Connecticut Nursery and Landscape Industry Preferences for Solutions to the Sale and Use of Invasive Plants

Abstract

Survey data from 114 members (42% response rate) of the Connecticut Nursery and Landscape Association were analyzed to evaluate preferences for different potential solutions to reduce the annual sale of billions of dollars of invasive ornamental plants. The majority of respondents accurately identified key invasive plant characteristics, considered themselves to be knowledgeable about invasive plants, and cited trade journals and professional organizations as their sources of invasive plant information. Although industry members generally considered norway maple (Acer platanoides), japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii), and winged euonymus (Euonymus alatus) to be invasive, only 14.5% and 8.1%, respectively, considered the emerging invasive species japanese silver grass (Miscanthus sinensis) and butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii) to be invasive. In comparing different approaches to reducing the sale of invasive ornamental plants, strong support was expressed for marketing noninvasive alternative plants (mean rank of 2.5) and for development of genetically altered sterile forms of invasive ornamentals (mean rank of 2.9; on a scale from 1 = most favorable to 6 = least favorable). Respondents strongly disfavored taxation as a method of reducing invasive plants sales (mean rank of 5.0) even if proceeds were directed toward invasive plant control and research. Plant bans (mean rank of 4.1) were also an unpopular choice for economically important crops, and respondents desired provisions for cultivars with reduced invasive risk to be included in plant bans. To foster maximum green industry participation in invasive plant control efforts, future directions should focus on creation of sterile forms of popular landscape plants, identification of consumer preference for noninvasive alternatives, and development of strong consumer education programs.