This thread is dedicated for the educational purpose for those gardening here in Florida. Please share your knowledge of invasive plants you have encountered gardening here.
The inspiration for this thread started as I have held on to a tree that appeared in the back far reaches of my property. I thought it was attractive and let it be. A few weeks ago when in the back area I noticed some type of fruit on the tree. I became curious as to what type of tree it was and after some online research I learned it's identity as a Carrotwood Tree (Cupaniopsis anacardioides) a Cat.1 invasive here in Florida. I am happy to report that the tree has now been removed from my garden.
Leaf


Fruit


Thank you Elaine for adding the Cat. 1 invasive to the database in the comment area.

educational link: http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/pla...

Do not know what happened to the thread title
'Florida Invasion Of The Plant Kind'

What great idea for a thread Scott. Since (If I ever sell my home) I will be a Florida invader myself it will be good to know who the bad guys are.

Yes, excellent thread idea, Scott. We could ask @dave what happened to the thread title. I do think "Untitled" won't attract too much attention to this important topic.

My favorite invasive to talk about is Melaleuca, aka locally "punk tree". This is the tree that the Army Corps introduced on purpose into the Everglades back in the 1930's with the intention of helping to "drain the swamp". Now, thankfully we know that's not a good idea, but still we're stuck with millions of these terribly invasive trees. They bloom 2 or 3 times per year and are the source of very allergenic pollen, then of course also make a billion seeds as well, which the birds happily spread around.


Thankfully, there is a company making mulch out of Melaleuca - the Florimulch company. The tree makes excellent mulch because it is the source of tea tree oil, so the wood is aromatic and resists insect invasions. UF did a study some years ago and found that termites avoid melaleuca mulch because of the aromatic oils in it. Please, if you are mulching your yard, make an effort to use this excellent mulch that also helps eliminate an invasive tree. It's available at good nurseries, as well as at some Lowe's stores.

At our first home we had an issue with Southern Sword Fern (Nephrolepis cordifolia) taking over a huge part of our backyard ... almost impossible to eradicate due to those little bulblets that travel everywhere!


Most of us native or long time Floridians have seen the beautiful but horrid Brazilian Pepper Tree (Schinus terebinthifolia) around the state. We had one pop up in our yard once that I immediately had my husband take his chain saw to. It sprouted back from the roots so we had to get someone to grind the stump.


Although I don't think Four o'Clocks (Mirabilis jalapa) are listed as invasive here in Florida, we once had a problem with the white variety completely taking over an area outside our fence between our property and the roadway and eventually encroached on our property. One year we spent many weeks trying to dig them out and it was such a chore ... we never managed to eradicate them completely and I think I will drive by our old place some time soon to see if they are still growing there. Some of the stalks and tubers were really huge. I wish I'd taken photos of the area when it was covered with white blooms; it was pretty but gee, I think like the Sword Ferns, these things could take over the city! The photo below is some of the small tubers; wish I'd gotten pictures of the huge ones. I remember being so stunned at the size of some of them that my husband dug out because I couldn't budge them.


Another pest that's considered invasive here in Florida is the Arrowhead Vine (Syngonium podophyllum) We've had issues with that one a couple of times over the years. At our home where we lived here in the Daytona Beach area for 36 years, it was a huge pest but we finally managed to eradicate it. Then, when we purchased our home in Sebastian, we found it growing in a wooded area on our property; trailing along the ground and climbing up and over pine trees and palm trees.


I also once had Wild Morning Glory pop up in the yard and begin to take over everything in sight. It ended up in a couple of my container plants; took over some rose bushes in one area and dwarf azaleas in another part of the yard ... it even climbed the pole to the top of a purple martin house.

Such a shame when these attractive plants go bad.
Lynn, I have been fighting the Arrowhead vine for 6 yrs now. Just when I think I won the battle it reappears.
Another vine that I totally dislike is Paederia foetida (aka Skunk Vine, Stink Vine) and yes it lives up to those names.
Introduced into Florida in the late 1800's from Aisa. It adapted well here and was named to the Noxious Weed list within 100 years here. I have been busy pulling the young annual vines the last few weeks.
I understand that you can cook (smell is lost) the leaves and eat them. I will just take their word for that.

dyzzypyxxy said:Yes, excellent thread idea, Scott. We could ask @dave what happened to the thread title. I do think "Untitled" won't attract too much attention to this important topic.

My favorite invasive to talk about is Melaleuca, aka locally "punk tree". This is the tree that the Army Corps introduced on purpose into the Everglades back in the 1930's with the intention of helping to "drain the swamp". Now, thankfully we know that's not a good idea, but still we're stuck with millions of these terribly invasive trees. They bloom 2 or 3 times per year and are the source of very allergenic pollen, then of course also make a billion seeds as well, which the birds happily spread around.

