So a new exotic weed DVD is available at http://www.invasive.org/weedcd/. The project includes 219 invasive plant species in the United States.

The focus of this DVD-ROM is to provide identification, ecology, and control information for invasive plants in the United States occurring in aquatic, wetland, forest, rangeland, desert, or prairie habitats.

This product compiles information in recent publications from leaders in invasive species management in the United States, such as the USDA Forest Service, USDA APHIS PPQ, The Nature Conservancy, The Plant Conservation Alliance, The Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council, and Invasive Plant Atlas of New England.

While this is not an official list of "invasive" plants throughout the United States, it includes Federal Noxious Weeds and those listed by state regulatory agencies, pest plant councils, and other organizations. Some of the plants on this list are often found in ornamental plantings and landscapes.

In fact, some non-native plants introduced for horticultural and agricultural use now pose an ecological threat in the absence of their natural predators and control agents.

This publication will aid landowners, foresters, resource managers, and the general public in becoming familiar with invasive plants in their area to help protect our environment from the economic and ecological impacts of these biological pollutants.

As a clarification many of these plants may be invasive in one area of North Carolina but not another. An example is Miscanthus (a great ornamental grass in our area) spread like wild fire in the mountains.