Download our app! The Midwest Invasive Plant AMERICAN SENTRY LINDEN (GL) Network has a free mobile app (Tilia americana) ‘McKSentry’ AMERICAN SENTRY8 full of information on invasive landscape plants to avoid, as well as suitable alternatives.
For more information on woody invasive plants and what to do about them, or to get an electronic LANDSCAPE copy of this brochure, visit the WIGL Collaborative at woodyinvasives.org ALTERNATIVES FOR INVASIVE TREES, SHRUBS, AND VINES
RED MAPLE (GL) To learn more about the landscape alternatives OF THE GREAT LAKES REGION (Acer rubrum)8 described here, including full descriptions and growing requirements, we recommend the following references:
Midwestern Native Shrubs and Trees: Gardening Alternatives to Nonnative Species: An Illustrated Guide Charlotte Adelman and Bernard L. Schwartz. 2017. Ohio University Press, Athens, OH. The Tree Book Michael A. Dirr and Keith S. Warren. 2019. Timber Press, Portland, OR. Essential Native Trees and Shrubs for the Eastern United States: The Guide to Creating a Sustainable Landscape Tony Dove and Ginger Woolridge. 2018. Charlesbridge, Watertown, MA. ALLEGHENY AMERICAN SERVICEBERRY (GL) SYCAMORE (GL) 7 ONLINE (Platanus occidentalis)8 (Amelanchier laevis) The Morton Arboretum mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants Landscape Alternatives Missouri Botanical Garden missouribotanicalgarden.org/plantfinder/ Many invasive woody plants were purposefully plantfindersearch.aspx introduced to be grown in the landscape. This brochure provides alternatives to invasive woody plants still found in trade and to invasive plants that are no longer sold but are still commonly found in urban and suburban neighborhoods. Alternatives were This brochure was published by the Midwest Invasive Plant Network for the selected based on the following criteria: Woody Invasives of the Great Lakes (WIGL) Collaborative. Recommendations were developed by the WIGL Collaborative’s Landscape Alternatives • Shared ornamental features Committee. The WIGL Collaborative and its products are funded by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative via U.S. Environmental Protection Agency • No evidence of spreading from cultivation cooperative agreement GL-00E02212. The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors • Available from nurseries and garden centers and should not be interpreted as representing the opinions or policies of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Mention of trade names or commercial • Reasonably easy to grow in the region products does not constitute their endorsement by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. WOODY INVASIVES OF THE GREAT LAKES COLLABORATIVE Everybody loves a beautiful landscape Woody plants are vital to landscape and garden design. In addition to their beauty, they provide shade and privacy, hold soil in place, filter rainwater, and improve air quality. Gardeners and designers often choose woody plants that are hardy, adaptable, and fast-growing. Some species are selected because their fruits are colorful in the garden during winter and attract songbirds. Unfortunately, the same traits that make a plant desirable in the landscape can contribute to invasiveness if they spread and grow in natural areas.
VERNAL WITCHHAZEL (NA) (Hamamelis vernalis)8 Why native plants? CULTIVARS The vast majority of plants that are not native to the The fall color of hybrid fothergilla (Fothergilla x intermedia) cultivars LEGEND OF THE FALL® and Great Lakes region are not invasive. However, native RED MONARCHTM rival that of invasive burning bush.8 plants provide food and shelter that support a diversity of insects, birds, and other critters. They transform backyards into habitats! What are cultivars?
