This is a very important essay, thank you very much. I wish it could be very widely distributed and I would hope that millions would take it to heart. Though I have to be honest and tell you I laughed when you mentioned “hating “ Scotch Broom”. It was one of my favorite plants when I was a kid and it lined part of the rural road where we lived. I loved it! So sunny and happy looking in the Spring. But as one starts to leave behind the industrial mindset so many have in our American culture, the change in attitude you are describing becomes easier, I think. And I also think many many people know that basically everything is all effed up and just do not know what to do about it. As if voting Dem or Repub is going to change anything.
appreciating this so much, i’m in a current long dance with urban artillery grass, stinky bob, and bindweed…omfg. it’s such an intense dance but often i remember this isn’t about the plant being evil or bad, but effective and strong and capable, and as you stated, invited, made way for, transported…
lots to learn as i uninvite on my micro plot of land in the city
Thanks for the parenthetical not on mullein. I was shocked that it has a bad reputation. It's protected over here and if one appears in the garden, it gets to stay. Another great article!
My wife insists that I mow the back yard. I would prefer it just grow wild. Anyway, there's a wooly mullein that regrows there every year now. I always go around it. I'll do anything for love, but I won't do that.
Luv this article. We farm in the Ohio River Valley and I recognize so many of these plants. Add multiflora rose to your list of "invasives" for us farmers. Unfortunately, in my lifetime, I've witnessed it and Japanese honeysuckle steadily choke out Appalachian blackberry in this area. The job of reversing that on our little patch of land will be my life's work for many years to come.
Thank you so much for this! I so agree! I always notice the damage done by nativists and the city/county/etc. when they clearcut Eucalyptus (causing more fire risk, sun and wind) and then Broom or highly flammable Poison Hemlock shoots up in its place. (I love the smell and sight of Broom flowers, but I know the nativists don't. They also don't seem to notice the consequences of what they do.)
In Aotearoa/New Zealand, introduced Sow Thistle, so hated in the US) was named Puha by the Maori, who recognized it as medicinal and edible.
People kill even what they don't know. After the neighbor across the street cut down all the Rue (which I never seen growing anywhere now), a little sprig started growing from the concrete at the bottom of our driveway. I wondered how she would survive the heat and dryness and was so thrilled to see her and watered her. But then she was gone. The next door neighbor killed her, saying she would spread everywhere. He is supposedly a gardener and assumed she was another small yellow-flowered plant probably in the Aster or Mustard family. I said she was Rue and they are nowhere around here, unless planted, so show me where they have spread. I still miss her.
The wise birds and insects know and love the introduced plants who feed and house and protect them....
Rush Skeletonweed is honestly a remarkable plant. It's ability to thrive with very little leaf area, in dry environments, and spread and take over is remarkable. It's roots are so deep. While it can be a frustrating fellow, I can't help but have respect for it.
I am not quite sure what to say except that telling people what they think and feel is more controlling than compelling and an excellent tactic for driving people away from the point you are trying to make. The fact of the matter is that I do, indeed, hate cheatgrass. I also hate the reason why it is where it is but the two feelings are not mutually exclusive.
To delete your account, click on the orb in the upper right of your screen. You should get a dropdown menu. Select > Settings. On the settings page scroll ALL the way to the bottom. In the Danger Zone you can delete your account.
The environment i.e., Mother Nature has an adapt or die code. When humans destroy ecosystems, we cannot be surprised by what takes over. As you say, we created the opening for whatever comes after our destruction of said ecosystem.
I believe we need to reframe the idea that anything is actually invasive but rather part of a succession that replaces what could not withstand the change, with something that can.
If I sit beneath the branches of a beautiful tree to find shade, I don’t care if one declares it a ‘weed’ tree. It provides the shade just as well and provides homes to countless species. What part of that is wrong when we zoom back to look at an entire planet constantly changing to keep up with humanity’s destructive ways.
Thank you for bringing up the point about misplaced energy and focus. Always appreciate your thought provoking essays. ❤️
This is an amazing read. Thank you for writing this! I volunteer at my local nature center and we do a lot of invasive removal. A lot of folks complain about the roses, honeysuckle, Russian olives, bittersweet, and mile a minute. I always keep in the back of my head “it’s not the plants fault they are here, it’s at the hands of a human that is the cause why they are here”… people forget that.
Cool essay! Not a lot of people think about these things. I have to admit, it's tough to not hate when you're in the battle. Getting paid less than minimum wage to cut and chip Russian olive or hand pull cheatgrass is a rough gig. But as some of these species become endemic and are adopted by native animals as a source of food/shelter, we need to find ways to moderate, not eliminate. When it was up to me and not the landowner, I'd usually cut the olive regen but keep larger trees standing. They are good habitat for animals and people!
Love this! I’m Harrison, an ex fine dining line cook. My stack "The Secret Ingredient" adapts hit restaurant recipes (mostly NYC and L.A.) for easy home cooking.
