Invasive plant species cause harm in Florida

Invasive plant species cause harm in Florida

An invasive plant species can quickly take over an area and kill off native plants. FOX 13's Danielle Zulkosky reports.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - "An invasive species has a very specific definition," said Alyssa Vinson, an urban forestry extension agent with Hillsborough County. "It's one that is not from here, and it is causing economic, environmental, or human health harm."

An invasive plant species can quickly take over an area and kill off native plants.

This can take away food source from native animals and insects.

"We have things like Brazilian pepper and carrot wood and Australian pine that are invading our mangrove systems. It takes away from their ability to reproduce effectively," Vinson said. "So we have these iconic emblematic species that are being impacted by an invasive species."

When mangroves are affected by invasive trees it can affect hurricane resiliency.

"The mangroves, they hold this sand in place so that the sand does not erode during those major storms," said Pat DePlasco, the executive director of Keep Pinellas Beautiful. 

"So these plants aren't as drought, the invasive plants are not as drought resistant. And they're not they're not as strong as the other plants could be, and it takes away for the strength of protecting that particular area."

What we know:

Some invasive vining plants create what is called a fire ladder in Florida forests.

This is where something like an air potato or lygodium grows up a pine tree and allows a fire to quickly climb up a tree.

"It allows our fires that are necessary for ecosystem health to actually get up into that canopy and then overtop the tree and kill the tree," Vinson said.

Vinson said the trees would survive and thrive in most cases when the invasive climbing species are not present. She said some invasive species can cause human health issues.

"There are some plants like Cogan grass, which invade agricultural fields and interrupt operations in trying to get food to people, right? So we care about it from that perspective. Brazilian pepper is in the same plant family as poison ivy, and so it can cause allergic reactions," Vinson said.

But there are people out there ready to do something about this.

Keep Pinellas Beautiful holds events where they remove these plants and even replant native species.

"We don't just do an invasive removal, and we don't just do a planting," DePlasco said. "We educate while we're doing them."

While removing these invasive plants, KPB also picks up litter caught in the mangroves.

What you can do:

When in doubt, consult with a professional before planting something. 

Opt for native plants in your yards, flower beds and gardens.

Do not pick invasive plants when choosing your plants.