ENVIRONMENT

From bamboo to burning bush, these 5 plants invasive to Indiana might be in your backyard

London Gibson
Indianapolis Star

Invasive plants are dismantling ecosystems and choking out habitat for wildlife across Indiana — and they're doing it from your backyard. 

Invasive plants don't play by the same ecological rules as native plants, giving them a competitive edge. 

Honeysuckle, for example, opens its leaves earlier in the year than many native plants and as a result rob light and water from those around them. Eventually, they choke them out and take the space for their own.

Other invasive plants may flower earlier in the season or grow more quickly. Like honeysuckle, they have biological advantages over native plants.

The effect can eradicate habitats, reduce the amount of food-bearing native plants for certain insects and woodland animals, and overall change the surrounding ecosystem for the worse. 

Many of these invasive plants come from landscaping. You buy them to put in your yard, and while they seem beautiful and managed, their seeds are wreaking havoc elsewhere. 

Your purchasing also signals to nursery owners what you want to buy, said Claire Lane, an urban conservationist with Hamilton County's Soil and Water Conservation District, which means they might be encouraged to increasingly stock such plants. 

"Invasives can really disrupt ecosystems in a lot of ways," Lane said, "But it's also important because the choices we make with our dollars and purchasing plants also drives what's available to purchase."

Invasive species:These common landscaping plants are now illegal to sell in Indiana. Here's why.

When invasive plants run rampant, they're expensive to remove. In 2019, Carmel Clay Parks and Recreation spent more than $140,000 managing invasive species. And in 2012, an estimated $5.85 million was spent on the same effort statewide.

In an effort to control these species, the state passed the Terrestrial Plant Rule, which went into effect last April, banning the sale or transfer of 44 species of invasive plants, including honeysuckle.

Even so, there are still several legal invasive plants lurking around Hoosier nurseries today. Here are the ones you should be looking out for. 

Bamboo

Bamboos can be favored for privacy screens or as unique lawn ornaments, but most bamboo species are invasive in Indiana.

In some states and cities, bamboo planting is banned or restricted because the plant can spread rapidly and be hard to control. 

And though it's not bamboo at all, the plant known as "Heavenly bamboo," or nandina domestica, is also highly invasive in Indiana and can spread rapidly like weeds.

Bradford pear 

Callery pear trees, also sometimes called Bradford pear trees, are favored for their effervescent springtime blooms and sultry fall burgundies. It's also why they're one of the most widespread invasive plant species in Indiana.

Some of these trees are structurally weak as well, which means storms and heavy wind can break off their branches, littering the streets below. 

Many hoped to see the Callery pear tree added to the Terrestrial Plants Rule list, but the state decided the economic impact would be too great if the tree were banned. 

More:Here's why you should think twice before planting a Bradford pear tree

Callery pear trees spread across the landscape. These trees are highly invasive, but were left off of the list formed by the Terrestrial Plants Rule, a decision that some in the environmental community opposed.

Chinese silvergrass

Miscanthus sinensis, more commonly known as Chinese silvergrass, is a dense grass with tall, feathery leaves that clump together and frequent roadsides or forest edges. 

More than 50 forms of Miscanthus sinensis are sold in nurseries around the country, although the plants originated in Japan. Flowering forms of the plant are commonly used as ornaments in landscaping. 

Burning bush is a favored landscaping plant because of its bright red colors. But it's also invasive, and can interrupt ecosystems.

Burning bush

Come fall, you may see bright red pops of color in yards across the state. Chances are, it's coming from the burning bush shrub, a common landscaping feature because of its appealing fall colors.

This plant is native to Asia, but has been planted in the U.S. for over 150 years. It's also hardy, thriving in full sun and shade, making it a prime candidate for invading hardwood forests and woodlands. 

Invasive species:Here's why you should think twice before planting a Bradford pear tree

Mimosa trees

Mimosa trees have flashy, bright pink flowers that make them a favorite for landscaping, but they're also invasive. The tree is particularly fast-growing, making it that much easier for it to escape and populate roadsides and fields. 

Contact IndyStar reporter London Gibson at 317-419-1912 or lbgibson@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @londongibson

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IndyStar's environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.