[APWG] 2008 12-21 letter to Dereck Fell

[gg lilly]

Hello, Steve,
When I asked the APWG about what to do about the invasive plant suggestion
in Derek Fell's The Encyclopedia of Hardy Plants, you suggested a polite
letter to the author. I liked the idea; here is the result. The letter will
go out in today's mail. Happy Holidays to you all! Grace Lilly
pembrokes at ne.rr.com 
  _____  


 

63 Talbot Hill Road

Swanzey, NH 03446

December 22, 2008

 

Dear Mr. Fell,

 

          Our library recently purchased your book The Encyclopedia of Hardy
Plants. The collections librarian told me that a feature article in the
Library Journal entitled "Regional Gardening North by Northeast" gave your
book a starred review.

          I'm an amateur naturalist who loves to garden. I have had
horticulture training as a plant conservation volunteer for the New England
Wild Flower Society and as a Pennsylvania Master Gardener. Your book title
sounded interesting, and I looked forward to reading it. After I saw your
hardy plant choices, I was confused.  I asked myself, why did an
internationally respected gardening expert recommend plants that degrade our
environment? Then, I answered my own question. I recognized that someone who
loves the landscape as you do would not deliberately choose to harm it. 

          I knew that you would be delighted to read this letter as it
explains why some of the plant choices in The Encyclopedia of Hardy Plants
would be harmful to many gardens. I hope that you will receive the
information as it is intended, with the best of intentions.

          My deep concern, and an area that I wanted to explore with you, is
invasive plants. Several of your choices are considered invasive species in
many states and should not be planted under any circumstances, hardiness
aside.

          Here is how The Nature Conservancy describes as invasive species:
"On their home turf, plant and animal populations are kept in check by
natural controls, like predators and food supply. However, when a species is
introduced-accidentally or intentionally-into a new landscape that is not
used to its presence, the consequences can be devastating. Most of these
'non-native' species do not misbehave. But some non-native species spread
unchecked by the lack of natural competitors and predators.  They push out
native species and cause ecological chaos. These are known as 'invasive'
species.  All habitats are vulnerable to these invasions, from lakes, rivers
and oceans, to plains and forests."

          One plant you recommended, Chinese bittersweet, did come with the
caveat, "is similar to American bittersweet, but tends to be more rampant.
While it is handsome in fruit, it has become a rather noxious weed in the
northeastern U.S."

          I think that your caveat might have been stronger had you known
that the National Park Service's Alien Plant Working Group lists oriental
bittersweet on its "Weeds Gone Wild" website
(http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/vines.htm). The government's Forest
Service, Northeastern Area, Forest Health Protection's Invasive Plants
Website includes oriental bittersweet in its "Weed of the Week" literature
(http://na.fs.fed.us/fhp/invasive_plants/weeds/oriental-bittersweet.pdf.) 

          Another hardy suggestion is Scotch broom. It is considered
invasive in CA, DE, GA, MA, NC, NY, OR, SC, TN, VA, and WA. The USDA
National Invasives Species Center lists different sources that explain the
plant's destructiveness. The USDA National Agricultural Library in its "Weed
of the Week" format explained that Scotch broom is "an aggressive, rapid
spreading plant can grow 3 feet in the first year. It can form dense
impenetrable stands that degrade rangeland, prevent forest regeneration, and
create fire hazards. It invades rapidly following logging, land clearing,
and burning. It can form pure dense stands for miles along highway and
country roads to crowd out native species and destroy wildlife habitat."
(http://na.fs.fed.us/fhp/invasive_plants/weeds/scotch-broom.pdf)

          Although other plant choices in the encyclopedia are also
problematic as invasives, I thought I would end this letter talking about
Acer platanoides. I found this information from the National Park Service (
<http://www.nps.gov/plants/ALIEN/pubs/midatlantic/acpl.htm>
http://www.nps.gov/plants/ALIEN/pubs/midatlantic/acpl.htm):  "Norway maple
is found in 13 states in the eastern United States, from Maine to Virginia
and west to Wisconsin. It is recognized as an invasive plant in many of
these states. Norway maple has escaped cultivation and invades forests,
fields, and other natural habitats. It forms monotypic stands that create
dense shade and it displaces native trees, shrubs and herbs."

          One state that has Norway maple on its invasive plant list is New
Hampshire, my native state. Norway maple causes problems with our NH maple
syrup industry since it outcompetes our native sugar maples because it is a
prolific seeder, leafs out earlier, and keeps it leaves longer. I truly hope
that one day we New Hampshire residents don't look at our hillsides in the
fall and see the yellow leaves of Norway maples instead of the red leaves of
sugar maples.

          I wanted to recommend the book Bringing Nature Home, How native
plants sustain wildlife in our gardens by Douglas W. Tallamy, Timber Press,
copyright 2007.  This landmark book beautifully illustrates the relationship
between native plants and native wildlife. Tallamy is a Professor and the
Chair of the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University
of Delaware and a nationally respected authority on native plants. 

          I look forward to hearing from you.  My email address:
<mailto:pembrokes at ne.rr.com> pembrokes at ne.rr.com

 

Sincerely,

 

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