Invasive Shade-Tolerant Garden Plants in Alabama

In Alabama, several popular shade-tolerant garden plants are invasive, posing threats to local ecosystems. These plants can escape cultivation and spread into natural areas, outcompeting native species and disrupting habitats. Understanding these invasive species and choosing non-invasive alternatives is key to maintaining healthy gardens and natural environments.

List of Invasive Shade-Tolerant Garden Plants in Alabama

1. English Ivy (Hedera helix)

• Description: English Ivy is a popular ground cover and climbing vine with dark green, lobed leaves. It thrives in shaded areas, making it a common choice for covering shaded walls or ground.

• Impact: Once established, it smothers native plants and can climb and damage trees, potentially leading to tree decline or death.

• Garden Alternative: Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) - A native climbing vine that is less aggressive and provides beautiful fall foliage.

2. Nandina (Nandina domestic)

• Description: Known as "heavenly bamboo," Nandina is an evergreen shrub with bright red berries and bamboo-like stems. It’s commonly planted in shaded garden areas.

• Impact: Nandina spreads aggressively in shaded areas, displacing native plants. Its berries are also toxic to birds.

• Garden Alternative: Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) - A native shrub that thrives in shade and produces red berries that support local wildlife.

3. Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)

• Description: A fast-growing vine with fragrant white to yellow flowers, Japanese Honeysuckle is often planted for its sweet scent and ability to cover shaded areas.

• Impact: It forms dense mats that suppress native vegetation, reducing biodiversity and hindering forest regeneration.

• Garden Alternative: Coral Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) - A native honeysuckle with red flowers that attract hummingbirds and is less invasive.

4. Chinese Privet (Ligustrum sinense)

• Description: Chinese Privet is a dense, evergreen shrub with small, fragrant white flowers and dark berries. It’s often used as a hedge in shaded gardens.

• Impact: Forms dense thickets in forest understories, outcompeting native plants and reducing habitat quality for wildlife.

• Garden Alternative: American Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) - A native shrub with bright purple berries that attract birds and thrive in shaded areas.

5. Periwinkle (Vinca major and Vinca minor)

• Description: Periwinkle is a trailing evergreen ground cover with glossy leaves and blue or purple flowers. It’s commonly used in shaded garden beds and as a ground cover.

• Impact: It spreads rapidly, forming dense mats that outcompete native plants, particularly in forested areas.

• Garden Alternative: Green-and-Gold (Chrysogonum virginianum) - A native ground cover with yellow flowers that thrive in shade and do not spread aggressively.

6. Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii)

• Description: A dense, thorny shrub with small, bright red or orange leaves and berries, Japanese Barberry is often planted in shaded garden areas for its colorful foliage.

• Impact: It alters soil chemistry and outcompetes native plants, creating dense thickets in forest understories.

• Garden Alternative: Spicebush (Lindera benzoin) - A native shrub with aromatic leaves and yellow spring flowers that thrive in shaded environments.

7. Chinese Wisteria (Wisteria sinensis)

• Description: Chinese wisteria is a vine with showy purple flowers commonly planted on arbors and trellises in shaded gardens.

• Impact: Twines around trees and shrubs, leading to structural damage and shading out native plants.

• Garden Alternative: American Wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) - A less aggressive native wisteria with similar flowers that are perfect for shaded trellises.

8. Liriope (Liriope spicata)

• Description: Also known as "creeping lilyturf," Liriope is a shade-tolerant ground cover with grass-like leaves and small lavender flowers. It’s frequently used in shaded garden beds and borders.

• Impact: Liriope spreads aggressively, forming dense mats that can crowd out native ground cover plants.

• Garden Alternative: Appalachian Sedge (Carex appalachica) - A native sedge that thrives in shade and forms gentle, non-invasive clumps.

9. Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellata)

• Description: A deciduous shrub with silver-scaled leaves and small, fragrant flowers, Autumn Olive is often planted for its hardiness in shaded areas.

• Impact: Displaces native plants, particularly in shaded areas, and alters soil chemistry by fixing nitrogen.

• Garden Alternative: Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea) - A native shrub with attractive flowers and edible berries that do well in shade.

10. Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus)

• Description: A deciduous shrub with bright red fall foliage, Burning Bush is often planted in shaded gardens for its striking autumn color.

• Impact: Outcompetes native vegetation, particularly in forest understories, reducing biodiversity.

• Garden Alternative: Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica) - A native shrub that produces white flowers and vibrant fall color, perfect for shaded areas.

Conclusion

While these plants are popular for shaded garden areas in Alabama, their invasive tendencies can significantly harm natural ecosystems. By choosing native, non-invasive alternatives, you can create a beautiful, sustainable garden that supports local biodiversity and protects the environment.