What is a non-native, invasive plant species?
Non-native plants are plants growing in an area where they do not naturally occur. Non-native plants have been brought to North America from other continents for use in agriculture, gardening, erosion control, and medicine, or simply by accident. For more information see the Invasive Plants site bulletin. Many non-native plants are considered invasive. Invasive plants have the following characteristics: they reproduce rapidly, spread over large areas of the landscape, and have few, if any, natural controls, such as herbivores and diseases, to keep them in check. These plants displace native plants and may disrupt the local balance of nature. For example, Japanese honeysuckle may crowd out native shrubs, eliminating songbird habitat. Some native plants have also become invasive due to habitat changes caused by human land use. Which plants are considered invasive in Cuyahoga Valley National Park? Currently, 16 non-native plants are considered to be invasive within the park. These plants
Non-native, invasive plants are those outside of their historic range, usually originating from human settings (gardens, aquaria, agricultural areas, water gardens, cultivated roadways, etc.), that continue to reproduce and displace native species reducing the biodiversity in natural areas. On their home turf, plant and animal populations are kept in check by natural controls. However, when a species is introduced, accidentally or intentionally, into a new landscape one not adapted to its presence the consequences can be devastating. Invasive plants and animals sometimes spread unchecked, disrupting natural cycles, crowding native species and costing billions in property damage and lost economic productivity. More than 4500 foreign species have gained a permanent foothold or taken root in the U.S. during the last century.
