Language is everything. Language determines our thoughts, feelings, and how we view the world around us. The words we use are so powerful, they can even shape the landscape.
Recently I was listening to a friend of mine make some drastic complaints. They kept going on and on about how these ‘invasive’ plants keep overtaking their yard, and no matter what action they tried, the plants kept popping up again and again. Due to my friend’s stress, I assumed that they were dealing with some of the typical Tallahassee problem plants like skunkvine or Nandina. After listening a bit more, I had to ask which species they were battling. They responded, “oh you know, some invasives like smilax, Virginia creeper, and cherry laurel.”
I have seen what true invasives can do to the natural communities, and I had never even considered any of the species they mentioned to behave like invasive plants. I could not help myself, and skipped the politeness by correcting their language and said that none of the species they mentioned were listed as invasive species by the Florida Invasive Species Council (FISC), but they are all actually native to our region.
The invasive Ardisia crenata, commonly known as coral ardisia, poses a significant ecological threat by outcompeting native vegetation and disrupting local ecosystems. Photo by Chris Evans, University of Illinois, Bugwood.org.
My friend did not believe me at first, and then proceeded to ask me, “what exactly is the big difference between a native and invasive plant? I thought invasive meant a plant’s behavior?” While they were not too far off with the behavioral aspect, a species classified as invasive must meet three criteria.
The first being the species must be nonnative to the area of consideration. Second, the species must have been introduced to the area, intentionally or unintentionally. And lastly, the species causes, or is likely to cause, environmental harm, economic harm, and/or harm to humans.
One thing to always consider is the region you are located in. While some species may be listed as invasive in our area of North Florida, the species may be more easily managed up in the mountains or down at the coast. Some examples of invasive species to Tallahassee are coral ardisia (Ardisia crenata), glossy privet (Ligustrum lucidum), and skunkvine (Paederia foetida). These plants meet all three criteria to be invasive – they are nonnative to our region, were introduced here, and cause harm to native species by outcompeting them for space and nutrients.
So, what damage actually comes from using the term ‘invasive’ so casually and incorrectly? And what terms would we use instead? When getting ready to teach my invasive plant workshop at Native Nurseries, I found an excellent publication by the University of Florida called ‘Standardized Invasive Species Terminology For Effective Outreach Education’. This article broke down different words to better identify the “problems” we deal with in the landscape.
They spoke of seven words total, defining what they mean and how to use them. One of the most important words that everyone should be using is ‘nuisance’. When a species is a nuisance, it is causing environmental or economic harm, but the key difference between a nuisance and an invasive is that an invasive has to be introduced to the area at risk. A native species can be a nuisance, like with my friend’s problems of smilax and cherry laurel, but by definition a native species can never be an invasive species. The term invasive carries extra meaning to it that nuisance does not; it carries the weight of being nonnative, introduced, and extremely harmful.
The more we overuse and incorrectly label species as ‘invasive’, the more diluted the word becomes. An invasive species is a dangerous one, and it is important that we correctly identify those species, and not judge a plant solely on its behavior.
Next time you are digging up extra oak saplings or relocating passionvine that has gone rampant, do not think of them as invasive species, but rather nuisance ones. When it comes to learning, shaping, and adding to your local landscape, it is essential to use the right word at the right time.