Impact: Grows quickly and easily. With extensive root Management/Control: Can be controlled by digging up systems, it dries out wetlands and waterways. It releases the plant by the roots, or covering it with a tarp for one toxins from its roots which kills off neighbouring plants. growing season (solarization method). Plants dug up should be dried in the sun for several days to ensure they are dead Management/Control: To reduce the spread, cut all stems prior to disposal in the garbage. at ground level in mid-summer and remove plants from the site. Do not cut stands early in the growing season; doing 1 2 3 so will stimulate increased growth. Removing phragmites 9 Bindweed using manual methods can be very difficult and may require (Convolvulus arvensis) years of treatment. Origin: Europe & Asia Fun Fact: The reeds can be used for roof thatching. In the Description: Has an extensive root and rhizome system, Philippines, the reeds are used to create brooms referred to slender twining or trailing stems, which often form dense as a “walis.” tangled mats. They have white or pink trumpet-shaped flowers. The leaves are triangular to arrowhead-shaped with 6 Manitoba Maple smooth edges, and vary from 2-5cm in length. (Acer negundo) Impact: Twining and rapid growth interferes with crops, Origin: Manitoba, Canada orchards, vineyards and gardens. It can be a nuisance during harvest and limits water and nutrient availability for Description: Has compound leaves, with irregular-shaped other plants. leaflets. Leaflets are a light-green colour on top and greyish green on the bottom. They have coarsely toothed or lobed Management/Control: Hand pull the plant before it seeds, Invasive Plants edges. New twigs are a purplish/green colour. Seeds grow as taking as much of the root system as possible. Imported keys in drooping clusters. topsoil used for garden applications can be a seed source 4 5 6 for this plant, so make sure you know where your soil is in the GTA Impact: This tree has an extensive root system and deep coming from! taproot, making them difficult to remove. It can shade out ground cover and displace native plants. A quick guide for identifying Management/Control: Hand pull or remove seedlings with 10 Black Locust some of the invasive and non- a trowel, making sure to get all the roots. Branches of small (Robinia pseudoacacia) native plants that affect natural saplings should be removed and disposed of to prevent seed Origin: United States landscapes in Toronto and spread. Description: Medium tree with stems that have 7 to 21 surrounding areas. Fun Fact: Can be used for maple syrup. Its wood is used for leaflets. Leaflets are thin, elliptical, dark green above and decorative projects such as wood turning. pale beneath. Flowers are white to yellow in colour and grow in long, large clusters. Smaller branches have thorns 7 European Buckthorn at the base of the leaf. (Rhamnus cathartica & R. frangula) Impact: Rapidly growing tree, which uses all available nutrients and resources in its proximity. It can form large Origin: Europe & Asia stands along roadsides, pastures and woodlands—shading 7 8 9 Description: A shrub 2-3m tall, its leaves have curved veins out the amount of sun available to native seedlings and and finely toothed edges. Twigs end in a sharp thorn. They changing the nitrogen levels within the soil. have dark purple berries that grow in clusters. Management/Control: Black Locust produces shoots Impact: These shrubs alter the chemistry of the soil in from its root system, so any control effort should be order to suit their growing conditions. It also grows targeted against the roots. Girdling and stumping are most rapidly and creates dense patches that shade out native effective—especially when controlling mature trees. vegetation. During the winter, soybean aphids hibernate in these shrubs, which have been known to impact local agricultural operations. 11 Russian Olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia) Management/Control: Controlling European Buckthorn depends on its size. Plants that are less than a centimetre Origin: Southeastern Europe & Western Asia in diameter can be hand-pulled—especially during the Description: This plant has elongated oval-shaped leaves spring or fall when soils are moist. Ensure that the entire and thorny branches. The leaves of the Russian olive are root is removed to prevent re-sprouting. For larger plants, dull green to gray in colour on the top and silvery on the use shears or a saw to cut the stems close to ground level. bottom. The flowers of Russian olive blooms are yellow with 10 11 Larger trees can also be girdled by cutting a 2-3cm ring silvery-gray, willow-like leaves. around the trunk. Impact: It threatens to displace native species that grow Fun Fact: Dried berries can be used for dyes. When gathered along waterways and open fields. They limit water and sun before they’re ripe, they make a yellow dye. If mixed with availability for native plants and do not provide valuable gum-arabic and limewater, mature berries create a green dye. wildlife habitat. Management/Control: Spreads using root shoots, which are 8 Goutweed very difficult to remove. If you see young seedlings, loosen evergreen.ca (Aegopodium podagraria) the soil and pull out the plant, ensuring you get most of the root. Mature trees should be cut. Origin: Europe & Northern Asia Evergreen is a national charity that inspires action to green cities. Description: Basal leaved plant divided into three groups Get involved or donate today. of three leaflets. Leaflets are toothed and sometimes irregularly lobed. Has a light green colour, or bluish green leaves with white edging. It has small, white flowers arranged in flat-topped clusters. Program Supporter Program Partners Impact: Spreads by underground rhizomes to form dense patches that crowd out native vegetation.

