ENH1207/EP468: Alternatives to Invasive Plants Commonly Found in Central Florida Landscapes

Invasive plants are non-native plants that form expanding populations in natural areas and other plant communities with which they were not previously associated (Langeland 2015). Invasive plants can cause ecological impacts, such as displacing native plants and associated wildlife or altering natural water flow and fire patterns.

Some ornamentals listed as invasive by the University of Florida IFAS Assessment of Non-Native Plants in Florida's Natural Areas or by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council are still in commercial production and widely found in Florida landscapes. Homeowners might replace invasive plants if non-invasive alternatives are researched, publicized and made readily available. By shifting production and use from invasive ornamentals to native or non-invasive cultivars, the nursery and landscape industry could benefit from potential revenue while fostering greater collaboration with state agencies and environmental groups.

University of Florida research and extension efforts over the last 20 years have focused on identifying non-invasive alternatives by assessing the invasive traits of popular non-native ornamentals, related genera, and their cultivars. In more recent years, University of Florida ornamental plant breeding efforts have focused on producing and trialing new sterile, non-invasive cultivars. Table 1 lists native and non-invasive, non-native ornamentals as alternatives to invasive plants commonly used in Florida landscapes. Only plants considered to be generally available in the nursery trade are listed. Alternative plants are similar to respective invasive plants as much as possible in terms of size, habit, texture, and flower color. Non-native, non-invasive plants in Table 1 were determined to be non-invasive (with assessments of "not a problem species" or "may be used with caution") by the IFAS Assessment of Non-Native Plants in Florida's Natural Areas (http://assessment.ifas.ufl.edu/), or have not yet been evaluated.

References

Enloe, S.F. and K.A. Langeland. 2018. "Help protect Florida's natural areas from non-native invasive plants." Circular1204. Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ag108

Lieurance, Deah, S. Luke Flory, and Doria R. Gordon. 2016. The UF/IFAS Assessment of Nonnative Plants in Florida's Natural Areas: History, Purpose, and Use. SS-AGR-371. Gainesville: University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ag376

Tables

Table 1. Invasive ornamentals commonly found in central Florida landscapes and commonly available native and non-native, non-invasive substitutes. Scientific names are those used by the UF/IFAS Assessment of Non-native Plants in Florida's Natural Areas (https://assessment.ifas.ufl.edu/), the U.S. National Plant Germplasm System (https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomysimple.aspx), and the Atlas of Florida Plants by the Institute for Systematic Biology (https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Default.aspx).