CATEGORIES OF LANDSCAPE ALTERNATIVES Cultivars are plants developed or selected from the wild by plant breeders to enhance or change certain Great Lakes Native (GL) – A plant species characteristics. “Cultivar” is shorthand for cultivated that was historically present in the Great Lakes Basin variety. For some landscape alternatives, cultivars are prior to European colonization. Natural resource recommended because they share more desirable traits agencies and native plant societies are great resources with the invasive plant, are cold hardy in the Great Lakes to learn which plants are native to your location. region, or were bred to resist diseases. AMERICAN BITTERSWEET (GL) North American Native (NA) – A plant species 3 CULTIVARS, POLLINATORS, AND WILDLIFE (Celastrus scandens) that was historically present in North America but not within the Great Lakes Basin prior to European Gardeners who prioritize providing pollinator colonization. Species that evolved in regions south forage or wildlife habitat should choose either What are invasive plants? of the Great Lakes may be the most able to adapt to locally seed-grown plants or cultivars Invasive plants are defined as species that are climate change. that have the same flower structure, non-native and cause harm. Often, invasive flower color, and foliage color Non-Native Plant (NN) – A plant species that was plants harm the environment by establishing dense as the species. Research indicates brought to North America by humans and did not populations in natural areas, outcompeting native that these traits often have the evolve here. The vast majority of non-native plants are plants, and damaging wildlife habitat. There is also biggest influence on provision not invasive. evidence that dense populations of certain woody of ecological benefits. invasive plants promote increased populations of Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus)11 tick species that carry human diseases.
On the LANDSCAPE ALTERNATIVES TABLE
Japanese barberry (Berberis (see pages 3–4), the species common name is thunbergii) is an invasive given first, followed by the scientific name in species in most of North America.10 It remains widely parentheses. Cultivar names appear in single quote available for purchase in most marks, and trademarked names are in all caps. states despite being linked to increased tick populations. EXAMPLES
Common Name (Scientific name) ‘Cultivar’ DUTCHMAN'S TRADEMARK PIPE (NA) Deer Tick SUMMERSWEET (NA) (Aristolochia ® 11 River birch (Betula nigra) ‘Cully’ HERITAGE (Ixodes scapularis) (Clethra alnifolia) [8] macrophylla) [7] Landscape Alternatives Table INVASIVE SHRUB ALTERNATIVES
GL = GREAT LAKES NATIVE u = SHARED CHARACTERISTIC BETWEEN DON’T PLANT Border Privet NA = NORTH AMERICAN NATIVE INVASIVE AND ALTERNATIVE (Ligustrum obtusifolium) NN = NON-NATIVE AND NON-INVASIVE u = CHARACTERISTIC SOMEWHAT PRESENT Try these Instead:
Carolina Allspice11 Native Growing Good as a Good for Showy Spring INVASIVE GROUNDCOVER ALTERNATIVES Category Zones Screen Hedging Flowers Blackhaw viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium) GL 3-9 u u u Arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum)I GL 3-8 u u u DON’T PLANT Wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei) Carolina allspice (Calycanthus floridus) NA 4-9 u u u Try these Instead: Judd viburnum (Viburnum x juddii) NN 4-8 u u u
11 Native Growing Spreading Low Lenten Rose Evergreen Category Zones Habit Maintenance DON’T PLANT Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus) Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) GL 2-6 u u u Try these Instead: Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) GL 3-9 u u American Wild ginger (Asarum canadense) GL 4-7 u u Cranberry Bush11 Native Growing Good for Colorful Fall Adaptable to Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) GL 3-9 u u Category Zones Hedging Foliage Many Soils Cutleaf stephanandra (Stephanandra incisa) American cranberry bush (Viburnum opulus NN 3-7 u u I GL 2-7 u u u ‘Crispa‘ var. americanum) ‘Compactum’ Lenten rose (Helleborus spp.) NN 4-9 u u u Red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) GL 4-9 u u u Smooth witherod (Viburnum nudum) GL 5-9 u u u ‘Winterthur’I Fothergilla hybrids (Fothergilla x. intermedia) NA 5-8 u u u ‘Mt Airy,’ ‘Blue Shadow,’ LEGEND OF THE FALL® Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica) NA 5-9 u uA u INVASIVE WOODY VINE ALTERNATIVES ‘Henry’s Garnet,’ ‘Morton’ SCARLET BEAUTY™
