Thursday is Thanksgiving, and the family feast is followed by Black Friday. It is the day many retailers hope their ramped-up marketing efforts move them into profitable territory for the calendar year.
As has been the tradition for centuries, red and green themed displays (along with some colors not found in nature) will dominate many commercial settings and some home interiors.
Unfortunately, there are some green-leaved plants which are currently producing copious amounts of red berries which 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.
Coral Ardisia plants are frequently found in the wild and soon produce thickets which crowd out native plants. While attractive, they are a pretty problem which has escaped control and requires time, effort and expense to restrain.
Both of these plants were imported years ago 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.
Both are considered a problem because they flourish and colonize wherever their vigorous seeds are dropped. Birds do most of the relocation work because the seed-containing berries are bright and attractive during the dormant season when avian 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 flora 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 four-to-five feet. This plant is an evergreen in panhandle Florida, but 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 Nandinas. 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, and cats. Birds generally are not affected by the toxicity, but avian species may die from consuming excessively 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 is usually in the two-to-three-foot range.
This plant prefers moist soil and can germinate in heavy shade. A trait which makes north Florida especially susceptible to colonization by this plant, it will flourish in a wide range of soil pH’s typical of coastal areas.
As January and the New Year progresses, both of these plants will stand out with displays of red and green. Regrettably, these are red and green gifts which keep on giving throughout the year.
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