Native and Invasive Creek Plants

Sycamore Sprouts
by Nashat

Plants that live near the creek can affect the creek in many ways. Most native plants are beneficial to the creek. The Arroyo Willow tree and the Western Sycamore are very good for the creek. Little animals such as fish, frogs, and crayfish that live in the creek get oxygen from the willow and sycamore. However, there are some plants that are invasive and take up the space of the good plants, so the little animals in the creek can’t get enough oxygen. Some examples are Cape Ivy, a plant that has seven point leaves, and Periwinkle, with light purple flowers.

Cape Ivy
Periwinkle

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1 comment:

  1. UnknownMarch 7, 2011 at 7:17 PM

    Hi Nashat!

    I really liked your article on invasive plants! Here in TN we have a lot of kudzu; it's pretty much grown all over the southeast.

    Here are two articles I thought you might enjoy on two other invasive (though a lot creepier) species:

    Pythons in the Everglades:
    http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/24/science/24pyth.html

    Snakehead fish (these are really scary!):
    http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/09/nyregion/09snakeheads.html

    - Refa

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