Can't find the TN Noxious/prohibited plants list?!

I have several "unusual" trees on order, I would like to check the list before planting, it would be nice to know that I'm not causing havoc with the local flora and fauna since trees are highly permanent and produce billions of seeds.

I have Maiden Hair Tree (Ginkgo biloba), Sapphire Dragon Empress Tree (Paulownia tomentosa), Strawberry tree (Arbutus Unedo), Golden Chain Tree (Laburnum Alpinum) on order.

I don't see any possible problems with the Maiden Hair Tree, I've grown it before... it's slow growing and during the years I had it (8 years) never visibly flowered or seeded. But I know the Empress tree is a possibility, its seeds are very fine and light and can travel over great distances. The Strawberry tree may be an issue also since it continually fruits and the berries are supposed to be much loved by birds (bird droppings could spread seed over a wide area). Golden Chain Tree seems to have fairly large seeds, not likely to blow in the wind but better safe than sorry.

Anyone have a link for me?

Your local University Cooperative Extension Agent is a wonderful resource for this type of information. They are in the phone book and their JOB is to get information like this out. They have VOLUMES of neat stuff to share!

K

Here's a link with (I think) a listing for all the states.
http://enature.com/native_invasive/natives.asp

The e-nature site has invasive plants by state but it may or may not contain ones that are expressly prohibited by law. It is good reference info tho.
Your state seems to have only purple loosestrife and tropical apple listed as prohbited plants.
The invasive (but not expressly prohibited) plant list from the Southeast Exotic Pest Council is located here:
http://plants.usda.gov/cgi_bin/topics.cgi?earl=noxious.cgi

Laburnum alpinum seems to not be invasive from what I could find. Neither is Ginkgo biloba a problem.

Sudden Oak Death fungus has been found on Arbutus unedo and some plants that are hosts may be regulated by APHIS to some degree. Info here: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/ppq/ispm/pramorum/

Paulownia tomentosa will cause you problems. http://www.tneppc.org/Manual/Princess_Tree.htm

You can always google the latin name of the plant + 'control' or 'invasive' and most times find what you need to make a decision.

Hope this helps

Caron









This message was edited Mar 25, 2005 5:42 PM

Wow, Caron that was a very informative site, Empress Tree may not be prohibited yet but it's a "Rank 1 -- Severe Threat". I don't know what I'll do with it. This is sad, it's a very beautiful tree, I've always wanted one.

I've book marked all the sites, thank you everyone!

Just plant it in a 1/2 whiskey barrel!

Probably not a good idea, Katchinagirl. The seeds are carried by the wind very easily. In this case potential spread to other areas is nothing that can be controlled by growing in a container.