The Facts

• You will want to know the difference between exotic and invasive. Not all exotics are invasive, but all invasive plants are exotics. Garden guides and other books and magazines detail which plants are exotic and which are invasive. Orchids, for example, are exotic plants to most regions outside the tropics. They are not invasive so many places have them. Eucalyptus, on the other hand, is an exotic but also a very invasive plant. It has choked out native pine trees and has produced insects that are damaging to the native plants.
  
  

Function

• Exotic plant identification helps scientists to find answers to questions like these: Where did disease come from? Why is this plant not growing well? It helps growers know where the plant thrives and the conditions it needs. Most exotic plant identifications are made by a scientist going out and observing and recording his observations in the field.
  
  

Features

• Exotic plants come in all shapes and sizes. They include trees as well as flowers. Most plants that are exotic to the continental United States are tropical and from Africa or Hawaii. They generally don't require a lot of water and have colors that invite people to buy the plants. They often form mats that reproduce easily and prevent native plants from appearing especially in spring and summer. Many aquatic flowers are invasive, so use care when coming and going from boating activities to prevent spread of these flowers, sometimes referred to as weeds.
  
  

Considerations

• Plant hardiness zone maps show growers which zone they live in and which plants grow well in their particular area. Growers have found that some non-native plants are not invasive, so their range extends to many parts of the globe. For instance, many consider bamboo exotic but not invasive. So, many people have it in their gardens. You can prevent the spread of invasive flower species by removing all flowers from your person and personal belongings when you leave.
  
  

Warnings

• Be wary of plants from mail-order houses. A plant exotic to one area may not be exotic to your area.