Tropical Zone Gardening: Invasives: The Hawai'i Hit List!, 1 by plantladylin

plantladylin wrote:
Wow! Very interesting thread! Isn't it amazing how many plants and critters have invaded different areas of this earth! We have Cuban Tree Frogs here in Fla that have somehow migrated north from the island of Cuba. These things are very invasive ... eating the little anole lizards as well as smaller native tree frogs. They keep migrating farther and farther north too. I heard one was found in southern Georgia a couple of years ago. Luckily we haven't been inundated with them to the point that there are hundreds around. I collect birdhouses and a few years ago I found one actually living in an old birdhouse in the screened pool enclosure! I found information at the University of Florida website telling how to humanely euthanize them by either freezing them first or using something like ora gel on their heads to put them in a tupor state and then do away with them! LOL ... I found the thing dead in the swimming pool one day so either it committed suicide or accidently fell in and drowned!

That Mimosa pudica is an invasive here too and we have a Southern Sword Fern that almost took over our entire backyard a few years ago. I literally worked for hours every day for three weeks trying to eradicate it by digging it up. It was down two sides of our backyard and out about 4' in one area and 10' in another! We gained a lot of property back by getting rid of that stuff. But, it's almost impossible to get it all and it's now growing again outside the fence! So, I need to get back to work again ... or as soon as our rainy season hits next month and through the summer, we will be invaded by ferns again. Another invasive we have here is Asparagus Sprengeri fern ... awful stuff! I have some huge ones in my yard that are impossible to dig out ... my neighbor keeps telling me to use chemicals to eradicate it but I'm so afraid of contaminating the well water! At least it's in an area where it can't escape ... surrounded by a cement driveway on one side and the house and sidewalk on other sides. We have some kind of Lantana here that is very, very invasive also. It too is growing all along outside our fence on city property ... but they don't mow often at all so we have to try to keep it from spreading into our yard. My next door neighbors love it and have it everywhere in their yard. I keep cutting it back as it comes through the fence!

Oh, we have a Palm that drives some folks crazy around here too. The Sabal Palmetto. It's not considered an invasive, they don't smother out other plants, but they sprout up all over the place! I'm always pulling them up in the flower beds.

So many pretty plants but they can sure do some damage by smothering out and displacing natives. I get sooo aggravated when I'm in a garden center and see these invasive plants for sale! A lot of people don't realize they are invasive and a lot of people just don't care!

Carol, I never heard of the Northern Cardinal being invasive, had no idea! But, yes ... I guess a lot of critter's can take over if given a chance, just like a lot of plants. We have lots of Cardinals that nest around our neighborhood, and they are bullied by the Blue Jays!

With all the invasive plants and critters showing up in areas they aren't supposed to be, it makes me wonder what the earth will be like 50 years from now! I won't be around to worry about it anymore, but hopefully for future generations, people will change and make it a better planet!

We need rain here too! We've been in a drought situation for quite awhile, yesterday the news said there are 105 fires burning in Florida! We finally got a much needed downpour yesterday, but thunderstorms are not welcome as the lightning starts more fires. Our tropical storm/hurricane season begins June 1 so in a few months we will probably be wishing the rain will go away!

Here's a picture of the Cuban Tree Frog that was in residence a couple of years ago ... cute face but not so much that I want them around!