There is a growing list of invasive plants in Alabama that you should not plant (or keep) on your property. No matter how diligent you are, these plants will spread into wild areas (including preserves and parks) to cause harm to the environment, economy and human (and non-human) health. If you have any of these plants on your property, please do what any good gardener does, and kill the weeds. All of these plants have their origins in the horticultural trade and many of them (such as Nandina, Privet, Mahonia, English Ivy and Vinca and Wintercreeper) are still commonly sold to unwitting customers.
Our native plants are not “weaker” or more poorly adapted than invasive plants, but invasives have experienced ecological release – removing them from the pathogens and host insects in their native lands. These plants steal energy from local food webs – accumulating it as biomass without transferring the energy to higher trophic levels (insects, birds and other animals). They are “pest free,” which really means few insects have evolved to eat their foliage and seeds. Consequently, some of these plants grow 18x(!) denser than native plants with natural checks and balances.
For a full listing of invasive species in Alabama, see the Invasive Plant Atlas published by the Alabama Invasive Plant Council (ALIPC). Useful information about the identification and control of these plants can be found on the Cooperative Extension’s website. The local Cooperative Extension office offers workshops throughout the year to train land owners in control and removal techniques.
Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants
As we learn more about the ecological harms caused by invasive plants, there are growing efforts to find native plant substitutes for those invasive plants originally cherished for their ornamental merits. Below are some resources to help you find a native plant to an existing invasive landscape plant that is right for your site. Keep in mind there may be additional native alternatives not fully covered in this list, and if you have recommendations, please let us know!
Tennessee’s Native Plant Alternatives to Exotic Invasives
Native Replacements for Commonly sold Invasive Plants (AL Extension)
Plant This, Not That: Native Plant Substitutes for Invasive Species (North American Land Trust)