7 beautiful native plants to substitute for popular invasives

Humans have always had a love affair with flowers. Around the world, we have followed that flower passion with reckless abandon, planting foreign beauties that add unique flare but cause widespread ecological woes.

These exotic imports were at first simply non-native, but they have become invasive species: non-native plants that cause harm to the ecosystem. Here in the Chesapeake region, invasive plants might wreak havoc for birds and choke out native vegetation like the Asian honeysuckle, kill off native butterflies and suppress spring ephemerals like garlic mustard, or play host to the boom in ticks like Japanese barberry. The plants themselves are not inherently bad, but they cause devastation in a foreign environment without natural checks to keep the balance.

Lured by a pretty face, we have deliberately invited vipers to the nest—but luckily, our region grows local stunners that also turn heads. Before your next plant purchase, let yourself be introduced to regional native alternatives that are just as breathtaking as the invasives.

Invasive: Princess Tree

Displaces natives, spreads easily

Native: Redbud

Hosts insects and birds

Though gorgeous in its own right, the princess tree is incredibly invasive. It insinuates itself everywhere it can, displacing native species as it spreads along stream banks and forests and pops through infertile ground. It creates buds on stems and roots, sprouting from each to live again after cutting, fire or bulldozers. A single tree produces 20 million seeds which are then spread far and wide by wind and water.

If you are looking for a tree of equally incredible color that can stop you in your tracks with its beauty, meet the redbud. As winter ends and green leaves appear across the landscape, this tree stands out as it erupts in rosy buds all over its bare branches. Foregoing leaves in favor of full floral, the redbud will bloom through April and then don a coat of slightly heart-shaped reddish leaves which change to green, and then yellow, as the seasons progress. Redbuds provide nectar for insects and seeds for songbirds, and flower as early as three years old.

Invasive: Lesser celandine

Displaces natives, spreads easily

Native: Green-and-gold; Marsh marigold

Hosts insects and birds

Few views are as smile-inducing as a sea of cheery yellow flowers perched atop dark green leaves in the woods. In the Chesapeake region, two of these plants are innocuous and one is an invasive, artfully deceptive little monster. The two native options in the watershed grow in different climates; green-and-gold appears in forested areas and marsh marigold in wet, marshy areas. Both offer wildlife benefits and will spread in moderation. Lesser celandine, being a foreign visitor, doesn’t have the checks on its growth that would keep the system in balance. Most of the insects, diseases and other animals that might recognize it as food and temper its growth are back home in Europe, so lesser celandine flourishes here in the Chesapeake. Lesser celandine also emerges earlier than most of spring ephemerals, taking over the forest floor in a heavy mat that allows nothing else to grow.

Invasive: Japanese wisteria; Chinese wisteria

Pulls down trees

Native: American wisteria

Hosts butterflies

While we have three species of the genus Wisteria in the Chesapeake region, only one is supposed to be here. American wisteria is a well-behaved vine that grows to about 30 feet, flowers in beautiful purple clusters, brings splendor as it twines around trellises and plays host to skipper butterflies. The two Asian wisteria species introduced to our region are heavier, thicker, more aggressive and they don’t so much gently twine around trees as strangle and constrict them. Invasive wisteria grows to 80 feet and smothers the canopy, pulling down full grown trees. For a beautiful display that enhances rather than destroys the landscape, opt for native American wisteria.

A word of caution: while native plants are well-suited to their home ecosystem, don’t be lulled into thinking of all natives as tame. Plants are living things with some incredible defenses, and the seed pods of wisteria (including our native) are toxic. Do not partake!

Invasive: Star of Bethlehem

Displaces native species, toxic

Native: Spring beauty

Hosts pollinators, edible

Star of Bethlehem is another adorable floral escapee that is now impacting the ecosystem in the wild. This little darling produces numerous bulblets (small bulbs) that easily spread any time the soil is disturbed, so it skates across and establishes itself in the landscape with ease. It can crowd out native vegetation as its spreads, and all parts of this plant are toxic. Equally charming is the early spring native aptly named the spring beauty. The foliage and flowers are similar to the Star of Bethlehem, but spring beauties have pinstripes of enchanting pink on their petals. Spring beauty is visited by more than 20 different species of pollinators and is not toxic.

Invasive: Burning bush

Displaces native species

Native: Red chokeberry

Nutritional berries

As summer brilliance gives way to the darker, muted earth tones of the autumn season, plants such as the burning bush burst into color like exploded firecrackers. People love these fiery pops of red, but like a real wildfire, the invasive burning bush has spread through the understory and taken over. It does not have many competitors here in North America and it tolerates most conditions. For a better option, look to the red chokeberry. Its fall foliage is a brilliant red, and unlike burning bush, chokeberry is still attractive throughout the rest of the year. Non-autumn foliage is a rich green, flowers are white and the nutritious red berries that appear in summer can last for months.

Invasive: European privet; Chinese privet; Border privet

Displaces native species

Native: Inkberry; Viburnum

Hosts insects and birds

Privets were originally planted as landscape hedges and have since escaped cultivation. Once on the loose, it forms dense stands by root sprouting or bird-assisted seed dispersal. Privet causes a loss of biodiversity as it crowds out native understories and forms a monotonous stretch. The effects ripple out to the insects, songbirds and other animals that depend on that biodiversity.

Many native plants can easily be adapted to hedges. The compact inkberry is a popular option, and its abundant white flowers help bees produce the sought-after gallberry honey in the southern states. Many of the viburnums can also be trained into shrubs and feature similar white flowers. Arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) is a particularly hardy native that also sports attractive fall foliage in shades of yellow, red and purple.

Invasive: Squill

Displaces native species

Native: Virginia bluebells; Wild blue phlox

Hosts pollinators

“I must have planted one. Now there are thousands.” Search for scilla on any gardening site, and you’re likely to see this comment. Scilla spreads prolifically through seeds, and like lesser celandine will completely cover whatever area it invades. Once there, it crowds out the native spring ephemerals on which so many insects depend. A more ecologically friendly, native blue stunner is the Virginia bluebell. This spring ephemeral and butterfly magnet has pink buds and bell-shaped blue flowers that ring in the season nicely. If you’re partial to the delicate face of the scilla, plant instead some wild blue phlox. This delightful blue-to-purple miniature has a sweet fragrance that is most apparent on a sunny day.

What you can do

Plant-lovers are the main spreaders of, and first line of defense against, ornamental invasive plants. Learn to be an admirer of the full ecosystem by recognizing the relationships between the beautiful plants, the other flora in the environment and the insects and animals that rely on them. Pay attention to what landscapers are planting in your community, what you are planting in your own garden and what you choose to buy at nurseries. Follow the guidelines of your department of natural resources, and do your best not to plant or buy invasive species.