'An environmentally invasive plant' is just another term for a weed. Quite simply, a weed is any plant that poses a threat to the environment, adversely impacts human or animal health, or causes crop or stock losses. For most gardeners, many of the characteristics we most desire in garden plants are the same as those that make them weedy: i.e. plants that are fast growing and disease resilient and those which reproduce easily by the distribution of seeds or plant parts.

A modern definition of a weed is "a plant that requires some form human health and amenity".

Many of the plants that are now considered to be 'environmental weeds' were introduced by early settlers, or by gardeners and farmers who had little or no knowledge of their future impact on the native environment. It is only in recent years that this threat has become apparent.

Weediness is not confined to introductions from overseas. Some Australian native plants introduced from other regions may impact adversely on the natural environment. Non-indigenous (i.e. not local) species may invade and displace species natural to that area or they may cross pollinate to produce new species which may in time alter regional biodiversity. Cootamundra Wattle (Acacia baileyana) is a good example of the former, while many eucalypts are known to interbreed.

More Information:

Visit www.growmeinstead.com.au for further information, and to browse through plants.

Visit www.lifeisagarden.com.au - consumer website.

Visit www.weeds.gov.au - Australian Government 'Weeds In Australia' website.

Downloads:

Victorian Grow Me Instead Booklet.pdf (2.8 mb)
NGIA Invasive Plants Policy Position.pdf (3.0 mb)
NGIA Nursery Paper - Grow Me Instead.pdf (751 kb)