What is an Invasive Exotic Plant?
An invasive-exotic plant species is an introduced species that has been shown to displace the native vegetation by out-competing native species. Without the limiting factors that normally keep invasive plants under control in their native homes (e.g., diseases and insects), they overwhelm and displace existing native vegetation to form dense, single-species stands that dominate and alter the original natural community.
Why are Invasive Plants a Problem?
"Non-native plants, carried here by humans since Florida's discovery by Columbus, now threaten the state's remaining natural areas. Of the 4,012 plant species now growing on their own without cultivation in Florida, 29% are non-native (Atlas of Florida Flora, R. P Wunderlin). Many of these non-native plants were originally introduced as garden ornamentals or agricultural crops. Other non-native plants were accidentally introduced. Regardless of how they arrived, these 1,200 or so non-native plants grew so well in Florida that they naturalized, that is, spread on their own without cultivation into managed and natural areas. While some of these naturalized non-native plants are not a problem, many became weeds, or undesirable plants, in agricultural, forestry, yards, and roadways. When these naturalized non-native plants spread extensively into natural areas and dominate by displacing native plants and disrupting natural processes such as fire or water flow, they are called invasive. Invasive non-native plants can be thought of as weeds in natural areas.
Natural areas are conservation lands that have been set aside for the purpose of preserving (or restoring) native plant and animal communities. Natural areas are also maintained by counties and cities in Florida and by private land owners."
"Control of Non-Native Plants in Natural Areas of Florida", University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agriculture UF/IFAS
Problem Invasive Plant species on Egans Creek Greenway
A number of invasive plant species have been identified on Egans Creek Greenway. Listed below are the species of greatest concern.
Click on the link beside the species to download a "pdf" indepth overview of each species.