Here is something you might have missed while celebrating the New Year.  Did you know that Maine garden centers can no longer sell plants that are considered to be invasive here?

So what are these  invasive plants you can’t buy anymore? We finally found the list after some wandering around on maine.gov; that website is like entering a dark cavern with wrong turns and blind alleys.

Look the list over – you can find it here:

http://www.maine.gov/dacf/mnap/features/invasive_plants/invsheets.htm

I have no idea why anyone would buy a couple of these ‘invasives.’ Take for example, Japanese Knotweed. Why buy this when it grows on roadsides and is there for the taking?

Or garlic mustard. I had never seen the stuff until it began growing under our trees and in our gardens. I read somewhere it is the most common understory plant in New England. Want some? Drop me a note.

And you see purple loosestrife growing in roadside ditches – I understand this is no longer considered a threat since some sort of bug keeps it under control.

Many of these ‘invasives’ are beautiful – matter of fact, you may have planted some because they are so striking, – like the Yellow Iris, a truly stunning flower, or useful, like the Japanese Barberry or Common Barberry for that matter. Some of these invasives would make a beautiful border between your property and your neighbors’.

The problem is that they take over areas where native Maine plants grow. So the question is, do you want to these non-native invasive plants to grow in your garden or yard instead of a native Maine plant? Should you eradicate these invasives from your yard and garden?

That’s your choice, but it seems clear that this new Maine law is one of those that will remain ineffective as long as you can stop along the roadside and dig them up for yourself.