Information on Exotic Plants
"Exotic plants" means plants growing in areas other than their native habitat. According to the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation's Exotic Plant Guidelines, these plants can be introduced either "intentionally or accidentally into areas outside their native range," and almost all of the United States' "important crops are exotic species that were deliberately introduced." You can grow exotic plants in gardens, or in a greenhouse or plant house. Does this Spark an idea?
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Invasive Species
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The mere presence of exotic plants classified as "invasive" causes ecological damage to the surrounding native plants. Only a small percentage of the exotic plants established in the United States belong to invasive species. However, this small percentage wreaks havoc on ecosystems by out-competing native species. Invasive exotic plants accomplish this through aggressive growth habits. They put out more seed that lasts longer in soil than the seed of native species. Invasive species often have no natural predators or diseases in the ecosystem that they invade.
Bamboo
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"Bamboo is the fastest growing woody plant in the world," according to TruBamboo.com. Stalks of bamboo achieve a growth rate of 60cm per day by a unique rhizome-dependent system, which is highly dependent on local soil and climate conditions. The American Bamboo Society defines a rhizome as "a food-storing branch of the underground system of growth in bamboos from buds of which culms emerge above ground." Bamboo serves as a building material, a food source, and a garden plant in East Asia and Southeast Asia, where it's considered economic and culturally significant.
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Cacti
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Gardeners often use cacti as ornamental plants but also grown them in crops used mainly to protect property from wild animals. Cacti come in different sizes and shapes and are adaptive to arid and extremely hot environments. Cacti have unique anatomical and physiological features that allow them to conserve water.
Venus's-flytrap
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The carnivorous plant known as a Venus's-flytrap catches and digests mostly insects and arachnids. The New World Encyclopedia calls the Venus's-flytrap "one of a very small group of plants that are capable of rapid movement." The rapid movement allows the plant to capture its prey. The flytrap, a popular cultivated plant, favors nitrogen-poor environments and can be difficult to grow.
Treatment
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Different exotic plants require different treatments. Once an invasive exotic plant infestation is spotted, "proper and aggressive eradication measures should be undertaken or spread is inevitable," according to Bugwood.org. Most exotic invasive plants are perennials, which means that effective herbicide applications offer the best means of treatment. Different types of herbicide applications include directed foliar (applying the liquid directly to the leaves) sprays, basal sprays or soil spots. Apply foliar herbicides during the late summer to early fall in order to be the most effective.
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