The downward trend of the temperature and the ever-shortening days continue the inevitable progression into the holiday season. Invitations to parties and dinners are returning this year, and campaigns to help the less fortunate are already being sent to prosperous recipients by every communication means known to humanity.
Panhandle Florida’s parks, businesses and places of worship will soon be decorated to suit the seasonal traditions. Admittedly, the many distractions make holiday hospitality challenging, but most residents are nevertheless ready to don the holiday spirit.
Traditionalists, while predictable, are the easiest to identify with their time-tested motifs and color schemes. The red and green of holly-based decorations extend back centuries.
Unfortunately, there are some green-leaved plants which are currently producing copious amounts of red berries that are a problem for all residents, human or otherwise, of north Florida. Nandina (Nandina domestica), sometimes called Heavenly Bamboo, and Coral Ardisia (Ardisia crenata) are two invasive plants which have become established in the southeast.
Nandinas are currently producing copious quantities of berries which will soon be bright red and have a holiday season appearance. While the berries feed many hungry birds, the feathered residents and migrants help scatter this invasive plant to new locations where it will grow uncontrolled and crowd out many native plants.
Both of these plants were imported to be sold in the ornamental horticulture trade. With few natural enemies and the capacity to produce abundant quantities of seeds annually, each has escaped far beyond the manicured landscapes of decades past.
Each is considered a problem because they flourish and colonize wherever their vigorous seeds are dropped. Birds do most of the relocation work because the berries containing seeds are bright and attractive during the dormant season when dietary selections are limited.
Any untended or remote piece of land has the potential to be the next germination site. Homeowners and property managers may spend hundreds of dollars removing and properly disposing of these unwanted plants.
Establishment in isolated or inaccessible locations is especially detrimental to wildlife. Both Nandina and Coral Ardisia have the capacity to crowd out beneficial native plants and deny the native fauna access.
Each plant is distinctive and relatively easy to identify in the landscape or wild. Nandina, a native to east Asia, is not a bamboo species even though its stems have some resemblance.
Under ideal conditions it is capable of reaching seven feet in height, but it usually grows to between four and five feet. This plant is an evergreen in north Florida, but it may display deciduous characteristics in colder latitudes.
New leaves emerge in spring and are pink to red, but they turn green as they mature. When mature and preparing to fall off, they will turn red to purple.
Recent developments by plant breeders and commercial nurseries have produced non-invasive cultivars of Nandina. This important feature will be noted at the point of sale.
These plants are toxic to mammals, especially to livestock which may consume quantities while grazing. Birds generally are not affected by the toxicity, but avian species may die from consuming large amounts of the berries.
Coral Ardisia, also a native of east Asia, is an evergreen with glossy deep green leaves. Under ideal conditions this invasive plant can exceed five feet in height, but it usually grows to between two and three feet.
This plant prefers moist soil and can germinate in heavy shade. Its ability to flourish in a wide range of soil pH’s is a trait which makes panhandle Florida especially susceptible to colonization by this plant.
As fall progresses into winter, both of these plants will stand out from the muted tones with bright displays of red and green. Take a well-deserved break from raking leaves and pine straw to search out and destroy these invaders before they make Santa’s naughty list.
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