Eleanor Burkett
Aquatic Invasive Species
and Water Gardening
Cathy Larson
Non-native plants can cause
ecological, economic, and recreational
problems if they’re introduced…
Clayton & Michele Oslund
Non-native animals can crowd out
native species or disrupt the food web…
Non-native plants or animals …
• are very difficult to control
once they have become
established
• degrade the environment,
diminish recreational
opportunities, impact
native species, and cost
billions for control
• are also known as “exotic
species”
• may be introduced
intentionally or accidentally
Invasive species may be introduced …
• Intentionally
– by improper disposal of
fish or plants from water
gardens or aquaria
– by planting along
shorelines to add beauty
or stabilize the shore
– by stocking fish or for
biological control of other
species (by natural
resource professionals)
Invasive species may be introduced …
• Unintentionally
Barbara Liukkonen
Barbara Liukkonen
– as seeds carried by birds or blown
by wind
– through flooding or stormwater
– as hitchhikers in plant purchases or
exchanges
– on boats or trailers, in live wells or
bait buckets
Research on AIS and horticulture trade
• Conducted in 2002 at
U of MN Horticulture
Department
• Assessed the risks of
importing aquatic
plants to Minnesota
• Ordered plants from
nurseries nationwide
by phone and internet
U of MN research showed …
• 92.5% of orders contained a plant or
animal not specifically requested
• 90% included plants
• 80% included animals (including 2 live fish!)
• 63% included algae, moss, or fungi
• 41% contained unordered seeds
• 8-10% of hitchhikers were prohibited
species in Minnesota
U of MN Research, 2003-2005
• Sea Grant funding to further define the
potential problem and develop educational
materials
• 2004 surveys of water gardeners, shoreland
owners, and nursery professionals
Nursery professionals indicated …
• Most purchase plants
from MN wholesalers
• 57% think AIS are a
serious concern
• 35% had practices to
prevent hitchhikers in
plant sales
• 95% were willing to
provide education
2004 Consumer survey research …
• Online or paper survey
• 77 completed from MN, MI,
other states
• Water gardeners and
shoreland property owners
• Asked about awareness and
knowledge, source of plants
and information, and
willingness to pay
Water hyacinth
Consumers reported …
•
•
•
•
Most buy their plants locally
17% exchange plants
30% purchase animals
80% recognize loosestrife;
only 6% know yellow heart
• Many over winter plants and
animals outdoors
• 91% think AIS are serious
• 76% say educational
materials would be helpful
Posters (large & small)
Tip cards
Plant sticks &
nursery tags
• Surveys and
focus groups
used to develop
educational
materials
• Piloted with 40
nurseries
summer 2005
• 7 tips for
prevention - on
following slides
Never transplant non-native plants
into lakes streams, wetlands or
storm water ponds
Eleanor
Barbara Liukkonen
Burkett
Barbara Liukkonen
Examine plant orders for unwanted
and potentially invasive hitchhikers
• Rinse floating plants to
remove duckweed or
fragments
• Pull hitchhikers from
potted plants, or
• Remove from pot, rinse
roots and re-pot to
eliminate hitchhikers
rhizome
Eleanor Burkett
Learn how invasive plants spread by seed, rhizome, or tiny plant
fragments
Recognize which plants and fish
are potentially invasive in our
climate zone
Koi
water lettuce
Clayton
& Michele Oslund
Flowering Rush
Eleanor Burkett
Properly compost or dispose of
unwanted plants or fish
Robert Liukkonen
Keep non-native plants contained
in your water garden
Water gardens separated from
natural waters may contain
non-native species
Water gardens connected to
natural waters may NOT contain
non-native plants or animals
Be aware of regulations regarding
the possession, transport or sale of
non-native plants or animals
Yellow Iris
Clayton & Michele Oslund
• Regulated plants can be used
in water gardens, but not
released into natural waters –
keep them contained!
• Prohibited plants are illegal to
possess, buy, transport or sell –
destroy them!
Regulated plants in Minnesota
Hybrid water lily
Yellow floating heart
Parrot feather
Doug Jensen
Regulated plants in Minnesota
goldfish
Water hyacinth
Fanwort
Prohibited plants in Minnesota
Flowering rush
Purple loosestrife
Indian swampweed
Prohibited plants in Minnesota
Salvinia species
European frogbit
ambulia
Clayton & Michele Oslund
Native alternatives
for water gardening
White water lily
Clayton & Michele Oslund
Arrowhead
Pickerel weed
New England aster
Turtlehead
Marsh marigold
Swamp milkweed
Clayton & Michele Oslund
Native alternatives
for water gardening
Sedge
Sweet flag
Monkey flower
Clayton & Michele Oslund
Smartweed
River bulrush
Blazing star
Clayton & Michele Oslund
Cardinal flower
Clayton & Michele Oslund
Blue flag iris
This project is a partnership with:
Eleanor Burkett
• Minnesota Water Garden
Society
• MN Nursery and
Landscape Association
• MN Department of Natural
Resources
• U of MN Extension Service
• MI and WI Sea Grant
• 38 nurseries, garden
centers and landscape
designers in Minnesota
For more information
or to get PDFs of
the educational
materials, visit:
Eleanor Burkett
www.seagrant.umn.edu/
exotics/ais_wg_materi
als.html