When I lived in DC, I loved to use Japanese barberry in many garden designs, mainly the smaller ones that had burgundy foliage. My go-to nursery up here in New England does not even carry the plant because it's on the lists of invasives in this region. Barberry may be just fine in urban or suburban locations, but when it escapes into open spaces, it can choke out native plants and trees.
According to scientists with the Weed Science Society of America it's best to check the list of invasives for your area before you run off on a big shopping trip to the local nursery. WSSA member Mark Renz of the University of Wisconsin recommends checking the USDA's National Info Center on Invasives (here) … to see what's on the list. They add new plants all the time, and the new ones on their list include Heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica), Golden Bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea) and the barberry.
I was surprised that my nursery referenced above does carry Scotch Broom, which is also on the invasives list. I love broom for its early yellow or red blooms, but WSSA says that on the east and west coasts, it can crowd out natives, and each plant produces thousands of seeds that may remain viable for years.
Other ornamental plants on the WSSA list of invasives inclues Scotch thistle (Onopordum acanthium), Dalmatian toadflax (Linaria dalmatica), and Tamarisk (Tamarix spp).
For more local information, consult the National Assn of Exotic Plant Pest Councils here.
Leave a Reply