Native Alternatives to Ornamental Invasives in Florida Sandra B

Master Gardener Webinar Series, March 30th, 2017

Native Alternatives to Ornamental Invasives in Florida Sandra B. Wilson Professor Department of Environmental Horticulture University of Florida

• Invasive Exotic‐ a plant that is non‐native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health (National Invasive Species Council).

• Florida Native‐ species occurring within the state boundaries prior to European contact in the early sixteenth century (Florida Native Plant Society)

‐Invasive species are estimated to cost the global economy $1.4 trillion a year

‐The estimated annual costs associated with invasive plants in natural areas, agriculture and gardens of U.S. is $34.7 billion

1 Common Threads in Literature The majority of plant species categorized today as invasive were deliberately introduced. 67% of FLEPPC plants were introduced as ornamentals. By the time we recognize the severity of an invasion, it is often too late for effective control measures. Early control is 40 times less costly. Market availability, frequency, and prices correlate with invasion success. Global change will result in a world with more rather than less invasives.

The Problem in Florida

www.lib.utexas.edu/

• Florida ranks second among U.S. states in the degree of ecosystem devastation as a result of invasive alien species. • Florida has the second largest ornamental industry in the U.S. Total industry sales in 2015 were estimated at $10.7 billion (Hodges et al., 2016)

Invasive Status in Florida?

FL Dept. of Ag. Consumer Services (http://www.doacs.state.fl.us)

FL Exotic Pest Plant Council (http://www.fleppc.org)

IFAS Assessment of non‐native plants in Florida’s natural areas (https://assessment.ifas.ufl.edu/)

1)invasion status, 2)known impacts, 3)potential for expansion, 4)difficulty of management, 5)commercial value

2 Research Schematics

Cultivar Evaluation Breeding Field Sterility Analysis

Photosynthetic/ Germination Potential Nutrient Use Requirements Invader Efficiency

Management and Restoration

http://irrecenvhort.ifas.ufl.edu/

No. Selections Species Evaluated Buddleja spp. 14 Lantana camara 24 Ligustrum spp. 12 Miscanthus sinensis 15 Nandina domestica 11 Pennisetum spp. 11 Ruellia simplex 9 Stachytarpheta spp. 8

https://assessment.ifas.ufl.edu/

3 Ruellia simplex- invasive

4 UF and IndustryTrials

5 Wk 16 Citra, 2012

Native Plants

• Florida native plants represent ______% of nursery sales (Hodges et al., 2016). ____6% ___16% ___26% ___43% ___67% • This doubled from reported native sales in 2010. • 45.2% of retailer firms surveyed offered “Florida Friendly Plants” • Florida has over 2,600 native species. About what percentage of them are estimated to be in cultivation? ____25% ____50%_____75%

Alternative Lists

US National Arboretum‐ http://www.usna.usda.gov/Gardens/fa qs/InvasivesAlternatives.html Brooklyn Botanic Garden New England Wildflower Soc.‐ www.ipcyny.org Explore your AlterNatives: substitution guide for the FL keys‐ http://tame.ifas.ufl.edu/pdfs/publicatio ns/AlterNatives.pdf

6 Common Examples Invasive Native Alternative Scaevola taccada Scaevola plumieri Nandina domestica Ilex vomitoria Lantana camara Lantana involucrata Ligustrum sinense Forestiera segregata Lonicera japonica Lonicera sempervirens Ardisia elliptica, A. crenata Ardisia escallonioides Schefflera actinophylla Krugiodendron ferreum Sphagneticola trilobata Helianthus debilis Psidium guajava Eugenia foetida Stachytarpheta cayennensis Stachytarpheta jamaicensis Ruellia simplex Ruellia caroliniensis

Criteria- Thinking outside of the box

• Flower color • Flower time • Form (evergreen vs herbaceous) • Habit (spreading, upright, etc) • Use (privacy, foundation, etc) • Fall color • Fruit • Growing conditions (wet, shade) • Maintenance • Hardiness • Attracts butterflies, birds, or bees • Ease of propagation, fast growth rate, long flowering time, copious fruiting, minimal care (similar qualities of invasive species)

Native Plant Reference Books

7 Which landscape do you prefer?

Ruellia Native Alternatives • Stokesia laevis (Stokes Aster) • Vernonia gigantea (Giant Ironweed) • Itea virginica (Virginia Sweetspire) • Helianthus angustifolius (Swamp Sunflower) Petunia

