dogwood can help maintain ecological balance and support local biodiversity. Prevention and management strategies such as integrated vegetation management, herbicide use, and educational workshops are crucial for controlling invasive species. Organizations like the Lake Sunapee Protective Association work to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species through programs like the Lake Host and Invasive Watch initiatives.
So, if you come across an invasive plant in your landscape, don't panic! Take steps to remove it properly, then think about introducing beautiful native plants to your garden. Every little bit helps in the fight against invasive species.
Author: Serena Manickam
Serena Manickam is a freelance editor and writer and sustainable market gardener in rural Virginia. In addition to running Fairydiddle Farm, a small market garden where she grows no-spray produce and herbs for sale at local farmers' markets, Serena is also passionate about sharing her green thumbs with others. You can connect with her work on her portfolio.
- In the realm of environmental-science and lifestyle, replacing invasive plants in New Hampshire gardens with native alternatives like American Strawberry Bush (E. americanus) or black hall (Viburnum prunifolium) can help restore the local ecosystem.
- To maintain a balanced garden and support native biodiversity, consider incorporating native plants such as American Beautyberry, American Cranberrybush, or Red Osier Dogwood into your home-and-garden decor.
- Engaging in prevention and management strategies against invasive species, such as integrated vegetation management, herbicide use, and educational workshops, can prove instrumental in controlling unwanted intruders like Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus).
- Embrace a sustainable gardening lifestyle by opting for native plants over harmful invasive species like Japanese Knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum).
- For those seeking to beautify their gardens with striking flowers and herbs, native options like obidient plant (Physostegia virginiana) or native roses such as pasture rose (R. carolina) are excellent choices over invasive species like Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora).