An agency of the Government of Ontario. Immigrant Relève du gouvernement de l’Ontario. Youth Centre Naturalization and Controlling Invasive 2 Garlic Mustard About this guide Glossary of Terms Native Plants Non-Native Plants (Alliaria petiolata) Origin: Europe Description: Strong smell of garlic, first-year plants have Evergreen provides a range of on-the-ground Naturalization involves re-establishing healthy plant Selective invasive species removal and restoration is dark green, kidney-shaped leaves with scalloped edges that activities that create wildlife habitat and enhance communities that attract and support many levels a practice that encourages greater species diversity grow in rosettes. Second-year plants are triangular with biodiversity throughout Canada. With this pocket of life—from bacteria in the soil to plants, insects, and recreates ecosystems with the ability to provide sharply-toothed edges. It has small white flowers with four guide, focused on the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), birds and mammals. The process of naturalization more habitat. petals and narrow, erect seed pods. we hope to inspire individuals to get involved with puts in place necessary conditions to allow nature to The following are some general rules for invasive Impact: Displaces native ground cover and alters soil chemistry to best suit its own growing conditions. The roots stewardship initiatives in their community and to re-establish and prosper with little help. plant species removal: work together to have a positive impact on our Simple Leaf: A leaf that contain a chemical that affects root fungi required by many Native plants are particularly adapted to their ecosystems. is not divided into parts. • Have a plan for replanting before native trees. environment. Through a complex evolutionary beginning removal. A three-year plan to Management/Control: Remove pods before they go to seed The following pages provide a quick reference process of checks and balances, the local fauna and remove invasive plants and monitor the or remove plant by pulling at the root. Dispose of plants in the on some of the GTA’s invasive and non-native flora have formed working systems of life. Restoring site will meet with much more success garbage to prevent re-establishment in the compost pile. plants, and a summary of some of the issues they Leaflet native plant communities preserves these complex than a single-removal event. Fun Fact: Garlic Mustard is edible! Leaves and roots can be cause. The guide offers a resource for identifying relationships between plants and wildlife and ground to create sauces, or eaten whole in salads. these plants, as well as a brief explanation on protects the region’s naturally occurring biodiversity. • Replant sites densely with native species why we need to control their spread, and why and mulch heavily. Invasive plants grow Compound Leaf: A leaf From a practical standpoint, native plants require less Norway Maple native species are so important in restoring and best in disturbed soil, so it is important to 3 that is divided into smaller maintenance because they’ve adapted to our climate. (Acer platanoides) maintaining healthy urban green spaces. get other plants established quickly. parts called leaflets. This means that in hot, dry summers they require less Origin: Europe • Understand how the invasive plant spreads water and are not dependent on chemical fertilizers Description: Wide, dark green to purple leaves with five and pesticides to stay healthy and beautiful. so that the most appropriate technique for lobes. Black spot fungus on leaves is common. Seed wings removal can be used. are at a 180-degree angle. • Be careful how you dispose of invasive Impact: This tree has a high seed output and is fast species. They can often sprout from tiny growing, displacing native trees in woodlots. The dense Rosette: Leaves that stems, flowers or root sections. shade from this tree keeps sunlight from reaching the grow in a circular ground, making it difficult for groundcover and shrubs to The next section provides an overview of the most Rosette pattern that resemble grow. The bare soil becomes susceptible to erosion and the shape of a rose. common invasive species and non-natives in urban there is loss of wildlife habitat. parks and some common removal practices. Management/Control: Pull seedlings up by the root; be sure to collect the entire root. Larger trees can also be girdled by cutting a 2-3cm ring around of bark of the trunk. Invasive and Fun Fact: Norway maple syrup has less sugar content than Understanding the Threat Sugar maple syrup. Stolon: A creeping horizontal plant stem that Non-Native