Everything To Know About The Woody Plants Invading Indiana Right Now

Did you know that Indiana, as well as the entire Great Lakes region, is currently under invasion? That’s right- invasion! No, not by aliens, but by something that seems a lot more innocuous: specific species of woody plants. Unfortunately, these plants tend to wreak havoc on the native plants of the area, and Indiana is not immune from these “attacks.” Here’s a short list of a few you might find out and about.

mightyjoepye/Flickr

Amur Bush Honeysuckle is an incredibly common - and incredibly invasive - woody plant. It grows to be quite large- up to 20 feet high. It creeps over native plants and chokes them out, ensuring that eventually, the Amur Bush is the only species left in the area.

S. Rae/Flickr

Common Buckthorn is a large shrub that grows in dense thickets, which creates shaded regions that would not otherwise exist. This lack of sunlight effectively halts photosynthesis and other processes that native plants rely on to survive. This shrub is native to Europe and does not grow natively anywhere in the United States. The only way someone in Indiana is legally permitted to possess any of these plants is under a permit issued by the Indiana State Entomologist.

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Matt Beziat/Flickr

White Mulberry is a small, fast-growing tree that produces, well, white mulberries. In areas where it is not native, it tends to quickly invade forests and take over areas. It is able to cross-breed with native mulberry trees, which results in hybrids that unfortunately also have invasive traits. It's important to remember that it's highly illegal to buy, sell or grow any plants that are considered "pests or pathogens" here in Indiana, no matter how charming they might look.

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Honeysuckle makes the list again, this time as a plant that was imported to the US during the 1800s both for aesthetics and as an attempt to feed wildlife. Like many of the woody plants on this list, Morrow's Bush forms dense thickets which then choke out native plants. This greatly affects animals who rely on those native plants for one reason or another.

Melissa McMasters/Flickr

"Wintercreeper" has a name that's as insidious as it is. Also known by the slightly less scary-sounding "Fortune's Spindle," this plant is a ground-covering vine that quickly overtakes areas where it is able to overpower native plants. Unfortunately for us Hoosiers, the state of Indiana is a place where Wintercreeper runs rampant, killing off native species and causing problems for houses, forests, and roadways.

MostlyDross/Flickr

Again with the honeysuckle! This particular plant produces beautiful flowers, however, one must not be fooled by its beauty. This plant is particularly aggressive toward native species. It sends vines growing across the ground and will not hesitate to climb across forest floors, covering any plants unfortunate enough to be in its path. It was brought into the US originally as a decorative plant, long before folks realized the extent of its invasiveness.

Judy Gallagher/Flickr

This woody vine is a China native, brought over to North America in 1879. This plant relies on its brightly-colored fruit being eaten by woodland critters to spread, which it does quite fiercely. It may be the last invader on this list, but unfortunately, it's far from the last plant in the complete list.

If you’d like to see the complete list of invasive species creeping their way into Indiana currently, you can do so here.

Have you ever kept any of these plants in your home? Have you ever seen them out in the wild? Tell us about them in the comments!