Clovers and vetches and non-native invasive plants, oh my!

There is a walking path in Grandview Heights where I sometimes take a quick walk at lunchtime. This path runs along and underneath sections of an interstate highway and has seen a good deal of construction in its recent past, so the plant life tends to be species that thrive in disturbed areas. In the past week, I've been noticing just how many of the common plants in the area, while pleasant to look at, are not native to this area at all. Ohio has seen recent efforts to remove honeysuckle, ailanthus trees, and wild grapevines, to mention a few invasive species, but how many of us even recognize how many of our common herbacious plants came from elsewhere? Nearly all of the plants along the edge of the path here are invaders.

Crown Vetch and Birdsfoot Trefoil

Somewhere, someone realized that crown vetch was great for covering difficult sloped areas (like highway rights-of-way) with attractive flowering plants that didn't need mowing. Unfortunately, crown vetch not only spreads over those difficult slopes, but everywhere else its roots can reach. It forms thick mats of vegetation that choke out other plants and cover large areas with its white, pink or purple blossoms. Some biologists compare crown vetch to kudzu for agressive growth. A close relative, birdsfoot trefoil, has also become increasingly common in open areas, its cheerful yellow blossoms often mixing in with crown vetch.

Sweet Clover

In late spring open areas in central Ohio are often covered with white and yellow sweet clover. This plant has been very common here for decades; I grew up in Ohio and it was certainly widespread when I was a child (ahem) several decades ago. Sweet clover is very attractive to bees; I've seen several types of bees (including the increasingly rare honeybee) sharing blossoms along the path.

Bad Plants?

Are invasive plants "bad" plants? Not necessarily...but when they crowd out native species they may change their new environments permanently. It behooves us all to be careful about what kinds of plants we use in our landscaping, as many invasive plants are garden escapees. A few to be cautious about: barberry, privet, honeysuckle, ailanthus, purple and/or gooseneck loosestrife, purple passionflower. More use of native plants in our gardens can not only help prevent unplanned changes in our environment, but will also decrease the amount of time spent maintaining plants that may not be ideally suited to conditions here in central Ohio.