Invasive Aliens
Since most of the leaves have dropped off the native trees, I am struck by the fact that many of woody plants (trees, shrubs and vines) that still have leaves hanging on, or dominating the broadleaf evergreens of our field edges and woodlands are non-native invasive aliens.
In my leanings toward greenery, my prejudices are few. I am interested in the biology, reproduction, human-relationships, history of introduction, geography and other aspects of plants that originate on another continent.
By no fault of their own, they have moved from place to place as the result of human activity, either intentional, mostly as horticultural introductions, or unintentional hitchhikers in imported goods.
Right now, Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) a sprawling vine or climbing vine with evergreen leaves clambers through shrubbery in my backyard. I’m in a constant battle with English Ivy (Hedera helix) that grow at the edge of the yard, crawling over the ground and attaching itself to my house, with it flat suction like tendrils. It took down an old redbud tree in the backyard.
All along Spring Street, I see creeping euonymus (really more of a climber), choking tree trunks and dangling its bright red fruits, looking for opportunity. Its Asian neighbor, burning bush (Euonymus alatus), you know, that bright red shrub to the right of the Post Office? It too is dropping its fruits.
The evergreen periwinkles, Vina major and Vinca minor, decorate wooded areas as understory ground covers—kind of pleasant to look at, if you don’t like native plants, because they crowd all of them out.
Then there’s Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense) with its dull green leaves and prolific fruit dangling like miniature loose bunches of grapes. Bush honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii), leaves still intact, allowing birds a place to hide while they eat the succulent, somewhat translucent red fruits and spread them about the area.
These are just a few examples of the non-native, invasive alien woody plants that have invaded our town, and unlike the tourists, they don’t go home. They stay and multiply.
The Master Naturalists program in Eureka Springs, which will offer its third training in Eureka Springs this winter, has created good awareness and a cadre of volunteers who can identify and help remove some of these plants. For more information in joining in the fun see this website for more information: arkansasmasternaturalists.org.
Think of it as a holiday gift for yourself.