In our latest landscaping blog, we're taking a closer look at why invasive plants are such a problem, which invasive species are the most common in Central Florida, and how to remove invasive plants from your lawn and garden.
Lovely to Look At, but Bad for the Ecosystem
So, just how bad can the damage caused by invasive plants be? For native plants and wildlife, invasive species devastate the ecosystem by depriving non-invasive species the natural food and shelter they need to survive. And, as the name implies, invasive species don't have natural predators or competition when planted in non-native environments. This means they can spread rapidly before human intervention can take them out.
Central Florida's Most Common Invasive Species - Plus a Few Words About Kudzu
Did you know that approximately one in every seven new plant and animal species introduced into the United States becomes invasive? What's more, over 50,000 total new plant and animal species have been established in the U.S. in just the past 100 years alone. That's far more than the average home-grown gardener can keep up with! To help you get started learning about invasive plants to look out for in Florida, we've gathered these lists below.
We'd like to take the time to give a few dedicated words about ( Pueraria montana ), a particularly invasive vine now found throughout the Southern U.S. Kudzu has been an invasive plant since its introduction to America in the 19th century, originating in East Asia. You can easily identify kudzu by its dark brown, rope-looking stems that appear "hairy" and its tuberous roots. While it was initially used as an ornamental and even to prevent erosion, it quickly began overtaking entire groups of trees at a time. Kudzu is able to smother trees and everything it grows over, preventing regrowth of any native plant species, and thus also preventing natural wildlife from returning to their natural habitats.
So, how do you get rid of and prevent kudzu and these other invasive plants from spreading? Well, that leads us to our next point!
How to Remove Invasive Plants
Because invasive species do not have natural predators or competition, they won't go away on their own. Methods for removing invasive plants include pulling out the entire plant (mechanical control) or chemical control. Of course, it is better to attempt manually pulling invasive plants before using chemical methods in order to protect the environment and other plants you do not wish to harm. In a few cases of ground-cover species, you may be able to let the sun scorch them out without needing to pull them out first.
The Best Orlando Lawn Care and Landscaping
Daniel's Lawn Service & Pressure Washing has been serving Orlando and Central Florida with professional lawn care and landscaping services for years. We are true locals with a passion for keeping your lawn and landscape design beautiful and healthy year-round. If you need invasive plant removal, give us a call today! We also offer a variety of other , including general lawn maintenance, pressure washing, tree services, landscape design and land clearing.
Let us help turn your lawn into a paradise full of beautiful Florida plants!