12 Common Plant to Avoid and Their Native Alternatives

 

As we start to think about winter, it’s a great time to consider landscape upgrades and changes for the upcoming spring.  While we are dreaming of plants and browsing catalogs, the internet or even asking well-meaning friends who share plants, it’s important to remember that our plant choices matter and can have consequences.  Not only are all of these plants listed as an invasive species in Kentucky, many of them also have other issues and are dated. Sadly, most or all of these plants are still in the trade, being sold at garden centers and installed by landscapers.  We can help stop the spread of these unwanted plants and care for our ecosystem with a few simple good decisions. Here 12 common plants to avoid and a few native alternative suggestions:

Mimosa Albizia julibrissin

Native Alternatives: Alternate-Leaf Dogwood, Red Buckeye, American Witch Hazel

Porcelain Berry Vine Ampelopsis brevipedunculata

Native Alternatives: Virgin’s bower, Trumpet honeysuckle, Passionflower, American Wisteria

Japanese Barberry Berberis thunbergii

Native Alternatives:  Virginia Sweetspire, Arrowwood, Black Chokeberry

Sweet Autumn Clematis Clematis terniflora

Native Alternatives: Virgin’s bower, Trumpet honeysuckle, Passionflower, American Wisteria

Burning Bush Euonymus alatus

Native Alternatives: Chokeberry, Itea, Strawberry Bush, Spicebush, or Winterberry Holly

Wintercreeper Euonymus fortunei

Native Alternatives: Wild ginger, Allegheny Spurge, Ferns, American alumroot

Japanese Honeysuckle Vine Lonicera japonica

Native Alternatives: Crossvine, Trumpet honeysuckle, Passionflower, American Wisteria

Maiden Grass/Chinese Silver Grass Miscanthus sinensis

Native Alternatives: Switch Grass or Indian Grass

Heavenly Bamboo Nandina domestica

Native Alternatives: Winterberry, Coral Berry, Snow Berry, Beautyberry, American Holly, Chokeberry

Callery Pear  Pyrus japonica

Native Alternatives: Serviceberry, American hornbeam, Chickasaw plum

Japanese Spirea  Spiraea japonica

Native Alternatives: Steeplebush, Blueberry, Sweetspire, Chokeberry

Periwinkle Vinca Minor

Native Alternatives: Wild ginger, Allegheny spurge, Phlox, Ferns, Foam flower, American alumroot

Many great, native or non-invasive, non-native alternatives are available in addition to the options listed above.  Remember to check the invasive lists (available through Kentucky Native Plant Society and Kentucky Invasive Plant Council. Happy holidays!

Nandina

Invasive euonymus

Burning bush

Maiden grass