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RTEC Treecare

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Invasive Plants: Don’t Let Invasives Take Over Your Property

Resources: Community

Invasive Plants 2
Purple Looseleaf – Invasive Plants

What Are Invasive Plants?

Invasive plants are species of plants that are not native to the local ecosystem and whose introduction causes economic harm, environmental harm, or harm to human health.

Why Are Invasive Plants Bad?

Invasive species compete directly with native species for moisture, sunlight, nutrients, and overall space. They typically win this battle, killing off the native species they are competing with because of their aggressive nature.  Many invasive plants produce a large quantity of seeds, thrive on disturbed soil, and grow dense root systems that spread long distances and smother native plant root systems. Some invasives also produce chemicals that inhibit the growth of other plants around them.

Invasive Plants:

  • Are the main cause of decline in 18% of U.S endangered or threatened species.
  • Have contributed to the decline of 42% of U.S endangered or threatened species.
  • Decrease overall plant diversity
  • Degrade wildlife habitat
  • Increase soil erosion
  • Degrade water quality

Common invasives include English ivy, Japanese honeysuckle, pachysandra, purple looseleaf, and kudzu.

An easy way to spot non-native invasives is to look around your yard in the winter. Other than evergreens, non-native invasives will be the only plants green at this time of year.


Need Help With Invasive Plants?

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Or Call 703.573.3029


Invasive Plants 3Are There Any Native Invasive Plants?

Yes, poison ivy is considered to be a native invasive in certain situations. Poison Ivy is supposed to grow upward on trees, when growing upward it grows berries that feed birds and other wildlife. When it grows on the ground it is considered invasive as it will not produce any berries and becomes very opportunistic. We advise removing ground cover poison ivy but leaving the poison ivy that grows on your tree. However; if you are allergic or have kids that play around those trees we will advise that all poison ivy is removed from your property.


How Do I Get Rid Of Invasive Plants?

  1. The first step in getting rid of invasives is to identify them. An Arborist will be able to take a look at your property inspecting your trees and shrubs to determine which ones are invasive.
  2. The second step is to perform ground plan improvement. In this step, we will go through and cull out the invasive species which will allow the stronger natives to thrive. Culling out invasive species also provides a more aesthetically pleasing area between the woods and your mowed grass.
Invasive Plants
Invasive Honeysuckle Where A Yard & Forest Meet
Invasive Plants 1
Invasive Honeysuckle Removed

Because of the invasive nature of these invasive plants, they are sometimes hard to fully remove. Which is why it’s best to let Arborists with professional tools remove these species.


Need Help With Invasive Plants?

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Or Call 703.573.3029


Alternatives To Invasive Species

Invasive Plants 4
Blazing Star – Native Alternative To Purple Looseleaf

If you like the look of your invasive species but don’t want to contribute to the ecological harm caused by invasives try out the native alternatives below.

Purple Looseleaf: Native alternatives include blazing star (Liatris spicata), American blue vervain (Verbena hastate), and New York ironweed  (Vernonia noveboracensis).

Japanese Honeysuckle: Native alternatives include trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans) and coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens).

English Ivy: Native alternatives include Creeping mint (Meehania cordata), Allegheny spurge (Pachysandra procumbens) and creeping phlox (Phlox stolonifera)

Kudzu: Native alternatives include Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens) and Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)

Pachysandra: Native alternatives include Green and Gold (Chrysogonum virginianum), and Appalachian Barren Strawberry (Waldsteinia fragarioides).

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Google Reviews

Grey Burkhart
Grey Burkhart
March 29, 2022.
Verified
Very professional review of our requirements and an accurate estimate. Showed up on time and were finished quickly. Cleaned up all of the debris and sawdust. Great job all around.
Dennis Bruns
Dennis Bruns
March 8, 2022.
Verified
We have used RTEC Treecare for several years. They do excellent work. Their staff is extremely knowledgeable and take great care in explaining the various options available for your particular situation. I highly recommend them.
Annette Iannucci
Annette Iannucci
February 23, 2022.
Verified
We have been using RTEC for years and were very pleased with the recent tree maintenance work they did for us. As always, we got good advice from their arborist Ben,. The crew that did the work is highly skilled, and they did a great job trimming our trees. They worked safely and efficiently, in addition to leaving the yard clean after they finished the work.
Susan Crawford
Susan Crawford
January 26, 2022.
Verified
RTEC was at my house today to removed a large Magnolia that was badly damaged by the recent snow. They did a fantastic job at a very reasonable price. They arrived right on time, worked efficiently and quickly and cleaned up so well it was hard to tell anything have been disturbed. Over the past several years, I have used RTEC for all the services I checked above, and have always been very pleased with their service and professionalism. I also appreciate that they are not eager to take down trees that don't need to come down. In this case, the damage was too extensive for the tree to recover.
Kenton Morgan
Kenton Morgan
January 20, 2022.
Verified
Once again, RTEC has done a great job. The team showed up right on time and performed all the work that we agreed to. They kept us informed as to progress, coordinated with us concerning our maple, and made recommendations concerning ongoing support for our trees. At the end of the day, they thoroughly cleaned up the debris and left our yard in pristine condition. WELL DONE.
Jean Kluttz
Jean Kluttz
January 3, 2022.
Verified
Not our first time but this time was tricky removal of a large dead tree leaning on a healthy tree. Quick response for estimate, good timing to removal, all clear and healthy tree still fine.
Jerry Haggin
Jerry Haggin
December 16, 2021.
Verified
Very good work while ensuring that I was aware of status of my work order and planned completion.
Mike Iger
Mike Iger
December 16, 2021.
Verified
David Roberts
David Roberts
December 15, 2021.
Verified
We’ve used RTEC for many years for tree maintenance and can’t say enough good things about their service. We use them for tree trimming and for regular treatments to maintain our trees’ health and deal with pests and prevent disease. Their arborist Ben has been especially helpful with advice. RTEC also been especially helpful in emergency situations, once coming to cable a massive, heritage oak in our yard right before a hurricane was about to hit. Highly recommend.
Travis Larson
Travis Larson
December 10, 2021.
Verified
RTEC did an excellent job onsite of removing dead branches from our 80+ year old trees, and trimming other growth too close to our home.
Google rating score: 4.8 of 5, based on 185 reviews.

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