Invasive ornamental^z		Native substitute	Non-native, non-invasive substitute^z
Scientific name	Common name	Native substitute	Non-native, non-invasive substitute^z
Albizia julibrissin	Mimosa, Silk tree	Ardisia escallonioides, Marlberry (cold tender) Cercis canadensis, Eastern redbud Chionanthus virginicus, Fringe tree Hamelia patens, Firebush Prunus umbellata, Chickasaw plum, flatwoods plum Vachellia farnesiana, Sweet acacia	Aloysia virgata, Sweet almondshrub Callistemon citrinus, Red bottlebrush, crimson bottlebrush Calliandra haematocephala, Powderpuff Handroanthus heptaphyllus (formerly Tabebuia heptaphylla), Pink trumpet tree Jatropha integerrima, Peregrina (cold tender) Lagerstroemia spp., Crapemyrtle Tabebuia impetiginosa, Purple tabebuia, purple trumpet tree
Ardisia crenata	Coral ardisia	Ilex glabra, Gallberry, inkberry Ilex vomitoria (dwarf cultivars), Dwarf yaupon holly Psychotria nervosa, Wild coffee	Ilex cornuta, Chinese holly Osmanthus heterophyllus, False holly
Casuarina equisetifolia	Australian pine, Horsetail casuarina	Juniperus virginiana, Red cedar Pinus spp.(native species), Pine Quercus geminata, Sand live oak Taxodium distichum var. distichum, Bald-cypress Taxodium distichum var. imbricarium, Pond-cypress	Juniperus chinensis 'Torulosa', Torulosa juniper, Chinese juniper Platycladus orientalis, Arborvitae, Oriental arborvitae Podocarpus macrophyllus, Podocarpus, Japanese yew
Cinnamomum camphora	Camphor tree	Ilex cassine, Dahoon holly, dahoon Magnolia grandiflora, Southern magnolia Magnolia virginiana, Sweet bay, swamp bay Persea borbonia, Red bay Quercus virginiana, Live oak Ulmus alata, Winged elm	Ulmus parvifolia, Chinese elm, lacebark elm
Colocasia esculenta	Elephant ear, Wild taro	Canna flaccida, Golden canna Pontederia cordata, Pickerelweed Sagittaria spp.(native species), Arrowhead	Alocasia spp., Elephant ear Alpinia spp., Shell ginger, shell flower Begonia nelumbiifolia, Lotus-leaf begonia Caladium × hortulanum, Caladium Canna × generalis, Canna lily Hedychium spp., Butterfly ginger Heliconia spp., Heliconia Philodendron bipinnatifidum, Selloum philodendron Strelitzia reginae, Bird-of-paradise Zingiber zerumbet, Pine cone ginger, pine cone lily
Dioscorea bulbifera	Air-potato	Ipomoea alba, Moonflower Passiflora spp.(native species), Passionvine	Aristolochia maxima, Florida Dutchman's pipe (See Flowering Vines for Florida (https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg097) foradditional vines)
Lantana camara	Lantana, Shrub Verbena	Helianthus debilis, Beach sunflower Lantana depressa, Pineland lantana (short lived), rockland shrubverbena Lantana involucrata, Wild sage Salvia coccinea, Tropical sage, red salvia Stachytarpheta jamaicensis, Blue porterweed, Jamaican snakeweed	Argyranthemum frutescens, Marguerite Daisy Cuphea ignea, cigar flower Euryops chrysanthemoides, E. pectinatus and related species (formerly in the genus, Gamolepis), African bush daisy, daisy bush Evolvulus glomeratus subsp. grandiflorus, Blue daze Lantana camara 'UF-1011-2'^x, Bloomify™ Rose lantana (sterile) Lantana camara 'UF-1013A-2A'^x, Bloomify™ Red lantana (sterile) Lantana camara 'UF-T3'^x, UF-T3 lantana (sterile) Lantana camara 'UF-T4'^x, UF-T4 lantana (sterile) Rosa spp., Rose Salvia greggii, Autumn sage
Ligustrum sinense	Chinese privet	Agarista populifolia, Florida leucothoe Citharexylum spinosum, Fiddlewood, Florida fiddlewood Hamelia patens, Firebush Ilex glabra, Gallberry, inkberry Illicium floridanum, Florida anise Illicium parviflorum, Star anise Itea virginica, Virginia sweetspire Viburnum obovatum, Walter's viburnum	Aloysia virgata, Sweet almondshrub Camellia japonica, Japanese camellia Camellia sasanqua, Sasanqua camellia Feijoa sellowiana, Feijoa, pineapple guava Gardenia jasminoides, Gardenia Ilex × 'Nellie R. Stevens', Nellie R. Stevens holly Ilex cornuta, Chinese holly Leucophyllum frutescens, Texas sage Viburnum odoratissimum, Sweet viburnum Viburnum odoratissimum var. awabuki, Awabuki viburnum Viburnum suspensum, Sandankwa viburnum
Lonicera japonica	Japanese honeysuckle	Gelsemium sempervirens, Carolina jessamine Lonicera sempervirens, Coral honeysuckle, trumpet honeysuckle	Callerya reticulata, Evergreen wisteria Jasminum polyanthum, Pink jasmine Trachelospermum jasminoides, Confederate jasmine (See Flowering Vines for Florida (https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg097) for additional vines)
Nandina domestica (species type or wild type)	Nandina, Heavenly bamboo	Agarista populifolia, Florida leucothoe Itea virginica, Virginia sweetspire	Nandina domestica 'Firepower'^y, 'Firepower' nandina (non-fruiting) Nandina domestica 'Gulfstream'^y, 'Gulfstream' nandina (non-invasive) Nandina domestica 'Harbour Dwarf'^y, 'Harbour Dwarf' nandina (non-invasive)
Ruellia simplex	Mexican petunia	Silphium asteriscus, Starry rosinweed Sisyrinchium angustifolium, Blue-eyed grass Stachytarpheta jamaicensis, Blue porterweed, Jamaican snakeweed Stokesia laevis, Stokes' aster, stokesia	Eranthemum pulchellum, Blue sage Iris ser. Hexagonae, Louisiana iris (especially those with purple flowers) Plectranthus spp., Plectranthus Plumbago auriculata, Plumbago, cape leadwort Ruellia simplex (formerly brittoniana), 'Purple Showers'^y, 'Purple Showers' Mexican petunia (sterile, non-invasive by seed dispersal) Ruellia simplex 'R10-102'^y, Mayan Purple Mexican petunia (sterile, non-invasive by seed dispersal) Ruellia simplex 'R10-108'^y, Mayan White Mexican petunia (sterile, non-invasive by seed dispersal) Ruellia simplex 'R12-2-1'^y, Mayan Compact Purple Mexican petunia (sterile, non-invasive by seed dispersal) Ruellia simplex R10-105-Q54^y, Mayan Pink Mexican petunia (sterile, non-invasive by seed dispersal) Salvia × 'Indigo Spires', Indigo spires salvia Salvia farinacea, Mealycup sage Salvia leucantha, Mexican sage Stachytarpheta mutabilis, Purple porterweed, snakeweed Vernonia gigantea, Giant ironweed
Schinus terebinthifolius	Brazilian pepper	Citharexylum spinosum, Fiddlewood Hamelia patens, Firebush Hydrangea quercifolia, Oakleaf hydrangea Ilex cassine, Dahoon holly, dahoon Ilex vomitoria, Yaupon holly Viburnum obovatum, Walter's viburnum	Citrus spp., Citrus Cocculus laurifolius, Laurel-leaf snailseed, cocculus Ilex cornuta, Chinese holly Viburnum odoratissimum, Sweet viburnum Viburnum odoratissimum var. awabuki, Awabuki viburnum Viburnum suspensum, Sandankwa viburnum
Sphagneticola trilobata	Wedelia	Gaillardia pulchella, Firewheel, Indian blanket-flower Helianthus debilis, Dune sunflower, beach sunflower Mimosa strigillosa, Powderpuff Phyla nodiflora, Turkey tangle, Frogfruit	Arachis glabrata, Rhizoma perennial peanut Euryops chrysanthemoides, E. pectinatus and related species (formerly in the genus, Gamolepis), African bush daisy, daisy bush Ipomoea purpurea, morning glory Ipomoea batatas, Ornamental sweetpotato
Triadica sebifera	Chinese tallow tree, Popcorn tree	Acer rubrum, Red maple Betula nigra, River birch	Lagerstroemia spp., Crapemyrtle Vitex agnus-castus, Chastetree, vitex
^zAs listed by the University of Florida/IFAS Status Assessment, http://assessment.ifas.ufl.edu/. ^yNon-invasive cultivar derived from the invasive species as determined by the University of Florida/IFAS Infraspecific Taxon Protocol (Lieurance, Deah, S. Luke Flory and Doria R. Gordon. 2013, rev. 2016. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ag376).

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