DON’T PLANT Non-native DON’T PLANT Japanese Honeysuckle Bush Honeysuckles (Lonicera spp.) (Lonicera japonica), Asian Bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus), or Try these Instead: Porcelain Berry (Ampelopsis brevipedunculata) Try these Instead: Showy Twinberry Native Growing Attracts Shade 11 Fragrant Flowers Category Zones Birds Tolerant Trumpet Flowers Honeysuckle11 Native Growing Trellis or Showy Attracts Category Zones Arbor Flowers Birds Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia) GL 4-9 u u u American bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) Twinberry (Lonicera involucrata) GL 4-10 u u u J GL 2-8 u ‘Bailumn‘ AUTUMN REVOLUTION™ Bottlebrush buckeye (Aesculus parviflora) NA 4-8 u u GL 3-7 u u u Red honeysuckle (Lonicera dioica) Beautybush (Kolkwitzia amabilis) ‘Pink Cloud’ NN 4-8 u u u Trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) GL 4-9 u u u Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)B GL 3-9 u DON’T PLANT Japanese Barberry Virgin’s bower (Clematis virginiana) GL 3-8 u u (Berberis thunbergii) American wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) Try these Instead: NA 5-9 u u ‘Amethyst Falls‘
Kentucky wisteria (Wisteria macrostachya) Adaptable Purple NA 4-9 u u Native Growing Good for ‘Blue Moon‘ 11 and Deer Summer Ninebark Category Zones Hedging Dutchman’s pipe (Aristolochia macrophylla) NA 4-8 u u Resistant Foliage Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) DIABOLO®, Yellow passionflower (Passiflora lutea) NA 5-10 u u u GL 2-7 uA u uA LITTLE DEVIL™, SUMMER WINE®, TINY WINE® Everblooming honeysuckle (Lonicera x NN 5-9 u u u heckrotti) ‘Goldflame‘ PINK LEMONADE™ Black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) GL 3-8 u u A Climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala Winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata) ‘Red Sprite’ GL 3-9 u u NN 4-7 u subsp. petiolaris) Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) GL 3-7 u u Japanese hydrangea vine (Schizophragma Mountain bush honeysuckle (Diervilla NN 5-8 u NA 5-7 u u uA hydrangeoides) rivularis) KODIAK® Black DON’T PLANT Black Alder GL = GREAT LAKES NATIVE = SHARED CHARACTERISTIC BETWEEN u (Alnus glutinosa) NA = NORTH AMERICAN NATIVE INVASIVE AND ALTERNATIVE Try these Instead: NN = NON-NATIVE AND NON-INVASIVE u = CHARACTERISTIC SOMEWHAT PRESENT Sweet-gum11 Native Growing 40’+ at Glossy Good for Category Zones Maturity Foliage Wet Areas American beech (Fagus grandifolia) GL 3-9 u u u SMALL INVASIVE TREE ALTERNATIVES River birch (Betula nigra) ‘Cully’ HERITAGE® GL 4-9 u uA u
DON’T PLANT Amur Maple Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) GL 4-9 u u (Acer ginnala) Speckled alder (Alnus incana subsp. rugosa)B GL 2-6 u u Try these Instead: Sweet-gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) NA 5-9 u u u ‘Moraine’C Redbud11 Native Growing Small Yard Colorful Fall Hardy to Category Zones or Patio Foliage Zone 3 DON’T PLANT Black Locust d Apple serviceberry (Amelanchier x grandiflora) GL 4-9 u u (Robinia pseudoacacia) Try these Instead: American hornbeam (Carpinus caroliniana) GL 3-9 u u u Quaking Native Growing Dappled Wide Range Fast Redbud (Cercis canadensis) ‘Northern Strain’C GL 4-9 u u Aspen11 Category Zones Shade of Soil Types Growing GL 3-7 u u Pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) Thornless honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos GL 3-9 u u u Three-flowered maple (Acer