To Save Native Plants: First… Remove Invasive Species
(Updated 1/27/25)
Invasive plants are a significant problem in New York State, especially on Long Island. An invasive species is a plant or animal that is not native to an ecosystem and has the potential to harm it.
To identify a plant species, take pictures of the plant using a plant identifier app. I’ve found that PictureThis is the most accurate, although there’s a small subscription fee. While Pl@ntNet and Seek are free they are not as precise and don’t indicate if the plants are native to the USA or invasive, so you need to go to another site like GoBotany.org to concur with the identification. Pl@ntNet enables users to review the species by clicking its scientific name and then “W” for Wikipedia where you can read the description of the selected plant, plus see its native distribution worldwide. For instance, If the suggested species is native to Eurasia and you’re finding numerous plants, you may assume the species is a non-native invasive plant and want to remove it. Once removed, native plants may appear from an old underground seed bank, or you’ve created open space for native seeding or planting.
Most Long Island soils harbor viable invasive seeds from their arrival via wind, birds, or mammals years to decades ago. Under the right conditions — exposure to sunlight being one — these seeds (herbaceous plants, shrubs, trees, or ivy) will quickly germinate and grow — typically on bare ground — to out-compete native plant species. (It’s important to cover disturbed ground with native plants or leaf mulch held in place with twigs and small branches).
Why care? Long Island’s landscapes are changing, especially since invasive plants out-compete native species. When native plants disappear or are replaced by alien exotics, many food sources and habitats for beneficial pollinators, birds, and other animals that co-evolved with them are lost. In parts of the world, native habitat destruction has been so extensive that local wildlife populations may be headed toward extinction. Since native plants form the base for the local food chain and the backbone of our ecosystems, their loss affects the quality of life for us all.
Get Inspired: A good book may be all it takes to get started. My number one is Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants, by Douglas W. Tallamy. A wonderful follow-up is A New Garden Ethic: Cultivating Defiant Compassion for an Uncertain Future, by Benjamin Vogt. When ready, talk to others who share your interests. There are local chapters of organizations such as the Audubon Society, Sierra Club, and Cornell Cooperative Extension that will connect you with knowledgeable volunteers. Also, send Go Native LI a question, or comment about volunteering opportunities, which help with hands-on experience.
What is Go Native Long Island? Long Island native plant lovers have embarked on an endeavor to bring public attention to common invasive plants. This effort limits native species’ decline and loss due to invasive, non-native species incursion. Through its archived contributed posts, GoNativeLI.com describes methods that successfully replace invasives with carefree and beneficial native species for home landscapes and local parks. Once established, (visit The Native Plant Herald for ideas such as Mayapple, which is loved by box turtles) native plants will shade out invasive weeds.
How do we begin? To successfully control an undesirable plant, learn how it grows and reproduces. For instance, mowing or cutting back at the wrong time of year may be a wasted effort and expense. Attack it when it is most vulnerable, which may be in winter when the invasives are accessible. The Gallery of Invasives heading on this website addresses many of the common invasive woody vines, trees, and herbaceous plants found on Long Island, with helpful photos and information about removing them successfully.
Ideally, replace invasive species with native plants. Cut, pull, and dig up invasive plants following recommended methods on our Invasives Removal heading for vines, herbaceous plants, and trees/shrubs. For instance, the best time to weed is just after a rain, early in the day, or in late fall/winter/early spring while the ground is damp but not frozen, and selectively weed out invasive plants to give natives room to grow and reproduce. Many methods require repeating the process when there is regrowth. Be patient.
For immediate information on controlling invasive plants and for others not listed here, call Cornell Cooperative Extension Horticulturist on weekday mornings at (631) 727-4126.
NATIVE PLANTS: Selecting the right native plants can be an arduous task, but these three references make it easy:
- First, pick ecotype plants that benefit local wildlife. An excellent reference book is The Living Landscape by Rick Darke and Doug Tallamy where the appendix lists the landscape and ecological functions of Mid-Atlantic plants.
- Second, you may want to fight invasive plants with native plants. Go to humanegardener.com and search “fight plants with plants” or go here for a list of natives capable of out-competing the invasives.
- Third, determine if your selected plants are suitable for your particular landscape. Go to the University of Connecticut’s Plant Database, which includes the characteristics of straight (natural/wild) plants and their cultivars. Often cultivars are grown to attract humans but not the native wildlife that evolved with them.
- Lastly, in New York State go to NYS Flora Atlas to determine if the selected plants are native to your county. This may help narrow your selection.
Once you decide on the right plants you’ll need to know how to plant them. I would suggest referring to the book: Urban and Suburban Meadows by Catherine Zimmerman.
Next, find a nursery or garden center to purchase your trees, shrubs, vines, and perennials. Check out the suggested links in INFORMATIVE LINKS and keep your garden chemical-free and healthy!
Contact us to volunteer and learn how to remove invasive plants at Huntington’s Carpenter Farm Park
Julie Sullivan, MEnvSci