Cinthia Milner's article on shrubbery ["Into the Shrubbery," July 1 Xpress] did not give sufficient warning against the continued introduction and use of nonnative invasive plants. There are thousands of better choices! Burning Bush (Euonymous alatus) was introduced in the 1860s from Asia and is now at the infestation level in seven states, according to Nonnative Invasive Plants of the Southern Forests by James H. Miller. Check out this Web site: www.invasive.org/eastern/srs.
Native plants are best adapted to our region and perpetuate a healthy environment. Regrettably, consumer demand tends to determine what is available at local nurseries and big-box stores. In many cases you can purchase plant material that isn't even suitable to the USDA zone for the Asheville area (for example, it will not survive the winter).
There are some great resources for selecting appropriate plant material for this area. For example, take a walk through the Botanical Gardens at Asheville located on W.T. Weaver Boulevard. Also consider consulting a landscape architect, master gardener, horticulturist, nurseryman, or other person knowledgeable in plant species and their characteristics.
Keep the mountains native!
— Tony Hauser, Registered Landscape Architect
Asheville
Tony you might be interested in reading the wide ranging viewpoints on this hot topic from regional perspectives from across the nation.
http://www.gardenrant.com/my_weblog/2009/07/when-it-comes-to-invasives-im-a-libertarian.html
Camellia Sinensis!
The Piffster is all hopped up on tea. Being that Camellia sinensis, native to mainland Asia, is marginally hardy here at best, it is not very likely to become invasive. If you’re gonna grow camellias though and you aren’t into tea and prefer the flowering type, there are new camellias being bred for cold hardiness to zone 6b.
http://www.usna.usda.gov/Newintro/camelli1.html