Plants of Invasive Species Periwinkle takes root at various points in order to 4 (Vinca minor) The Benefits of Urban form new growth. Invasive or non-native plants are species that are It is important to understand the delicate balance Origin: Europe Naturalization Rhizome: A continuously growing horizontal introduced to a new ecosystem in which they did not that ecosystems maintain. In a healthy ecosystem, underground stem that puts out lateral Description: This plant trails along the ground, reproducing evolve naturally. As a result, they can often adversely everything has a function. through stolons. It has shiny, dark green and elliptical shoots and roots at intervals. Urban natural areas are an essential part of affect the new habitat. leaves. The flowers are a pale lavender colour with five healthy cities. They filter pollutants from our Basal: Leaves that form at the base of a plant. In their native habitat they are part of a complex petals. air and water, and provide valuable habitat for Stewardship: To care for and enhance the land and system that controls their growth, including nutrient 1 Dog Strangling Vine Impact: Creates dense mats, crowding out native ground animals and insects. They also provide much- its living and non-living communities availability, natural predators and disease. Lacking these (Cynanchum rossicum, Cynanchum louiseae) vegetation. needed shade cover, which cools urban areas and in a way that maintains or improves it controls, invasive plant species can grow and spread Country/Continent of Origin: Europe & Asia Management/Control: Periwinkle can be removed by using a trowel to loosen the soil around the plant and carefully reduces our energy use. for future generations. quickly, smothering or out-competing native plants in Description: Tear-drop shape, dark, shiny green leaves. the process. This leads to a decrease in plant diversity digging up the root system. Remove all roots and stems As Toronto and its surrounding urban centres Habitat: A place or environment where a plant Flowers have a pink/purple colour and five petals shaped from the area to prevent re-sprouting, seed formation and continue to grow rapidly, there has never been a or animal lives and grows. Habitat and a loss of habitat. like a star. Fruits form in long pods and release fluffy white dispersal. Mowing or cutting is not recommended since it seeds. They can regrow through their rooting system. greater need to conserve and create more green includes all plant, animal, climate and Once a foreign plant is thriving, it can quickly disrupt may stimulate dense growth from the remaining roots. Hand spaces in neighbourhoods across the city. soil factors affecting life. the natural ecosystem. When this happens a species Impact: The vines twine onto neighbouring plants and removal is quite labour-intensive but can yield good results block out resources, creating dense mats that strangle if the entire root is removed. Ecosystem: The dynamic interactions of plant is considered invasive. Invasive species often spread plants. The plant’s similarity to native milkweed confuses Fun Fact: The leaves of periwinkle can be used to relieve and animal communities and their in such a way that they form large patches, making monarch butterfly populations who depend on viable skin rashes. associated non-living environment, it unsuitable for anything else to grow. In urban milkweed to lay their eggs. Larvae hatched on Dog including physical and climatic settings where natural areas are very limited, it is Strangling Vine do not survive. Phragmites features. important to have a diverse range of plant species Management/Control: If you have a small infestation, 5 (Phragmites australis) to provide as much habitat as possible for local dig up the Dog Strangling Vine, ensuring that the entire wildlife. Unfortunately, urban settings are often root system is removed. Hand-pulling is the only effective Origin: Europe & Asia the areas where invasive species are most prevalent method in controlling its spread. It is best to target Dog Description: Water-loving plant that can grow to heights of because the land is often disturbed and ecosystems Strangling Vine before it is in full flower. If you have a up to 5m. The stem is a beige/tan colour with a rough and are disrupted. After development, invasive species are large infestation, removing seed pods can be an effective dull texture. Leaves are a blue/green colour and the seeds the second greatest threat to endangered species. control method. Once a patch has gone to seed, it is form in dense brooms. necessary to continually weed for several years since the seeds continue to sprout from the seed bank.