Invasive Terrestrial Plants

Invasive terrestrial plants are responsible for drying up rivers, poisoning horses, and poisoning horses, and pushing native plants to extinction. For example, kudzu, from Japan, was planted in the U.S. as a forage crop and to control erosion. Now this fast-growing vine is smothering native vegetation and taking over bridges and power lines throughout the South. Here, specialist Suellen May identifies the worst of these plant invaders, explaining the ecological and economic toll they exact, and how they are introduced from all over the world, by ships, by people, and by animals.