The integrity of the local native environment can play a large factor in invasiveness of an exotic species. For example in Cincinnati the asian honeysuckles are an absolute menace. But a few counties over where the native forest remains largely intact and unfragmented, the honeysuckles are not invasive at all. The healthy undisturbed native forest ecosystem holds them in check. But in suburbia where I live they are a major pest and headache. To the south, I think kudzu is rampant even in intact forests.... so.... as Boyce says it's a complex interaction! On Wed, Mar 17, 2010 at 11:05 AM, Boyce Tankersley < btankers@chicagobotanic.org> wrote: > Hi Kathleen: > > Our experience at CBG strongly suggests that invasiveness is very much a > regional characteristic. For instance in the Chicago area Buckthorn is > invasive but in other regions experiencing a zone 5 climate it is not > invasive. In other words, the ability to invade is based upon a complex > interaction of environmental factors, not simply minimum winter > temperatures. > > Boyce Tankersley > Director of Living Plant Documentation > Chicago Botanic Garden > 1000 Lake Cook Road > Glencoe, IL 60022 > tel: 847-835-6841 > fax: 847-835-1635 > email: btankers@chicagobotanic.org > > "As a general guideline, if a particular species is a weed somewhere in > the > world, growing in the same hardiness zone you garden in, be very wary > of introducing it to your garden." > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/ >