You have probably heard the term ‘alien’ used when referring to trees or plants. This term is used to describe an invasive species that is non-native to the ecosystem of the area, which can cause environmental harm or even pose a human health risk.
These species often spread rapidly and are difficult to remove from the area because of how quickly they reproduce. They overwhelm in these areas as aliens often because their natural predators or competitors don’t exist in these areas. Because of this growth, these ‘aliens’ can take over the ecosystem they have entered and threaten the survival of native species.
Because of the damage these invasive species can cause, it’s important to know what to look for in your own yard or property. To help, we’ve compiled a list of trees to look out for in our area, with links to descriptions and images that can help identify them:
- Bastard cabbage – Rapistrum rugosum
- Giant reed – Arundo donax
- Johnson grass – Sorghum halepense
- Chinese tallow tree – Triadica sebifera
- King Ranch bluestem – Bothriochloa ischaemum var. songarica
- Field bindweed – Convolvulus arvensis
- Bermudagrass – Cynodon dactylon
- Chinaberry tree – Melia azedarach
- Redtip photinia – Photinia x fraseri
- Heavenly bamboo – Nandina domestica
- Pincushions – Scabiosa atropurpurea
- Chinese privet – Ligustrum sinense