Spring is finally here! This is the time to get your home prepped and ready to look amazing all summer. Unfortunately one problem that occurs during this time of the year is homeowners unknowingly spreading harmful invasive plants. These plants may be aesthetically pleasing or provide some benefit to a garden but can quickly spread and hurt native plant biodiversity.
Some of the most dangerous invasive plants are banned from being sold in MD and others are required to be labeled as possible invasive species. This can create the false sense that all invasives are banned or labeled as such. Many unregulated plants are well known to degrade natural resources and hurt local biodiversity. One of the best examples of this is English Ivy. This vine is sold as an easy maintenance ornamental but is well known to be detrimental to native plants, suffocating trees and spreading like wildfire.
At the Maryland Sierra Club we have been fighting these invasives first hand in our local parks, but we can stop this problem before it starts! How can you help? Buy native plants for your home this year, helping to display Maryland’s beautiful plant life and preventing the spread of invasive species.
One of the best resources for information on native plants as well as the places to purchase them is the Maryland Native Plant Society website. This website also has a list of native plant sale events that will occur throughout the state starting in April.
Baltimore - April 14
Ridgely MD - April 27-29
Mount Airy MD - April 28
New Germany State Park, Garrett County MD - May 12
It is easy and rewarding to help protect and promote Maryland’s natural biodiversity. Check out our pesticide free yard program for information on best practices to reduce the negative impacts of pesticides while working on your property. We want to make sure that our home garden and lawn care doesn’t negatively affect our environment.
This blog was written by Alan Rannals,
2018 Spring Stewardship Intern