5
Small to Medium Invasive,
Non-Native Trees
Empress Tree, Princess Tree
(
Paulownia tomentosa
) large
panicles of lavender flowers, like
upside-down wisteria, identify this
tree in spring; the large brown
seed capsules remain all year.
Winged seeds allow it to spread
deep into undeveloped areas,
though it needs some sunlight and
is most common along trails and
waterways. It grows very rapidly
and sprouts readily from roots
and cut stumps.
Control: (1) seedlings and
small saplings only; (7), (8), (9),
or (10) use 50% solution, any
time the ground is not frozen; (11)
on re-growth and small trees.
Mimosa (
Albizia julibrissin
) has
rather garish pink flowers in
summer and feathery compound
leaves. It spreads slowly by wind-
borne seed pods, or in water or fill-
dirt. It re-sprouts when cut or
burned. Needs some sunlight.
Control: (1); (7), (8), (9), or (10).
Recommended Native Trees For Hedges
American hazel nut (
Corylus americana
) makes an excellent hedge.
In damp soils, Slippery elm (
Ulmus rubra
) is a good substitute for
Siberian elm.
On sunny, dry sites, Staghorn sumac or Shining sumac (
Rhus
typhina, R. copallina
) form thickets; keep suckers in check by mowing.
Recommended Native Shade Trees
White oak (
Quercus alba
), Northern or Southern red oak (
Q. rubra,
Q. Falcata
), and Mockernut hickory (
Carya tomentosa
) are widely
adapted shade trees.
Other oaks and hickories are suited to very dry, wet, or steep sites.
Tupelo, also called Black or Sour gum (
Nyssa sylvatic
) has brilliant
red fall foliage and small fruits eaten by birds.
under which nothing else grows. Its
small oval leaves have a single
tooth.
Control: (1); (7), (8), (9), or (10).
Russian Olive, Autumn Olive
(
Eleagnus angustifolium, E.
umbellata
) formerly
recommended for erosion control
and wildlife value, these have
proved highly invasive and diminish
the overall quality of wildlife
habitat.
Control: (1) up to 4" diameter
trunks; (7) or (10) or bury stump.
Do not mow or burn.
Flowering Fruit Trees these
displace our native fruit trees:
Cherry, edible and ornamental
(
Prunus avium, P. cerasus
,
Japanese species and hybrids).
Pear, Bradford and other
Ornamental Pears (
Pyrus
calleryana
) self-sterile but can
pollinate other cultivars, now
spreading rapidly from street
plantings.
White Mulberry (
Morus alba
)
the fruits may be white, purple, or
black; leaves are lobed. Our
delicious native red mulberry, which
has very large, usually unlobed
leaves, is dying out from a root
disease carried by white mulberry.
Control of flowering/fruit trees:
(1); (7) or (10); (8) if very large; or
if grown for harvest, protect fruit
from birds with netting or
hardware cloth.
Siberian Elm (
Ulmus pumila
), a
fast-growing medium-height tree
also sold for hedges, displaces our
native elms, which are already
under pressure from Dutch elm
disease. It forms dense thickets
Recommended Small Native
Ornamental Trees
Serviceberry (
Amelanchier spp.
),
Fringetree (
Chionanthus
virginicus
), Black haw (
Viburnum
prunifolium
), and Red
chokeberry (
Aronia arbutifolia
)
are beautiful flowering trees
that also produce fruit for
birds.
Invasive Ornamental Grasses
Often promoted as native
plants, most ornamental grasses
come from outside our region.
Once established, they are
extremely tenacious. They are now
spreading into our meadows.
So far, Pampas grass
(
Cortaderia selloana
and
C.
jubata
), Japanese silver grass
(
Miscanthus sinensis
), and Reed
canary grass (
Phalaris
arundinacea
) have been the most
invasive.
Control: (1); (2); or (11), using
additional sticker-spreader.
