By Anne Sheffield reporting for Native Plant News Summer 2025
By now, your garden is in full glory! Beautiful foliage, gorgeous blooms and lots and lots of pollinators. And you’re feeling great about that, right?
But – do you have any invasive plants in your garden?
As a reminder
Invasive plant species are recognized as a significant threat to everything – from global biodiversity to maintaining healthy fields and forests, to keeping our water and food supply systems safe and sound. There are many things you can do to help remove them.
National focus
Every year in February, there’s a National Invasive Plant Awareness Week. During that week, the North American Invasive Species Management Association (NAISMA) hosts educational webinars on invasive species, helps line up Congressional briefings, and assists local and state organizations with their invasive plant awareness activities. See NAISMA’s website for more information.
Things you can do to help
- Get rid of invasive plants in your garden. There are many methods, including non-chemical ones, for removing invasives. Depending on the specific plant and extent of its growth, this could be a simple maintenance process like pulling seedlings or smothering the plant with landscape fabric, mulch, or cardboard. In other situations, a more extensive process may be required, like girdling or repetitive mowing. Several resources are available to help, including “Controlling Invasive Plants,” by the NC Botanical Garden. See pages 3-5.
- Do your homework before going to a plant nursery; don’t buy anything that’s an invasive plant! A few years ago, two Charlotte Native Plant Society members inventoried plants at two large big-box stores. Out of 58 plants at one of those stores, 10 plants were invasives and 14 were natives. Out of 82 plants at the other store, 7 plants were invasives with 11 being natives. None of the plant tags or signage said “invasive” or “native.”
As you’re shopping, when in doubt, pull up the North Carolina invasive plant list on your smartphone. Another option: Look the plant up on the NC Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox and check the description of the plant.
- Volunteer to help remove invasive plants along a greenway or in your favorite park. Your local Native Plant Society chapter and Parks & Recreation department as well as the NC Wildlife Federation can help you identify specific events in your area.
- Educate your neighbors about the negative effects of invasive plants. Consider hosting a 30-to-60-minute session to help your neighbors identify invasive plants on their property or in the neighborhood, and to discuss effective ways to remove them.
- Educate yourself about the strong link between native plants and native insects. Doug Tallamy’s writings and lectures are a great place to start.
A great resource
Again, see the North Carolina invasive plant list. The list was revised in late 2023, thanks to a combined effort of several groups including the NC Native Plant Society.
NCNPS members are reminded to post observations on iNaturalist or send them to the Vascular Plants of NC website editors.
Editor’s Note: Last April 2025 was designated as National Native Plant Month by the United States Senate. The resolution was introduced by Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, and Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Mississippi, and highlights the role of native plants in environmental conservation, habitat restoration and biodiversity. The resolution encourages public awareness of native plant species and their ecological benefits.
Anne Sheffield has been a North Carolina Native Plant Society member since 2018. Her garden has about 100 native plants incorporated into existing planting beds. Recent additions include a Blackgum (Nyssa sylvatica ‘Wildfire’) and Carolina Silverbell (Halesia carolina). In 2021, her garden was certified as a Native Plant Habitat by NCNPS. In 2024, it was part of a garden tour with about 400 people attending.