List of invasive plant species in the Indiana Dunes
Encyclopedia
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
, in the State of Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, USA. It includes the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is a U.S. National Lakeshore located in northwest Indiana and managed by the National Park Service. It was authorized by Congress in 1966. The national lakeshore runs for nearly along the southern shore of Lake Michigan, from Gary, Indiana, on the west to Michigan...
and the Indiana Dunes State Park
Indiana Dunes State Park
Indiana DunesDesignationState Park; National Natural LandmarkLocationPorter County, Indiana, USAAddress1600 N 25 EChesterton, IN 46304Nearest CityPorter, IndianaCoordinatesAreaDate of Establishment1925...
. This article is about non-native plant species, specifically the invasive species
Invasive species
"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
which have colonized that area. Invasive plants are those plants that aggressively spread throughout an area and out-compete other plant species, normally those that are native to the area.
Invasive plant species can have, and have had, several negative impacts:
- Some of these plants can overgrow trails and roads,
- Some can entangle bike chains, e.g. knapweed
- They can displace the variety of flowering plants, substituting a monocultureMonocultureMonoculture is the agricultural practice of producing or growing one single crop over a wide area. It is also known as a way of farming practice of growing large stands of a single species. It is widely used in modern industrial agriculture and its implementation has allowed for large harvests from...
- They can introduce toxins into the environment, e.g. the sap of the leafy spurgeLeafy spurgeEuphorbia esula, commonly known as the Green Spurge or Leafy Spurge, is a species of spurge native to central and southern Europe , and eastward through most of Asia north of the Himalaya to Korea and eastern Siberia.It is a herbaceous perennial plant growing to 1-1.2 m tall, with several stems...
- In some cases they have spines or thorns, e.g. thistles
- Some invasive aquatic plants can smoother ponds, killing fish
- Some invasive plants can create navigation barriers for small boats
Plants of special interest
- Purple LoosestrifePurple loosestrifeLythrum salicaria is a flowering plant belonging to the family Lythraceae, native to Europe, Asia, northwest Africa, and southeastern Australia. It should not be confused with other plants sharing the name loosestrife that are members of the family Primulaceae...
– establishes a monoculture, reducing the variety of wildlife. - Bush HoneysucklesLonicera maackiiLonicera maackii is a species of honeysuckle in the family Caprifoliaceae, native to temperate Asia in northern and western China , Mongolia, Japan , Korea, and southeastern Russia .It is listed as an endangered species in Japan...
– prevents regeneration of woody plants and herbs, reducing bird habitatHabitat* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
. - Glossy BuckthornRhamnus frangulaFrangula alnus, syn. Rhamnus frangula, the Alder Buckthorn, is a tall deciduous shrub in the family Rhamnaceae. It is native to Europe, northernmost Africa, and western Asia, from Ireland and Great Britain north to 68°N in Scandinavia, east to central Siberia and Xinjiang in western China, and...
– prevents regeneration of woody plants, slowly destroying forests. - Garlic MustardGarlic MustardGarlic mustard is a biennial flowering plant in the Mustard family, Brassicaceae. It is native to Europe, western and central Asia, and northwestern Africa, from Morocco, Iberia and the British Isles, north to northern Scandinavia, and east to northern India and western China...
– alters the chemistry of the soil to kill other seeds, creating a monoculture. - Asian Bittersweet – this vine can kill or damage trees and shrubs.
- Crown VetchCrown VetchSecurigera varia, commonly known as Crown Vetch or Purple Crown Vetch, is a low-growing legume vine. It is native to Africa, Asia and Europe and is commonly used throughout the United States and Canada for erosion control, roadside planting and soil rehabilitation...
– alters the soil chemistry and pushes out the variety of other plants. - Japanese KnotweedJapanese knotweedJapanese Knotweed is a large, herbaceous perennial plant, native to eastern Asia in Japan, China and Korea...
– tolerates floods and drought, creates a monoculture. - Spotted Knapweed – releases toxins into the soil to poison its competition.
- Common Reed – this introduced non-native species aggressively pushes the native species and other aquatic plants out of the ecosystem.
- Canada Thistle – successfully competes for space in prairies, savannas and dunes.
Species established within the Dunes
Current Threats- Acer platanoides - Norway maple
- Ailanthus altissima - Tree of heaven
- Alliaria petiolata - Garlic mustard
- Artemisia vulgarisArtemisia vulgarisArtemisia vulgaris is one of several species in the genus Artemisia which have common names that include the word mugwort. This species is also occasionally known as Felon Herb, Chrysanthemum Weed, Wild Wormwood, Old uncle Henry, Sailor's Tobacco, Naughty Man, Old Man or St...
