Seeds of Trouble

Did you know that some invasive plants were brought to Wisconsin by gardeners?  It’s true.  Plants like Garlic Mustard, Common Buckthorn, and Honeysuckle were all brought to Wisconsin as ornamentals.  Unfortunately, those plants aren’t native to Wisconsin, so they turned aggressive and have become a big problem. 

 One way we can help keep invasive species like these out of Wisconsin is to use only native plants in our gardens.  Tell your mom and dad to buy from nurseries that only sell native plants.  You can also encourage your local nursery to stock only plants that come from Wisconsin.

To find out which plants are native to your area, check out
U.S. Department of Agriculture - Plants Database
and
University of Texas at Austin - Native Plant Information Network

And if you’d like to learn more about native wildflowers and grasses that grow in Wisconsin, go to...
Prairie Nursery - Wildflowers and Native Grasses