It’s not Invasive in My Yard
‘It’s not invasive in my yard’
How this myth about invasive species harms Glebe biodiversity
By Christina Keys
Periwinkle, lily of the valley, goutweed, daylilies, barberry and burning bush are beautiful yet ecologically harmful plants that are commonly found in Glebe gardens. These plants are for sale in most garden centres around Ottawa even though each is categorised as an invasive species by scientists.
Inevitably, invasive species escape yards and invade natural areas where they outcompete native species, creating a dead zone of vegetation that does not support the local insects, birds and mammals that rely on native plants. In fact, most invasive plants were introduced to wild ecosystems through our landscaping.
Some people feel that invasive plants do no harm when confined to their own gardens or yards. However, even the most diligent gardener cannot control an invasive species. Birds eat the seeds and deposit them in other areas, and wind blows the seeds away.
Little regulation
Why are these plants even for sale if they do such harm? Very few plants in the horticultural trade are regulated in Canada, despite the enormous cost to all levels of government, to the agricultural sector and to biodiversity. The Canadian Coalition for Invasive Plant Regulation is trying to change this by lobbying at the federal level for regulations to limit the sale of these harmful species.
Wild invasive species
Unfortunately, cultivated invasive species are not the only threat to our biodiversity. Creeping bellflower, Japanese knotweed, dog-strangling vine and common buckthorn are no longer for sale, yet they are increasingly abundant in the Glebe and across the region. It is not hard to see the devastation caused by each type of invasive species in our natural spaces, especially Patterson Creek Park. Any garden will inevitably attract these invasives – buckthorn seeds are deposited by birds while the 2,400 seeds a year produced by dog-strangling vine and the 15,000 produced by creeping bellflower are spread by the wind.
Transforming ‘ecological dead zones’
You can help alleviate the biodiversity crisis by removing invasive species from your yard. That can be hard work, so at least consider removing the flowers or seed heads to prevent further spread if removal isn’t possible.
Ontario’s Invading Species Awareness Program has excellent visual guides for invasive species and combined with an app like Picture This or PlantSnap, you’ll easily be able to identify them and learn how to effectively remove them. You can talk to your gardener, landscaper, landlord or condo association about their management of invasive species and provide them with these resources.
Identifying and removing invasive plants is the hard part. The fun part is replacing these harmful species with beautiful, non-invasive alternatives or even beneficial native plants. Native alternative groundcovers for shade include wild geranium, woodland strawberry, wild ginger and bunchberry, Canada’s unofficial national flower found in every province and territory. In the sun, try creeping juniper, field pussy toes and silverweed. Both blue violets and Canada anemone grow in sun or shade.
Planting any of these species will help to transform your garden into a thriving, beneficial ecosystem.
Christina Keys is a wildlife gardener with Garden Releaf, a Glebe-based ecological garden restoration and design company, owned and operated by Tara Beauchamp. Together, they remove invasive species in gardens across central Ottawa, replacing them with thriving native plant gardens.
A version of this article originally appeared in the Manor Park Chronicle.