This is a very important essay, thank you very much. I wish it could be very widely distributed and I would hope that millions would take it to heart. Though I have to be honest and tell you I laughed when you mentioned “hating “ Scotch Broom”. It was one of my favorite plants when I was a kid and it lined part of the rural road where we lived. I loved it! So sunny and happy looking in the Spring. But as one starts to leave behind the industrial mindset so many have in our American culture, the change in attitude you are describing becomes easier, I think. And I also think many many people know that basically everything is all effed up and just do not know what to do about it. As if voting Dem or Repub is going to change anything.
Thank you for this essay. Such a hugely important re-frame--something every native plant society member should read!!
appreciating this so much, i’m in a current long dance with urban artillery grass, stinky bob, and bindweed…omfg. it’s such an intense dance but often i remember this isn’t about the plant being evil or bad, but effective and strong and capable, and as you stated, invited, made way for, transported…
lots to learn as i uninvite on my micro plot of land in the city
Thanks for the parenthetical not on mullein. I was shocked that it has a bad reputation. It's protected over here and if one appears in the garden, it gets to stay. Another great article!
My wife insists that I mow the back yard. I would prefer it just grow wild. Anyway, there's a wooly mullein that regrows there every year now. I always go around it. I'll do anything for love, but I won't do that.
Luv this article. We farm in the Ohio River Valley and I recognize so many of these plants. Add multiflora rose to your list of "invasives" for us farmers. Unfortunately, in my lifetime, I've witnessed it and Japanese honeysuckle steadily choke out Appalachian blackberry in this area. The job of reversing that on our little patch of land will be my life's work for many years to come.
Those hating on " weeds " hate change that wasn't planned by them.
Thank you so much for this! I so agree! I always notice the damage done by nativists and the city/county/etc. when they clearcut Eucalyptus (causing more fire risk, sun and wind) and then Broom or highly flammable Poison Hemlock shoots up in its place. (I love the smell and sight of Broom flowers, but I know the nativists don't. They also don't seem to notice the consequences of what they do.)
In Aotearoa/New Zealand, introduced Sow Thistle, so hated in the US) was named Puha by the Maori, who recognized it as medicinal and edible.
People kill even what they don't know. After the neighbor across the street cut down all the Rue (which I never seen growing anywhere now), a little sprig started growing from the concrete at the bottom of our driveway. I wondered how she would survive the heat and dryness and was so thrilled to see her and watered her. But then she was gone. The next door neighbor killed her, saying she would spread everywhere. He is supposedly a gardener and assumed she was another small yellow-flowered plant probably in the Aster or Mustard family. I said she was Rue and they are nowhere around here, unless planted, so show me where they have spread. I still miss her.
The wise birds and insects know and love the introduced plants who feed and house and protect them....
Excellent point. Thank you.
Rush Skeletonweed is honestly a remarkable plant. It's ability to thrive with very little leaf area, in dry environments, and spread and take over is remarkable. It's roots are so deep. While it can be a frustrating fellow, I can't help but have respect for it.
I am not quite sure what to say except that telling people what they think and feel is more controlling than compelling and an excellent tactic for driving people away from the point you are trying to make. The fact of the matter is that I do, indeed, hate cheatgrass. I also hate the reason why it is where it is but the two feelings are not mutually exclusive.
To delete your account, click on the orb in the upper right of your screen. You should get a dropdown menu. Select > Settings. On the settings page scroll ALL the way to the bottom. In the Danger Zone you can delete your account.
The environment i.e., Mother Nature has an adapt or die code. When humans destroy ecosystems, we cannot be surprised by what takes over. As you say, we created the opening for whatever comes after our destruction of said ecosystem.
I believe we need to reframe the idea that anything is actually invasive but rather part of a succession that replaces what could not withstand the change, with something that can.
If I sit beneath the branches of a beautiful tree to find shade, I don’t care if one declares it a ‘weed’ tree. It provides the shade just as well and provides homes to countless species. What part of that is wrong when we zoom back to look at an entire planet constantly changing to keep up with humanity’s destructive ways.
Thank you for bringing up the point about misplaced energy and focus. Always appreciate your thought provoking essays. ❤️
This is an amazing read. Thank you for writing this! I volunteer at my local nature center and we do a lot of invasive removal. A lot of folks complain about the roses, honeysuckle, Russian olives, bittersweet, and mile a minute. I always keep in the back of my head “it’s not the plants fault they are here, it’s at the hands of a human that is the cause why they are here”… people forget that.
Cool essay! Not a lot of people think about these things. I have to admit, it's tough to not hate when you're in the battle. Getting paid less than minimum wage to cut and chip Russian olive or hand pull cheatgrass is a rough gig. But as some of these species become endemic and are adopted by native animals as a source of food/shelter, we need to find ways to moderate, not eliminate. When it was up to me and not the landowner, I'd usually cut the olive regen but keep larger trees standing. They are good habitat for animals and people!
Love this! I’m Harrison, an ex fine dining line cook. My stack "The Secret Ingredient" adapts hit restaurant recipes (mostly NYC and L.A.) for easy home cooking.
check us out:
https://thesecretingredient.substack.com
The most destructive invasive thing on the planet is homo sapiens sapiens.
Should we get rid of it?