Invasive Species

Perth, like many other municipalities across Canada, has suffered greatly from invasive species that present varying hazards to the trees and shrubs growing on both public and private properties. Climbing vines, like the Virginia Creeper, while actually native to Ontario,  have often been planted by well meaning gardeners and now gone wild. You have seen the damage done, and OPT's efforts to combat invasive vines, in the previous page. More information on the Virginia Creeper can be found by clicking on the button below.

Other invasive plant species include the European Buckthorn shrub that also became a focus of our work. Growing around the trees, they act like stepping stones for the vines to attach to their branches. The buck thorn shoots become thick ground cover preventing natural species of plants from growing. Please learn how to identify buckthorn shrubs by clicking on the buckthorn buttons below. It is vital to the continuation of healthy forests and parks that the buckthorn invaders be removed wherever spotted. If you find any buckthorn on your outside strolls PLEASE CONTACT OPT ASAP so we can rally our volunteers to remove this very nasty invasive species! If you care to join us in our attack we would be very happy to welcome you. Thank you for helping us and the trees that need your help but cannot ask you directly!

OPT volunteers also tackled the Garlic Mustard plants growing profusely in the Perth Ecoforest just across the Tay Basin from the Crystal Palace.

Insect invasive species include the Spongy (LDD) Moth that defoliated many trees in 2021 and whose egg clusters OPT volunteers removed in the fall and winter to prevent a return infestation. Unfortunately OPT could do nothing about the Emerald Ash Borer that devastated ash trees on Gore Street and all over. Inoculations could have saved some trees but it appears the Ash tree is now gone from Perth.  Japanese beetles are another invasive species (from Japan, no less!) that periodically devastates the leaves of all sorts of plants from roses to trees.

The Dutch Elm Disease that devastated so many stately old elm trees across North America is also caused by an invasive bug that seemingly nobody could control. But in all the doom and gloom of bygone elm trees there are still a few stunning survivors. At least two "Elder" elm trees continue to stand tall and proud in Perth's Stewart Park and one of them won a third prize in an Ontario wide photo contest held in 2024!   OPT partnered with the Town of Perth to purchase and plant some young elm trees that have been developed by the University of Guelph to be resistant to the still deadly Dutch Elm Disease. Since the University of Guelph had come to Perth to take grafts or seeds from the third prize winner the young elm trees planted around her may have been coming back home to Mama!

Further information about invasive species, or even native but potentially harmful species, can be found by clicking on the buttons below.