- Mugwort - Berberis thunbergiiBerberis thunbergiiBerberis thunbergii is a species of Berberis, native to Japan and eastern Asia....
- Japanese barberry - Celastrus orbiculatus - Oriental bittersweet
- Centaurea maculosaCentaurea maculosaCentaurea maculosa, the spotted knapweed, is a species of Centaurea native to eastern Europe.It has been introduced to North America, where it is considered an invasive plant species in much of the western United States and Canada. In 2000, C. maculosa occupied more than in the US.Knapweed is a...
- Spotted knapweed - Cirsium arvenseCirsium arvenseCirsium arvense is a species of Cirsium, native throughout Europe and northern Asia, and widely introduced elsewhere. The standard English name in its native area is Creeping Thistle.-Alternate names:...
- Canada thistle - Cirsium vulgareCirsium vulgareCirsium vulgare is a species of the genus Cirsium, native throughout most of Europe , western Asia , and northwestern Africa...
- Bull thistle - Elaeagnus angustifoliaElaeagnus angustifoliaElaeagnus angustifolia, commonly called silver berry, oleaster, Russian olive, or wild olive, is a species of Elaeagnus, native to western and central Asia, from southern Russia and Kazakhstan to Turkey and Iran...
- Russian olive - Elaeagnus umbellataElaeagnus umbellataElaeagnus umbellata, also referred to as Japanese silverberry, umbellate oleaster or autumn-olive, is a species of Elaeagnus native to eastern Asia from the Himalayas east to Japan...
- Autumn olive - Euonymus atropurpureus - Burning bush
- HelianthusHelianthusHelianthus L. is a genus of plants comprising 52 species in the Asteraceae family, all of which are native to North America, with some species Helianthus L. is a genus of plants comprising 52 species in the Asteraceae family, all of which are native to North America, with some species Helianthus...
petiolaris - Petioled sunflower - Hesperis matronalis - Dame's rocket
- Holcus lanatus - Velvet grassYorkshire FogYorkshire Fog or Velvet Grass, Holcus lanatus, is a perennial grass in the Poaceae Family. 'Lanatus' is latin for 'wooly' which describes the plant's hairy texture....
- Leymus arenariusLeymus arenariusLeymus arenarius Hochst. is a psammophylic species of grass in the Poaceae family, native to Atlantic, Central and Northern Europe and the coldest shores of North America....
- Lyme grass - Lonicera tatarica - Tartarian honeysuckleHoneysuckleHoneysuckles are arching shrubs or twining vines in the family Caprifoliaceae, native to the Northern Hemisphere. There are about 180 species of honeysuckle, 100 of which occur in China; Europe, India and North America have only about 20 native species each...
- L. tatarica hybrids - Hybrid honeysuckleHoneysuckleHoneysuckles are arching shrubs or twining vines in the family Caprifoliaceae, native to the Northern Hemisphere. There are about 180 species of honeysuckle, 100 of which occur in China; Europe, India and North America have only about 20 native species each...
- Lonicera japonica - Japanese honeysuckle
- Lonicera maackiiLonicera maackiiLonicera maackii is a species of honeysuckle in the family Caprifoliaceae, native to temperate Asia in northern and western China , Mongolia, Japan , Korea, and southeastern Russia .It is listed as an endangered species in Japan...
- Amur honeysuckle - Lysimachia nummulariaLysimachia nummulariaLysimachia nummularia is a low, creeping plant of the genus Lysimachia. It is commonly called Creeping Jenny, Moneywort, Herb Twopence and Twopenny grass.-Distribution:...
- Moneywort - Lythrum salicaria - Purple loosestrife
- Melilotus officinalisMelilotus officinalisMelilotus officinalis, known as the yellow sweet clover, yellow melilot, ribbed melilot or common melilot is a species of legume native to Eurasia and introduced in North America, Africa and Australia.-Description:...
- Yellow sweet clover - Phalaris arundinacea - Reed canary grassReed canary grassReed canarygrass, Phalaris arundinacea, is a tall, perennial bunchgrass that commonly forms extensive single-species stands along the margins of lakes and streams and in wet open areas, with a wide distribution in Europe, Asia, northern Africa and North America.-Description:The stems can reach 2.5...
- PhragmitesPhragmitesPhragmites, the Common reed, is a large perennial grass found in wetlands throughout temperate and tropical regions of the world. Phragmites australis is sometimes regarded as the sole species of the genus Phragmites, though some botanists divide Phragmites australis into three or four species...
australis - Common reed - Polygonum cuspidatum - Japanese knotweedJapanese knotweedJapanese Knotweed is a large, herbaceous perennial plant, native to eastern Asia in Japan, China and Korea...