Wild

Sandhills Flatwoods Hammocks Ruellia caroliniensis

8 Sunflower

Swamp Marshes Wet flatwoods

Helianthus angustifolius Ironweed

Giant

Hammocks Floodplains Vernonia gigantea Spiderwort

Open, disturbed sites Tradescantia ohiensis

9 Stoke’s Aster

Wet flatwoods Wet savannas Bogs Stokesia laevis

Stokesia laevis Stoke’s Aster, Stokesia

Stokesia Cultivars

‘Alba’‘Blue Danube’ ‘Purple Parasols’

‘Mary Gregory’ ‘Maroon’ ‘Omega Skyrocket’

10 Sweetspire

Virginia

Swamps Stream banks Wet hammocks Floodplain forests Itea virginica

Itea virginica Virginia Sweetspire

11 Lantana camara- invasive

Lantana Native Alternatives

• Lantana involucrata • Byrsonima lucida • Cordia globosa Lantana

Pineland

Rocky pinelands Lantana depressa

12 Lantana camera ‘Gold Mound’ vs. Lantana depressa var. depressa Sage

Wild

Lantana,

Wild Coastal hammocks Dunes Lantana involucrata

Lantana involucrata Wild Lantana, Wild Sage

13 Bloodberry

Hammocks Cordia globosa Locustberry

Rocky pinelands Hammocks Byrsonima lucida

Nandina domestica- invasive

14 Nandina Native Alternatives

• Psychotria nervosa • Hamelia patens • Myrcianthes fragrans • Ilex spp. • Lyonia lucida Coffee

Wild

Hammocks Psychotria nervosa

Psychotria nervosa Wild Coffee

Flower Fruit

15 Psychotria nervosa

Native Psychotria species

P. sulzneri P. nervosa Firebush

Hamelia patens

16 Hamelia patens

Hamelia patens

Shrub Form

Standard Form Stopper

Simpson

Myrcianthes fragrans

17 Myrcianthes fragrans

Compact Myrsianthes Selections Riefler Nursery, Davenport, FL

Stachytarpheta cayennensis – FLEPPC Category II

18 Porterweed

Stachytarpheta jamaicensis

Stachytarpheta jamaicensis Porterweed

Invasive vs. Native

Stachytarpheta Stachytarpheta jamaicensis - cayennensis – non- native native

19 Ligustrum sinense- invasive

Ligustrum Native Alternatives • Forestiera segregata • Viburnum obovatum • Myrcianthes fragrans • Randia aculeata Privet

Florida

Forestiera segregata

20 Forestiera segregata Wild Olive, Florida Privet Viburnum

Walter’s

Viburnum obovatum

Viburnum obovatum Walter’s Viburnum

21 Mehrhof Gardens, Gainesville

Viburnum Compact Cultivars Riefler Nursery, Davenport, FL

‘Mrs. Schiller’s Delight’, ‘Riefler’s Densa’, ‘Walter’s Claim to Fame’, ‘Walter’s Whorled Class’, ‘Riefler’s Robusta’ Berry

Indigo

White

Randia aculeata

22 Coffee

Wild

Psychotria nervosa

Psychotria nervosa Wild Coffee

Flower Fruit

Psychotria nervosa

23 Native Psychotria species

P. sulzneri P. nervosa

Web Resources Wilson Lab‐ Native and Invasive Plant Publications http:/irrecenvhort.ifas.ufl.edu Native Alternatives for North Florida http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep467 Native Alternatives for Central Florida http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep468 Native Alternatives for South Florida http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep483 IFAS Assessment of Non‐native Plants https://assessment.ifas.ufl.edu Florida Friendly Landscaping Database http://www.floridayards.org/fyplants/index.php Association of Florida Native Nurseries (www.afnn.org) Florida Native Plant Society (www.fnps.org) Recommended native plants (http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep348)

Questions for CEU Credit

1. Where can you look to find out if a plant is safe for the landscape in Florida? 2. What defines whether a plant is native or not? 3. Name and describe a native alternative that you might use to replace an invasive plant.

*Please turn in questions and answers to your Master Gardener Coordinator for 1 hour of credit.