To Be or Not To Be (invasive).. that is the question....

I have been pouring through these threads looking at the different invasive plants found here. I have my own thoughts (as escambiaguy and Equilibrium know!) and have been suprised to see so many plants sold locally are invasive. Here is a short list of plants sold at every nursery (including Lowe's and Home Depot) in Reno (that I know of so far):

Wisteria, honeysuckle, Japanese Barberry, Burning Bush, Norway Maple, Pyrus Calleryana (Bradford Pear), Mimosa (Albizia), English Ivy, Scotch Broom, Fescue (all grasses I guess), Grape, Creeping Jenny, Creeping Charlie, Purple Loosestrife, raspberry, Staghorn Sumac, Mexican Primrose (Evening Primrose), Aspen, Poplar, Virginia Creeper, Pampas Grass, Willow (all types), Vinca Minor (Periwinkle), Butterfly Bush, Russian Olive, Mulberry

This list was to give an idea of how many plants are considered invasive in any given plant store where I'm at. I have gathered the general thoughts of the authorities here, but I am not sure how it really applies. It seems there is a hard-line crowd that is against invasives (in any zone), but as you can see from my list, that can be pretty extensive. Some of those folks out there against invasives will not shop at any nursery/store that sells them. Here's where I would like some feedback. And although escambiaguy and Equilibrium have sounded off to me before, please feel free to share. How does the above list apply to ME specifically, especially when none of those species are invasive where I live? Are you 'boycott' folks out there only talking about areas where those species threaten to run wild, or are you talking about any store that sells any species that is considered invasive anywhere?

And am I wrong for planting anything that may not necessarily be invasive where I live, but may be aggressively invasive in some other part of the United States.

Thanks out there for anyone who can finally help me put this to rest. Because honestly, there are quite a few plants out there that I wouldn't mind having for my yard, but I feel bad for seeking them because they might be invasive somewhere else out there.

Regards and thanks in advance! (And please don't think I'm trying to find ways around the invasive issue)

Invasiveness is a very region-specific thing, plants that are invasive in some areas are perfectly well behaved (and sometimes even native) in others. Just because something's invasive somewhere else doesn't mean you shouldn't plant it if it's not invasive in your area. If you avoided planting anything that was invasive somewhere in the world, you probably wouldn't have too many plant choices left! LOL Where people could justifiably criticize you is if you go and trade seeds/cuttings of those plants with people who live in areas where they are a problem, but as long as you keep them in your area there's no reason why you can't plant them. The only down side is that if there is a plant that is horribly invasive in the vast majority of the country and you purchase it (even if it's not invasive in your area) then that encourages growers to keep growing it (if nobody bought the plants, they wouldn't grow them anymore). If you're buying from local nurseries that's not as big of an issue, but you could make an argument that buying it from a national chain like Home Depot is encouraging them to continue to carry it and they'll carry it in other areas where the plant is a problem.

Separate from the issue of whether you can be OK planting things that are invasive in some areas, some people don't like to shop at Lowes and Home Depot because they would sell those same plants in areas where they are invasive, so if you want to avoid places like that on principle then that's certainly a choice you can make (it's always nice if you can give your business to locally owned nurseries anyway)

By the way, purple loosestrife is listed as a noxious weed in NV, so I would definitely stay away from that one. http://agri.nv.gov/nwac/PLANT_NoxWeedList.htm

ecrane3- thanks for the input. I appreciate your point-of-view. Its good to see that you are still out there active, as you are one of the handful of regulars (along with escambiaguy and Equilibrium) who chat with me whenever I'm 'foruming.' (I just noticed you all start with 'e' so maybe thats it!)

Anyway, makes sense what you said, I will take it on board. Please don't hesitate to give input in the future, I try to take it all on board!

Regards!

I'm not a boycotter, if that's even a word..lol. If it's a nursery and only a nursery, I wouldn't shop there anymore. They probably don't know much about what they're selling. And I am talking here, in my area. I don't believe as ecrane has stated that everything is invasive somewhere in the world so if you avoid everything, we're talking about where each of us lives. If you were in England, I wouldn't respond, I'd let someone else from England chime in. But you aren't anywhere in the world, you're here, in the good 'ole USA. I like to see what is invasive not just in my state of IL, but in surrounding states too. Kudzu is found in states way down south, but it's coming this way. It's already in Southern IL. Japanese Honeysuckle is down in Southern IL already. I know Mimosa grows in zone 6 and the zone map changed. I'm still in 5a, but just an hour south of me is a zone 6! Mimosa would grow there just fine.

Everybody has their own style of gardening. I like native plants, grown from seed gathered from this area. I also like viburnums. I have the indigenous ones for my area, but I also have the non-native. My one buying indulgence. There were peonies all around the foundation at this house when we moved in 4 yrs ago, and I left one. There was also an iris clump which I left. The rest, which wasn't much, was all ripped up and cut down. To ME, there's so many prettier indigenous plants to use than using something else (except the viburnums of course!).

That's my take on it, you can take it or leave it....my name doesn't start with an e, sorry! ☺

Thanks 'terryr'- and my name doesn't start with 'E' either, so we're equal (whups- that word starts with 'e'...)

Anyway, I appreciate your time, its great to have folks share their thoughts on the matter. Hopefully some day I will have the maturity to appreciate indigenous plant-life as much as you have. Unfortunately, I'm like a little kid with candy when I go to plant stores- I see the pretty stuff and get drawn right in, and unfortunately its not always plant material that's kind to the environment!

Please share any time! Regards!

Bevoreno, we're not total purists about planting natives: my partner loves peonies, and I have the odd non-native but carefully researched perennial here and there. But we've mostly switched to natives, and I have to say the benefits in enjoying wildlife have sold us on the idea. We have hummingbirds busily flying about and sampling all season, and a different group of butterflies as each plant group flowers. It's been delightful, and has convinced us that the critters do know and thrive best on the foods that are natural to them in this area.
Ruth

This book
http://www.amazon.com/Noahs-Garden-Restoring-Ecology-Backyards/dp/0395709407/ref=pd_sim_b_1/182-0306829-3528504
is a very good read. I highly recommend it!