Invasive Plants in Fairfield County
Invasive plants are plants that are not native to our area and cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health. Invasive plants change the way plants, animals, soil, and water interact within our local ecosystem, often harming other plant species and crowding out native plants.
Characteristics of Invasive Plants
- establishes new plants and grows quickly under a wide variety of site conditions
- reproduces quickly
- spreads over wide distances - often by spreading plant fragments, as well as seeds
- no, or few, natural controls on growth and reproduction that would be found where the invasive plant is native
The information above is taken from the Connecticut Invasive Plants Council website.
List of Invasive Plants in Connecticut
In Connecticut, the Connecticut Invasive Plants Council has developed a list of non-native plants that cause (or have the potential to cause) environmental harm in minimally-managed areas.
A complete list of invasive plants in our area can be found on the Connecticut Invasive Plants Council website.
Many plants listed as invasive have been banned from sale in Connecticut, but some of the most common, such as burning bush, barberry, and moneywort, have not. To prevent the spread of potentially invasive plants, we suggest that you not purchase, plant, or propagate these plants, regardless of their banned/not banned status.
Common Invasive Shrubs Found in Gardens
Common barberry (Berberis vulgaris)
Japanese barberry* (Berberis thunbergii)
Rugosa rose* (P) (Rosa rugosa) aka Beach, Salt spray, Jap., or Ramanas Rose
Winged euonymus* Euonymus alatus (Thunb.) Sieb. aka Burning-bush
Common Invasive Perennials / Annuals Found in Gardens
Dame's rocket (Hesperis matronalis)
Forget-me-not (Myosotis scorpioides) aka True forget-me-not; Water scorpion-grass
Garden heliotrope (P) (Valeriana officinalis) aka Valerian
Garden loosestrife* (P) (Lysimachia vulgaris)
Moneywort* (P) (Lysimachia nummularia) aka Creeping jenny
* While the species is invasive, some cultivars may not be. Further research may determine whether or not individual cultivars are potentially invasive.
(P) Potential to be invasive
Common Invasive Plants Found in Our Parkways and Forests
Locally, Asiatic Bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) is our biggest invasive plant problem. People use it to create bow arbors and Christmas wreaths but the seeds spread rapidly and the plant is quickly destroying the edges of our forests. Our second biggest problem is porcelain berry, which is covering many of our trees. Our other problematic invasive plants are knotweed, garlic mustard, multiflora rose, norway maple, Ailanthus, and mile-a-minute vine.
Controlling Invasive Plants
Mechanical and chemical means are generally most effective in controlling invasive plants, although in some cases biological controls may be available. Check the website of the Connecticut Invasive Plants Council or Vinecutter.com for more information.