In Loudoun County an increasing number of landowners are overwhelmed by the variety and density of invasive plants on their property. The growing concern is reflected in the Board of Supervisors ‘ recent allocation of $250,000 to develop a plan to address the problem.
Master Gardeners to the rescue! Widespread concern over invasive plant damage throughout the Mid-Atlantic is reflected in the Virginia Extension Master Gardener State Office year-long focus topic for 2024: Invasive Species!
To help property owners ID plants and address the challenges of control and removal, the VCE Loudoun Master Gardener office has established a site visit program.
What is an invasive plant?
Invasive plants present an increasing threat to our environment. They have an adverse impact on native plants and animals as well as soil and water quality, agricultural production and even on recreation.
In order to understand the threat invasive plants species present, it’s important to understand why invasive plants are different from native plants and non-native plants that do not create environmental disturbances.
What is a native plant?
A native plant is one that occurs naturally in a particular geographic region. Every plant species is native to someplace in the world. A plant is considered native if it evolved in a particular environment without any human intervention. A native plant’s range may cover several continents or be restricted to very small, specific areas. In the United States, plants considered native are generally those recognized as present prior to European settlement. However, this country has many geographic regions and climates. Some plants native to one region of the country do not grow naturally in other parts of the country and can be considered non-native, even invasive.
What is an invasive plant?
Invasive plants are plants introduced to an area by human activity that disrupt the natural ecosystem. Many introduced (non-native) plants used for food, gardens and other purposes are not a threat to the natural environment. However, many introduced species escaped and now reproduce in the wild. These plants compete with native plants, decrease biodiversity and often do not meet the needs of native wildlife that are dependent upon native species. Our landscapes are increasingly threatened, however, by invasive, non-native plants that compete with native flora for space and do not provide benefits to native insect, birds and other wildlife. The significant decline of native bird and insect populations can be attributed in part to the spread of invasive plants.
Visit our Invasive Plant Resources page for websites and documents to help educate on invasive plants and management of them.
Invasive Assessment Site Visits
The Loudoun County Master Gardener Program offers site visits to assess invasive plants on private property. A team of Master Gardeners will visit the property, ID invasive plants and produce a report with recommendations for invasive control and removal.
Ready to schedule your visit? Please consider the following qualifications before submitting your request by clicking on the request form below.
- Property must be within Loudoun County
- You will receive a response within a few days after submission. Email is the preferred method of communication. Be sure to check spam/ junk mail for messages.
- Visits are scheduled on a first come/ first serve basis
- While there is no minimum or maximum property size, we are only able to observe plants on up to 3 acres.
- After the site visit, a written report will include information about invasives identified and recommendations for species specific control or elimination.
- Please note that the VCE Loudoun Master Gardener Help Desk is also available to assist with identification and questions about invasive species
Site visits are open! Invasive Site Request Form
How do I know what’s invasive?
The Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation maintains the Virginia Invasive Plant Species List: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/document/nh-invasive-plant-list-2014.pdf
This list ranks invasive by species into High, Medium and Low levels of threat and includes trees, shrubs, perennials, vines, grasses/sedges/reeds and aquatic plants. The threat from invasives changes over time. The list was updated in 2014 and there are likely to be changes in the next update.
Many nurseries and big box stores continue to sell plants on the VA Invasive Plants list. By not purchasing and planting invasive species, you can help to maintain and restore our native ecosystem.
Why is important to control invasive plants?
Maintaining biological diversity is critical. The interactions between living organisms (flora and fauna) over millions of years have formed complex ecosystems and food webs over millions of years. Invasive plants disrupt the balance these of ancient, natural habitats.
Can native plants be invasive?
No. Native plants can spread aggressively but they are not considered invasive.
Can invasive plants be eliminated?
It’s not feasible to eliminate all invasive plants. However, all efforts to control the spread of invasive plants and replace them with native plants helps to restore the native ecosystem and wildlife habitats.
How are invasive plants controlled?
Mechanical, biological and chemical methods are used to control invasive plants. Each plant species is different. It’s important to identify invasive plants you want to eliminate and understand best methods for removal of that species. Factors to consider include season, growth and spread habits of the plant, density, removal costs (including supplies and equipment), time and safety.
Visit our Loudoun Master Gardener Invasive Plant Resources page for websites and documents to help educate on invasive plants and management of them.
