(Columbus, OH) Ohio leaders are banning dozens of invasive plants for sale.
Bradford pear trees are among the invasive species now on the banned list, as are honeysuckles and autumn olive shrubs. State forestry officials say those invasive plants can spread aggressively, choking out other greenery in wild spaces, forests, parks, and along highways.
Ohio regulators also claim such plants lower property values and prompt endless, frustrating battles to contain their spread.
There were previously no rules to prevent the plants from being sold or brought into Ohio. Now forestry officials plan to look for banned species during regular inspections of garden centers and nurseries.