Which Invasive Shrubs Should You Avoid Growing? Plus, Best Natives To Plant Instead

It’s important to think carefully about every plant and shrub you bring into your garden, particularly if you care about local wildlife and regional ecosystems. Many people plant invasive shrubs because they look nice or require little maintenance. The problem is that invasive shrubs can spread outside of your yard and cause harm to your local ecosystem and to native wildlife like butterflies and bees.

Here, we take a closer look at some of the most common invasive bushes that find their way into gardens – and introduce you to unique native shrubs that are non-invasive, equally lovely, and reliable as planting alternatives.

When is a Shrub Invasive?

Before we identify invasive plants you need to think twice about, it helps to understand what we mean when we talk about these types of shrubs. A plant species is considered invasive if it is both non-native to an area and causes harm to that area. Often the harm is related to the native ecosystem – for instance, an invasive species may crowd out native species or make it harder for that native species to sustain or survive. The harm can also be economical or to human health.

One of the major ways that invasive species cause harm is by spreading aggressively. Non-native plants that don’t spread readily and don’t cause harm usually are not listed as invasive to native plant environments.

Why It Is Important To Find Native Alternatives

It’s always best for the environment and your local ecosystem to plant native species. Even if you are after the finest flowering bushes, it’s important to avoid using non-native plants that are listed as invasive. Alternative native species are much better and prevent much of the harm caused by invasives, which:

• Outcompete native plants
• Create monocultures instead of diverse habitats
• Reduce appropriate habitat and resources for wildlife
• Spread outside of yards and harm other areas
• Are difficult to remove and control

Awareness is essential when avoiding invasives, especially if you are keen on gardening with native plant alternatives. There are plenty of knockout native flowers you can grow in your backyards, and the same as true of shrubs and bushes. Check with your local extension office or your state’s government agency that oversees decisions about invasive plants to find out what plants are invasive in your area.

The popularity of several invasive shrubs can make it more difficult to landscape responsibly. These are some examples of bushes you might be tempted to use but should avoid – along with excellent non-invasive bushes that make good native alternatives for your gardens.

1. Burning Bush

Burning bush (Euonymus alatus) has a distinctive bright red fall foliage that makes it popular in gardens. Unfortunately, burning bush is non-native and invasive. It grows readily and aggressively in a variety of conditions, outcompeting many native shrubs. Birds eat the berries and spread burning bush to other areas.

Try this instead: Instead of burning bush, try Fothergilla major or F. gardenia. These two southeast native species of fothergilla have excellent fall color and fragrant spring flowers. They are hardy as far north as zone 5.

You could also try black chokecherry (Aronia melanocarpa), native to most of the eastern US. This has good fall color and hardness up to zone 4. You can buy Fothergilla Major ‘Mt Airy’ and Chokeberry ‘Iroquois Beauty’ in the Gardening Know How Shop.

2. Japanese Barberry

Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii) is popular for its low-maintenance needs, compact form and pretty purplish foliage. However, it spreads very aggressively and is now found in many natural areas, crowding out several native species.

Try this instead: Common ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) is a good alternative with a similar compact size. Look for cultivars with purple foliage. It is native to most of the central and eastern US and is hardy to zone 3.

3. Autumn Olive

The autumn olive or Elaeagnus umbellata (aka cherry silverberry) is a large shrub that can also be grown as a small tree. It spreads readily when wildlife eat the berries and disperse the seeds. Autumn olive was originally used in landscaping for its ability to thrive in tough conditions and its rapid growth.

Try this instead: One of the best non-invasive shrubs you can try is the highbush cranberry (Viburnum trilobum). This is a good alternative as it grows to a similar size as autumn olive and also has attractive berries. As a bonus, you can use the berries in jams or sauces. It is native across most northern states and is hardy to zone 2.

4. Bush Honeysuckles

Honeysuckles that take a shrub form are invasive. These include Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii), Morrow’s honeysuckle (L. morrowii), Japanese honeysuckle (L. japonica) and Tatarian honeysuckle (L. tatarica). They spread rapidly, form dense thickets, crowd out native plants, and provide birds and other wildlife with fruits that may be edible but which are not very nutritious.

Try this instead: Summersweet clethra (Clethra alnifolia) is a native alternative with similarly fragrant summer flowers that attract pollinators. It is hardy to zone 4 and is native in most of the eastern states. If you’re willing to try a vine in place of a shrub, native vining honeysuckles have similar fragrant flowers. You can buy Clethra ‘Hummingbird’ and ‘Ruby Spice’ from the Gardening Know How Shop.

5. Privet

Several species of privet (Ligustrum amurense, L. obtusifolium, L. vulgare) are invasive but they are prized for their dense growth, especially in hedge planting. Invasive ligustrums are also very easy to grow and tolerate tough conditions, which means they outcompete natives.

Try this instead: For a pretty and practical native hedge shrub, try one of several viburnum varieties. Arrowood (V. dentatum) and maple-leaved viburnum (V. acerfolium) are two examples of native viburnum species that can be pruned into an attractive dense hedge with the right spacing and growing conditions.

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