• Melaleucas (Melaleuca)
• Uploaded by mellielong

Thankfully, there is a company making mulch out of Melaleuca - the Florimulch company. The tree makes excellent mulch because it is the source of tea tree oil, so the wood is aromatic and resists insect invasions. UF did a study some years ago and found that termites avoid melaleuca mulch because of the aromatic oils in it. Please, if you are mulching your yard, make an effort to use this excellent mulch that also helps eliminate an invasive tree. It's available at good nurseries, as well as at some Lowe's stores.

Thanks Elaine I will look for the mulch.

Scot, that Skunk-Vine (Paederia foetida) is a pretty one and I see it's listed as zone 9a and higher but I've never noticed it anywhere over here in the Daytona Beach area ... I don't doubt that it's around though!

Oooh, I missed Elaine's comments about the Melaleuca mulch ... I'd like to find that somewhere, will have to be on the lookout for it!

When we purchased this house, we found the former homeowners had placed that horrific, toxic dyed rubber mulch in every single bed around the complete perimeter of this house! Our dogs like to eat mulch/wood chips so my husband worked for days and days, shoveling it up from all the beds at the back and sides in the fenced yard where the dogs have access. They still manage to find bits here and there on occasion and I have to take it out of their mouths! It is pretty but oh, so toxic!! We still have it in beds in the front and front sides and I'd like to eventually get it out of there as well but that may never happen. The former owners put down layers of metal grating, covered it with two layers of landscape fabric and then about 3 inches or so of the rubber mulch ... around the entire house!! We may move back to our Sebastian house before I ever get around to trying to remove the rest of that stuff but I can use that FloriMulch for my container plants!

I just did a google search and it looks like Lowes carries the FloriMulch!

Checked online and my local Lowe's also carries FloriMulch , 600 + bags in stock.

@ScotTi

above the reply box in this thread at the bottom of the page , there are several links , last one is - Suggest a Change

you can click it and ask for the thread title to be changed , it is the only way I know to change a thread title

krobra said:@ScotTi

above the reply box in this thread at the bottom of the page , there are several links , last one is - Suggest a Change

you can click it and ask for the thread title to be changed , it is the only way I know to change a thread title

I suggested the change this morning and received a reply a little later that it has been approved. It may take time I am thinking,

Elaine, I want to thank you for bringing the Melaleuca Mulch to my attention. I knew nothing about it prior to your post. Stopped and picked up a few bags today.

You're sure welcome, Scott. Back in 2002 when I did the Master Gardener course, we were told that Florimulch was the only brand-name product we were allowed to "officially" recommend, as representatives of the Extension service. I think they're still the only company making mulch out of Melaleuca, at least I've never seen another brand. Have to wonder why . . .

I've used it ever since, and never tire of the scent of a fresh bag of that lovely aromatic stuff.

Thanks for the acorns, btw.

The company must have undergone some rigorous, research based testing to be OK'd. Too bad they don't or can't expand. Right now it is only available in FL.

ScotTi said: Such a shame when these attractive plants go bad.
Lynn, I have been fighting the Arrowhead vine for 6 yrs now. Just when I think I won the battle it reappears.
Another vine that I totally dislike is Paederia foetida (aka Skunk Vine, Stink Vine) and yes it lives up to those names.
Introduced into Florida in the late 1800's from Aisa. It adapted well here and was named to the Noxious Weed list within 100 years here. I have been busy pulling the young annual vines the last few weeks.
I understand that you can cook (smell is lost) the leaves and eat them. I will just take their word for that.

I never have seen flowers on my Skunk vine, but maybe I'm always yanking it up before it flowers.

sunkissed said:

I never have seen flowers on my Skunk vine, but maybe I'm always yanking it up before it flowers.

I pull them as soon as I see them. My neighbor doesn't do such a good job so I got to see them flower.
Young plant...

Colocasia esculenta (wild taro) - Category 1 invasive exotic found in much of Florida. Wild taro displaces native vegetation along streams, rivers, canals, ditches and lakeshores.

What a wonderful idea for a thread! Thank you for thinking of it Scott!

Dog gone it all! The Florimulch is NOT available here where I am. Booooooooo!!!!

An option if/when you can't get the Melaleuca mulch is to get eucalyptus mulch. Same great smell & bug resistance & it doesn't float.

As Lin has mentioned in her post Nephrolepis cordifolia is a Cat.1 invasive here and looks to be happy wherever it may find a home. This fern is often found growing in the old leaf boots of palms.





Here is a look at the distinguishing root tubers that helps in the identification of this invasive fern.

Scott, I have 'Kimberly Queen', Nephrolepis obliterata, that is a total thug here, even in full sun. It has those tubers also. I have been battling it for almost 20 years. The freeze this past winter knocked it down and I have been trying to catch it as it comes back. Those darn tubers did not freeze and they provide plenty of energy for re-growth.