- Rhamnus catharticaRhamnus catharticaRhamnus cathartica , is a species in the family Rhamnaceae, native to Europe, northwest Africa, and western Asia, from the central British Isles south to Morocco, and east to Kyrgyzstan...
- Common buckthorn - Rhamnus frangulaRhamnus frangulaFrangula alnus, syn. Rhamnus frangula, the Alder Buckthorn, is a tall deciduous shrub in the family Rhamnaceae. It is native to Europe, northernmost Africa, and western Asia, from Ireland and Great Britain north to 68°N in Scandinavia, east to central Siberia and Xinjiang in western China, and...
- Glossy buckthorn - Robinia pseudoacacia - Black locust
- Rosa multiflora - Multiflora rose
- Typha angustifoliaTypha angustifoliaTypha angustifolia L., , is a perennial herbaceous plant of genus Typha. This cattail is an "obligate wetland" species that is commonly found in the northern hemisphere in brackish locations...
- Narrow-leaved cattail - Typha x glauca - Hybrid cattail
Emerging threats to natural resources or extent unknown
- Alnus glutinosa - European alder
- Carduus nutans - Musk thistle
- Coronilla varia - Crown vetch
- Cynoglossum officinaleCynoglossum officinaleCynoglossum officinale is a herbaceous plant of the family Boraginaceae, found in most parts of Europe, and also North America where it was accidentally introduced.-Growth:It can be either annual or biennial, with reddish-purple flowers blooming between May and...
- Houndstongue - Dipsacus sylvestris - Common teasel
- Euphorbia cyparissias - Cypress spurge
- Euphorbia esula - Leafy spurge
- Gypsophila paniculataGypsophila paniculataGypsophila paniculata, commonly known as Baby's-breath, is a cultivated ornamental garden plant in the Caryophyllaceae family, popular in the florist trade to provide a background for more colourful flowers....
- Common baby's breath - Humulus japonicusHumulus japonicusHumulus japonicus is an ornamental plant in the Cannabaceae family.This species is a host plant for Polygonia c-aureum.-External links:***...
- Japanese hops - Iris pseudacorusIris pseudacorusIris pseudacorus is a species of Iris, native to Europe, western Asia and northwest Africa. Common names include yellow iris and yellow flag...
- Yellow iris - Leonurus cardiaca - Matherwort
- Ligustrum vulgareLigustrum vulgareLigustrum vulgare , is a species of Ligustrum native to central and southern Europe, north Africa and southwestern Asia, from southern England and southwestern Sweden south to Morocco, and east to Poland and northwestern Iran.It is a semi-evergreen or deciduous shrub, growing to 3 m...
- Common privet - Morus alba - White mulberry
- Myriophyllum spicatumMyriophyllum spicatumMyriophyllum spicatum is a species of Myriophyllum native to Europe, Asia, and north Africa. It is a submerged aquatic plant, and grows in still or slow-moving water.-Description:...
- Eurasian watermilfoil - Pinus sylvestris - Scotch pine
- Populus alba - White poplar
- Populus nigra - Lombardy poplar
- Robinia hispida - Bristly locust
- Saponaria officinalis - Bouncing bet
- Ulmus pumila - Siberian elm
- Vinca minorVinca minorVinca minor, Lesser periwinkle and Dwarf periwinkle, is a plant native to central and southern Europe, from Portugal and France north to the Netherlands and the Baltic States, and east to the Caucasus, and also in southwestern Asia in Turkey...
- Periwinkle - Viburnum opulusViburnum opulusViburnum opulus is a species of Viburnum, native to Europe and Asia. Some botanists also treat the closely related North American species Viburnum trilobum as a variety of it , or a subspecies, Viburnum opulus subsp...
- European cranberry bush
See also
- Indiana Dunes National LakeshoreIndiana Dunes National LakeshoreIndiana Dunes National Lakeshore is a U.S. National Lakeshore located in northwest Indiana and managed by the National Park Service. It was authorized by Congress in 1966. The national lakeshore runs for nearly along the southern shore of Lake Michigan, from Gary, Indiana, on the west to Michigan...
- Indiana Dunes State ParkIndiana Dunes State ParkIndiana DunesDesignationState Park; National Natural LandmarkLocationPorter County, Indiana, USAAddress1600 N 25 EChesterton, IN 46304Nearest CityPorter, IndianaCoordinatesAreaDate of Establishment1925...
- Introduced speciesIntroduced speciesAn introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
- Invasive speciesInvasive species"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
- List of invasive species
- List of invasive species in North America