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| title | chunk | source | category | tags | date_saved | instance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adventive plant | 2/2 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adventive_plant | reference | science, encyclopedia | 2026-05-05T07:17:09.478421+00:00 | kb-cron |
The introduced Norway maple occupies a prominent status in many of Canada's parks. The transport of ornamental plants for landscaping use has and continues to be a source of many introductions. Some of these species have escaped horticultural control and become invasive. Notable examples include water hyacinth, salt cedar, and purple loosestrife. Peaches originated in China, and have been carried to much of the populated world. Tomatoes are native to the Andes. Squash (pumpkins), maize (corn), and tobacco are native to the Americas, but were introduced to the Old World. Many alien species require continued human intervention to survive in the new environment. Others may become feral, but do not seriously compete with natives, but simply increase the biodiversity of the area. One example would be dandelions in North America, which have become an essential source of early season nectar for both native and introduced pollinators, and do not meaningfully compete with native grasses or flowers. Many alien plants have been introduced into new territories, initially as either ornamental plants or for erosion control, stock feed, or forestry. Whether an exotic will become an invasive species is seldom understood in the beginning, and many non-native ornamentals languish in the trade for years before suddenly naturalizing and becoming invasive. Studies have shown that introduced species display a greater likeliness of naturalizing when there is an appropriate environmental match, the plant species are short lived herbs or cultivate from seeds.
=== Environmental problems === Intentional alien introductions have also been undertaken with the aim of ameliorating environmental problems. A number of fast spreading, alien plants such as kudzu have been introduced as a means of erosion control. Other species have been introduced as biological control agents to control invasive species. This involves the purposeful introduction of a natural enemy of the target species with the intention of reducing its numbers or controlling its spread. Another troublesome alien species is the Phyla canescens, which was intentionally introduced into many countries in North America, Europe, and Africa as an ornamental plant. A form of unintentional alien introduction is when an intentionally introduced plant carries a parasite or herbivore with it. Some become invasive, for example, the oleander aphid, accidentally introduced with the ornamental plant, oleander.
== See also == Introduced species Invasive species Hemerochory Native species Neophyte Colonisation Naturalisation Escaped plant
== References ==
== Further reading == FG Schroeder: On the classification of the anthropochores. In: Vegetatio. 16, pp. 225-238 (1969).