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I think the Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) qualifies. Those damn things grow 6' a year in adverse conditions. They also spread seeds like mad. And produ
by ourmandave 8y ago
I think the Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) qualifies.
Those damn things grow 6' a year in adverse conditions. They also spread seeds like mad.
And produce toxins that suppress surround plant germination so they're perfect for the One-Tree-To-Save-Us-All plan.
Except Minnesota labeled them a noxious weed but we can charge them an air tax if they don't get on-board.
- bluejekyll 8y agoFrom the wiki article on the tree, I don’t think most people will appreciate it: In many urban areas, it has acquired the derisive nicknames of "ghetto palm", "stink tree", and "tree of Hell".
- pvaldes 8y agoI hope that this is sarcasm. Ailanthus is one of the most dangerous species of trees in the planet. There is not excuse, this is known since decades. If the goal is to destroy nature in the stupidest way possible, Ailanthus is the weapon of choice.
- lwansbrough 8y agoCare to elaborate on the dangers?
- arghwhat 8y agoSpreading like a plague, robbing other plants from light and nutrients, while simultaneously secreting toxins that suppress the spread of other plants, further ensuring that it stands as lone victor. Nothing that will bring us direct harm (apart from it being smelly), but exterminating other types of plants might bring us plenty of indirect harm.
- titzer 8y ago> Spreading like a plague, robbing other plants from light and nutrients, while simultaneously secreting toxins that suppress the spread of other plants, further ensuring that it stands as lone victor. Oh, you're talking about trees. Thought you meant us.
- pvaldes 8y ago> Care to elaborate on the dangers? Can cause allergies Is toxic for domestic animals Their wood is useless, too soft and brittle to be usable. Being toxic, its sawdust is a biological hazard in carpentry. Is bad for biodiversity. Virtually unerradicable when enters in a forest. Grows in dense thicks that compete and displace native plants. If chopped regrows much faster and multiplies aggresively. Is toxic for other plants. Drips its own herbicide from the leaves, killing all other tree seedlings around. Therefore is toxic for crops also. Is a huge economic disaster. Damages foundations, streets, railways, sidewalks and water channels. Is bad for cultural inheritance. A nightmare for conservation of hystorical buildings. Must be removed routinely from the roofs (unless you want 3m high trees growing trough the roof of your 800 years Cathedral in three years). One single female tree can produce around 100.000 seedlings each year that fly with the wind. Has caused more than 5 millions of Euro of damages in just one of the Deustch landers, including 1,5 millions Euro just by allergies. And has been naively introducted in 30 countries. Oh, and the male flower stinks.
- deogeo 8y agoIf it spreads so quickly and efficiently, how come it hasn't overwhelmed most ecosystems yet?
- pvaldes 8y agoIn just 250 years has conquered most European countries, appears in all USA states, can be found in India, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Colombia and Argentina. Looks like a perfect example of world conquest to me.
- arghwhat 8y agoIt is a wonderful example of how nature cares for nothing other than the spread of an organism, destroying anything and anyone in its path if it would bring even the slightest convenience. Ignoring our own extremely destructive habits for a moment, I believe we might be the only organism with interests in preserving other types of organisms. (The destructiveness of nature also makes it terribly hilarious when people consider "natural" things—as opposed to man-made, synthetic things—to somehow equal "healthy", as nature is usually doing its very best to kill us.)
- jvzr 8y agoMutualism exists in nature, and is especially represented in different species of ants.
- arghwhat 8y agoI was not referring to a case of mutualism. Mutualism implies a bidirectional benefit of the relationship. I believe the ants you refer to trade defense services for honeydew from smaller bugs, for example. Mutualism is still very interesting, but what I was referring to was a case of preserving another organism without a direct benefit. For example, wild dolphins protecting humans from sharks or similar.
- ourmandave 8y agoI hope that this is sarcasm. I thought threatening MN with an 'air tax' was a suitable replacement for the '/s'.