When it comes to landscaping in Texas, the words invasive and aggressive get tossed around a lot, sometimes interchangeably. But they are not the same thing, and understanding the difference matters for our ecosystems, our wildlife, and even the soil beneath our feet.

Let’s clear up the confusion once and for all.

 

What Does “Invasive” Really Mean?

Invasive plants are the outsiders, species that didn’t evolve here, but have found a way to thrive at the expense of everything else. They spread rapidly, choking out native plants, altering soil chemistry, and disrupting the delicate balance of local ecosystems.

When an invasive species takes over, it does not just crowd the garden, it significantly reduces available food and shelter for pollinators, birds, and wildlife that depend on native plants to survive. The result? A landscape that looks good healthy, but is sterile and lacking life.

 

Aggressive, But Not Invasive

Now we must admit, some native plants do have a little extra personality. They spread fast, self-seed, and can dominate an area if left unchecked, but they belong here. These are better termed vigorous, or even aggressive natives– and while they may require a bit of garden management, they do not threaten the ecosystem. In fact they help support it, with very little help from humans.

Think of them as your overenthusiastic friend at the party, we all know that one friend, they might take up more space than intended– but they’re still part of the family.

 

 

Why It Matters

The difference between the terms invasive and aggressive is not just academic, it’s ecological.
When we replace native plant communities with imported species, we don’t just lose pretty wildflowers; we can lose entire networks of life. Soil composition changes, specialty pollinators disappear, and native wildlife often struggle to find food and habitat.

Nearly every single native plant supports something, a bee, a butterfly, a bird, a beneficial insect. When we push those plants out, the chain reaction reaches far beyond the garden gate.

 

Don’t Import Your Landscape

One of the most common mistakes newcomers make is trying to recreate the landscape from where they came. It is understandable, we all crave the familiar. But the best thing you can do for your new home is to plant like a local.

Learn your region. Support the ecosystem that is already here.

That does not mean you can only use native plants. There are plenty of adapted species, non-native plants that play nicely with the locals, that can thrive without disrupting the balance. In fact, my own garden blends the two: native plants that anchor the ecosystem, and adaptive companions that add diversity without throwing nature into a tailspin

 

Rooted in Respect

Gardening in Texas is not just about what grows, it’s about what belongs. When you plant with intention, you help preserve the living systems that make our state unique.

So, the next time you’re choosing plants, ask yourself:

• Is it invasive, aggressive or just a little vigorous?
• Does it support the ecosystem, or disrupt it?

 

When you garden with respect for place, you are not just cultivating beauty, you’re cultivating balance.

Patrick Dickinson

 

Digging Deeper

Native Texans with a Reputation — But Not Invasive!

These vigorously spreading North Texas natives sometimes get mislabeled as “invasive.” In reality, they’re just enthusiastic growers doing what nature intended — filling space, feeding pollinators, and thriving without constant babying.

Reseeders

Lyreleaf Sage (Salvia lyrata)
Texas Rock Rose (Pavonia lasiopetala)
Inland Sea Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)
Frostweed (Verbesina virginica)

A heavy layer of mulch can help keep reseeding in check while still allowing a few volunteers to pop up where conditions are ideal. Seedlings can be easily potted up, shared with friends, or used to fill new garden beds — free plants are one of the best perks of gardening with natives.

Rhizome Spreaders

Turk’s Cap (Malvaviscus arboreus var. drummondii)
Gregg’s Mistflower (Conoclinium greggii)
Frogfruit (Phyla nodiflora)
Maximilian Sunflower (Helianthus maximiliani)

Rhizomatous plants spread underground, creating dense, weed-suppressing colonies. To manage them, plant in contained spaces bordered by hardscape like concrete, edging, or fences — or let them duke it out with other vigorous natives for a wild, balanced look. With a little planning, they’ll cover ground beautifully, and with a little regular maintenance, they won’t take over.

True Invasives of North Texas Landscapes

Pretty but problematic — these once-popular landscape plants have escaped cultivation, spreading into wildlands and displacing native species across North Texas.

Avoid planting these true invasives at all costs, and if they’re already growing in your yard, consider replacing them. Removing invasives from your property, spreading the word to friends and neighbors, or volunteering with local groups that restore native habitat are some of the best ways to protect North Texas’ natural ecosystems.

Ligustrum spp. (Privets)

Includes Japanese privet (Ligustrum japonicum), Waxleaf privet (L. lucidum), and Chinese privet (L. sinense).
Still widely planted as hedges and screens, these evergreen shrubs produce thousands of bird-dispersed berries that dominate creek corridors and woodlands, shading out native understory species.

Chinese Tallow Tree (Triadica sebifera)

A fast-growing ornamental tree with vibrant fall color but destructive ecological consequences. It spreads rapidly in pastures and wetlands, forming dense monocultures that alter soil chemistry and exclude nearly all native vegetation.

Callery Pear (Pyrus calleryana)

Long sold under names like ‘Bradford’, Aristocrat’ and ‘Chanticleer’, this tree hybridizes freely, producing thorny, invasive offspring that crowd out native trees in pastures and roadsides.

Chinese Pistache (Pistacia chinensis) — especially females

Once considered a “bulletproof” shade tree, female pistaches produce heavy seed crops dispersed by birds, allowing them to naturalize across prairies and woodlands where they outcompete native oaks.

Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)

An aggressive vine that blankets and strangles native shrubs and trees. Fragrant and nostalgic but ecologically destructive — capable of smothering entire forest understories.

Nandina (Nandina domestica)

Older seed-bearing types spread readily by birds into shaded woodlands. However, newer dwarf cultivars such as ‘Gulf Stream’, ‘Flirt’, and ‘Firepower’ are sterile or low-seeding, making them safer landscape options.

Periwinkle / Vinca (Vinca major, Vinca minor)

Still sold as a groundcover for shade, but spreads aggressively through runners, carpeting forest floors and suppressing native wildflowers. Its thick mats outcompete beneficial species in woodlands and along waterways.

Vitex / Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus)

Although grown in Texas since the early Spanish missions, Vitex is a newcomer to the invasive list. Once valued for its summer blooms and drought tolerance, it’s now rapidly spreading into creek banks, open fields, and disturbed areas—displacing native nectar plants. Some modern cultivars are sterile or nearly sterile, reducing the risk of spread when responsibly selected.

To learn more about invasive spreaders in your region, visit TexasInvasives.org

and to learn more about what you can do to help visit:

The Native Plant Society of Texas 

The Texas Master Naturalist Program