triflorum) NN 4-8 u u var. inermis) ‘Skycole’ SKY LINEC, E Kentucky coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus) E GL 4-8 u u DON’T PLANT Buckthorn ‘Espresso’ (Rhamnus catharica and Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides)B GL 1-6 u u Frangula alnus) Try these Instead: Northern red oak (Quercus rubra) GL 4-8 u u Blood-twig DON’T PLANT Callery Pear Dogwood11 Native Growing Dense Attracts Hardy to a.k.a. Bradford Pear (Pyrus calleryana) Category Zones Hedging Birds Zone 3 Try these Instead: American arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis) Green GL 3-7 u u u ‘Holmstrup’H Hawthorn11 Native Growing Pyramidal or Showy Colorful Fall Category Zones Rounded Flowers Foliage GL 3-9 u u u Blackhaw viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium) Alleghany serviceberry (Amelanchier laevis) GL 4-8 u u uA American hazelnut (Corylus americana)B GL 4-9 u u ‘Cumulus,’ ‘Rogers’ LUSTRE®, SPRING FLURRY® Vernal witchhazel (Hamamelis vernalis) NA 4-8 u u Black gum a.k.a tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica) C GL 4-9 u u Blood-twig dogwood (Cornus sanguinea) NORTHERN SPLENDOR™, TUPELO TOWER™ NN 4-8 u u ‘Cato’ ARCTIC SUN® Green hawthorn (Crataegus viridis) NA 4-7 u u ‘Winter King’F Yellowwood (Cladrastis kentukea) NA 4-8 u u u MEDIUM-TO-LARGE INVASIVE TREE ALTERNATIVES Little-leaf linden (Tilia cordata) CORINTHIAN®, NN 3-7 u uG u ‘Greenspire,’ ‘Chancellor’
DON’T PLANT Amur Corktree DON’T PLANT Norway Maple (Phellodendron amurense) (Acer platanoides) Try these Instead: Try these Instead:
Ginkgo11 Native Growing 40’+ at Urban Site Colorful Fall Bur Oak11 Native Growing Broad- Sweeping Interesting Category Zones Maturity Tolerance Foliage Category Zones Crowned Branches Bark Freeman maple (Acer x. freemanii) ‘Jeffersred,’ GL 3-8 u u u American beech (Fagus grandifolia) GL 3-9 u u u AUTUMN BLAZE® GL 4-8 u u u Bur oak (Quercus macrocarpa) Red maple (Acer rubrum) GL 3-9 u u u Swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor) GL 4-8 u u u Miyabe maple (Acer miyabei) ‘Morton’ NN 4-8 u u u Chinquapin oak (Quercus muehlenbergii) GL 4-8 u u STATE STREET® Pecan (Carya illinoinensis) NA 5-9 u u Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) Any male cultivarE NN 4-9 u u u
FOOTNOTES COVER IMAGES PHOTO CREDITS A This feature is considered improved D Black locust is native to parts of H ‘Holmstrup,’ a compact cultivar, is recommended as Clockwise from upper left: 1 Paul Wray, Iowa State University, 7 Missouri Botanical Garden Plant in the suggested cultivar(s) and may North America, but not to the Great an alternative to the ‘Ron Williams’ FINE LINE cultivar • Eastern redbud via bugwood.org Finder Database not be pronounced in seed-grown Lakes Basin. of glossy buckthorn. Most other arbovitae cultivars (Cercis canadensis)7 2 Peter Stevens, CC-BY-NC-2.0, via 8 The Morton Arboretum plants. E Recommended for reduced/absent are too tall to be considered small trees. • Trumpet honeysuckle flickr.com 9 Danielle Brigida, CC-BY-NC-2.0, B Species prone to aggressive thicket seeding (reduced maintenance). I Should be avoided in areas with viburnum leaf (Lonicera sempervirens)6 3 John Hagstrom via flickr.com or colony formation; may not be F Recommended for improved beetle problems. • Bearberry 4 Clair Ryan, MIPN 10 Leslie Mehrhoff, UConn, via suitable for all sites. disease resistance. J Research has shown that some vendors sell invasive (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)8 5 Brett Whaley, CC-BY-NC-2.0, via bugwood.org C Recommended for improved cold G Flowering period is later in linden Asian bittersweet mislabeled as the native species. • Beauty bush flickr.com 11 iStockphoto.com hardiness in northern zones (zone 5 (early summer vs. early spring). Make sure to buy from a trusted vendor. Purchasing (Kolkwitzia amabilis)8 6 Bud Ohio, CC-BY-NC-2.0, via and lower). the cultivar instead of seed grown can also help flickr.com ensure that plants belong to the native species.