Common Invasive Species

By Debbie Roland and Emmy Ulmschneider, Master Gardeners

We have written about the importance of planting native plants, stressing the role they have in creating habitat and contributing to our own local Texas identity. In an age of decreasing bird and pollinator populations, we can reverse some of these trends by removing invasive species and planting native plants in our yards. As I walk through my neighborhood streets and alleyways, here are three of the invasive plant species I see and some native alternatives.

Native to Europe and north Africa, King Ranch Bluestem, Bothriochloa ischaemum var. songarica was deliberately introduced into the United States as cattle forage and is a common plant along our roadsides. It is so widespread that it is considered a major ecological threat. It is a pretty grass, and I have seen some yards where people have mowed around it thinking it is one of our beautiful native grasses. The Texas Invasive Species Institute lists King Ranch Bluestem (KRB) as a severe ecological threat due to its ability to outcompete native grasses which in turn decreases the native biodiversity. It is also the host plant for the red-streaked leafhopper Balclutha rubrostriata. This leafhopper, also a non-native species, is one of the top carriers of a plant virus which has decimated sugarcane plantations in Thailand causing great economic impact. And we are not immune, this leafhopper has been found in Texas where KRB is common. For more information refer to: https://tsusinvasives.org/home/database/bothriochloa-ischaemum-var-songarica and https://tsusinvasives.org/home/database/Balclutha-rubrostriata There are native alternatives to KRB including Little Bluestem, Schizachyrium scoparium. Little Bluestem has it all, fall color, beauty, and habitat value. For more information see our 2023 blog article: https://www.westtexasgardening.org/post/tall-native-prairie-grasses

I find Maltese Star-thistle or Tocalote, Centaurea melitensis, up and down my alleyway, and in early spring I pull it up. But when it is flowering, beware of the spiny bracts which surround the yellow flowers. They are like sharp needles and can cause great discomfort. It is a winter annual, native to Europe and north Africa but here it is deemed an ecological threat, negatively affecting our native plant communities. Refer to for more information: https://texasinvasives.org/plant_database/detail.php?symbol=CEME2

A related, perhaps a more serious invader, Yellow Star Thistle, Centaurea solstitialis, has been found in Texas but is not as widespread. For more on Yellow Star Thistle refer to: https://www.texasinvasives.org/plant_database/detail.php?symbol=CESO3

If their thistly appearance appeals to you, there is a native prairie alternative American Basket-flower, Centaurea americana. For a picture and description, see our blog entry: https://www.westtexasgardening.org/post/a-swallowtail-tale

You might already be familiar with our native Texas Lantana, Lantana urticoides. Lantanas have a long ornamental history spreading around the world, because they are easily grown, provide color, and are tolerant of hot conditions. And they do attract butterflies and birds. But there is one non-native lantana, Largefleaf Lantana Lantana camara, a lantana with yellow and pink flowers which you should avoid. In our natural areas, it spreads rapidly, becoming the dominant shrub, replacing natives and changing the ecological makeup of the area it invades. Avoid this shrub in a home garden as the berries are attractive but poisonous to children and pets For more see: https://tsusinvasives.org/home/database/lantana-camara or https://www.npsot.org/posts/invasive-plant/lantana-camara/ And if you want to avoid lantanas, there are native alternatives. One that I grow and enjoy for its bloom, fragrance, and wildlife value is agarita, Mahonia trifoliolata. It is one of the earliest bloomers in my garden and when the yellow blooms erupt, the pollinators arrive. The berries are edible. But beware, this shrub has prickly leaves which are not human friendly. For more see: https://www.npsot.org/posts/native-plant/mahonia-trifoliolata/ or https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=matr3

So, before you plant, decide what you are planting for!

If you have questions, call the AgriLife office in Odessa at 498-4071 or in Midland at 686-4700. Additional information, and our blog for access to past articles, is available at westtexasgardening.org. Click on “Resources.”