1873
Russian thistle, better known as tumbleweed, accidentally came to the U.S. in 1873 and spread rapidly. Today, it infests approximately 100 million acres, especially in the American Southwest.
2
An invasive plant has two characteristics: First, it is nonnative to the ecosystem, and second, it causes or is likely to cause harm to humans, the environment or the economy.
159
The invasive aquatic plant Elodea, which chokes out native vegetation, could cost the Alaskan sockeye salmon industry as much as $159 million a year.
500
Himalayan blackberry is invasive in the Pacific Northwest, forming impenetrable thickets of up to 500 canes per square yard.
2.7
A single invasive purple loosestrife plant can produce more than 2.7 million seeds annually.
5
Giant hogweed’s leaves grow up to 5 feet across. Its toxic sap causes severe skin blisters when exposed to sunlight.
1
In…
You're reading a preview of
Birds & Blooms (Digital) - 1 Issue, June/July 2024