by Mary Free and Christa Watters, Extension Master Gardeners
This post introduces the new word(s) added to our Illustrated Glossary. You may recognize some words as common gardening or botanical terms—although commonly used words are not necessarily commonly understood or their usage commonly agreed to. Other words may be more obscure, found mostly in flora guides and research papers. In any case we hope you find them interesting and even helpful in your gardening endeavors.
Clematis virginiana (pictured above left and center in a residential landscape in Arlington, Virginia) can spread rapidly but as a Virginia native is not considered an invasive species unlike alien Clematis terniflora, native to Japan, China, and Korea (pictured above right growing rampantly along a roadside in Fairfax, Virginia).
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As you finish your fall clean-up and put your gardens to bed for the winter, you might be starting to think about next year’s growing season—what plants to remove and what to add. When you do, keep in mind the origin of the plants—whether they are native or non-native—and whether they are on your area’s invasive list. If you are unsure of what constitutes a native, non-native/alien, or invasive species, we offer definitions and explain why your choices matter. Click on the words to learn more.