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Quiz about Invasive Plants in North America
Quiz about Invasive Plants in North America

Invasive Plants in North America Quiz


Invasive plants are plants that come from a different geographical area that displace native vegetation and disrupt habitats as they spread over time. These plants can become a serious ecological threat in the absence of natural predators and controls.

A multiple-choice quiz by Janelle205. Estimated time: 6 mins.
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Author
Janelle205
Time
6 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
308,342
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
8 / 10
Plays
691
Awards
Top 20% Quiz
Last 3 plays: Marytg (8/10), Guest 216 (10/10), Guest 73 (10/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. This biennial herb is one of the worst invaders of forested areas in the Midwestern and Eastern United States. In early spring, the plants produce a distinct garlic odor when crushed. The plant typically produces a single stalk topped with white flowers. What is the name of this invasive plant? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. This plant can quickly dominate wetlands and has caused local extinctions of particular types of waterfowl who will not nest in or around it. The plant occurs throughout the United States, with the exception of Florida, Hawaii, and Alaska. Scientifically named Lythrum salicaria, this plant was introduced to the United States in the early 1800s as an ornamental plant, valued for the flowers that it readily produces. A mature rootstock can weigh over 1 kilogram and produce in upwards of 30 stalks. What is the name of this invasive plant? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. This invasive plant, which is very common in the South, was introduced to the United States at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition of 1876. It completely replaces vegetation, and can kill trees by growing over them completely and blocking out all sunlight. What is the name of this invasive plant that has been referred to as "the plant that ate the south?" Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. This plant was introduced to the United States as a garden plant in the 1700s. It reproduces to produce dense, impenetrable thickets in many areas in the Eastern United States, and has been declared a noxious weed in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Wisconsin and West Virginia. Costs to farmers to control this plant in 1980 in West Virginia alone exceeded 40 million dollars. What is the name of this plant that produces large clusters of white to pink flowers in the spring? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. These plants root themselves in lake bottoms and grow rapidly to form thick canopies. Millions of dollars are spent annually to control this plant, which negatively affects fish populations and makes recreational water usage difficult or impossible. In many cases, boats can worsen the spread of this plant because when a piece of the plant is broken off with a propeller, it can grow a whole new plant. What is the name of this invasive plant? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. This plant is poisonous to humans and can trigger dermatitis, a skin rash, in sensitive individuals. It can climb along other plants and structures to heights of over 90 feet and spreads horizontally to form dense ground cover. What is the name of this invasive plant that was introduced in colonial times and is still widely planted as an ornamental? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. This plant has covered over one million hectares since being introduced to the United States over 200 years ago. The plant produces a milky sap that can cause contact dermatitis in both humans and cattle, and if eaten in large quantities, causes death in cattle. Economic losses related to cattle farming, were estimated in 1994 to approach 120 million annually for the Dakotas, Montana, and Wyoming. What is the name of this plant, which greatly reduces the quality and productivity of foraging grounds? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. This plant has a strong odor, which some people think smells like cashews or peanuts. It grows rapidly, forming thick stands, and colonizes by root sprouts and seeds spread by both wind and water. A plant only needs to be 2 or 3 years old to produce viable seed. What is the name of this plant, that was introduced in 1784 from Europe, and is originally from Eastern China? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. All of the following are characteristics of invasive plants except: Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. Are invasive plants the same as exotic plants?



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quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. This biennial herb is one of the worst invaders of forested areas in the Midwestern and Eastern United States. In early spring, the plants produce a distinct garlic odor when crushed. The plant typically produces a single stalk topped with white flowers. What is the name of this invasive plant?

Answer: Garlic Mustard

Garlic mustard is a highly invasive plant that spreads rapidly in forested areas. It takes the plant two years to reach maturity and go to seed. If the plant is pulled before it goes to seed it can be safely composted, but once plants produce seed they must be bagged and destroyed in other ways. Burning is not an acceptable disposal method, since heat can actually increase seed dispersal.
2. This plant can quickly dominate wetlands and has caused local extinctions of particular types of waterfowl who will not nest in or around it. The plant occurs throughout the United States, with the exception of Florida, Hawaii, and Alaska. Scientifically named Lythrum salicaria, this plant was introduced to the United States in the early 1800s as an ornamental plant, valued for the flowers that it readily produces. A mature rootstock can weigh over 1 kilogram and produce in upwards of 30 stalks. What is the name of this invasive plant?

Answer: Purple Loosestrife

Purple loosestrife is different from other wetland plants because the leaves decompose more quickly. The leaves of most wetland plants decompose in the spring, whereas the leaves of purple loosestrife decompose in the fall. Because purple loosestrife is so prolific, the large numbers of decomposing leaves can cause nutrient levels to surge above healthy levels, which can change the wetland function and harm the wetland community.
3. This invasive plant, which is very common in the South, was introduced to the United States at the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition of 1876. It completely replaces vegetation, and can kill trees by growing over them completely and blocking out all sunlight. What is the name of this invasive plant that has been referred to as "the plant that ate the south?"

Answer: Kudzu

Estimates of kudzu infestation in the Southeast vary from 2 million to 7 million acres.
4. This plant was introduced to the United States as a garden plant in the 1700s. It reproduces to produce dense, impenetrable thickets in many areas in the Eastern United States, and has been declared a noxious weed in Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Wisconsin and West Virginia. Costs to farmers to control this plant in 1980 in West Virginia alone exceeded 40 million dollars. What is the name of this plant that produces large clusters of white to pink flowers in the spring?

Answer: Multiflora Rose

A single, healthy and mature multiflora rose plant can produce half a million seeds in just one year.
5. These plants root themselves in lake bottoms and grow rapidly to form thick canopies. Millions of dollars are spent annually to control this plant, which negatively affects fish populations and makes recreational water usage difficult or impossible. In many cases, boats can worsen the spread of this plant because when a piece of the plant is broken off with a propeller, it can grow a whole new plant. What is the name of this invasive plant?

Answer: Eurasian Watermilfoil

Eurasian watermilfoil can dominate over other water plants because it forms a large and thick canopy early in the spring season, blocking out light before other water plants can begin to grow. It can also grow very tall, reaching from lake bottoms in depths of greater than 20 feet to the surface of the water.
6. This plant is poisonous to humans and can trigger dermatitis, a skin rash, in sensitive individuals. It can climb along other plants and structures to heights of over 90 feet and spreads horizontally to form dense ground cover. What is the name of this invasive plant that was introduced in colonial times and is still widely planted as an ornamental?

Answer: English Ivy

English ivy infestations are dangerous to oak and maple trees, as the vine serves as a host for a bacterial leaf scorch that can infect those types of trees. Though it is still legal to plant English ivy as an ornamental, those planting it should be aware that it requires vigilant pruning to keep the spreading under control.
7. This plant has covered over one million hectares since being introduced to the United States over 200 years ago. The plant produces a milky sap that can cause contact dermatitis in both humans and cattle, and if eaten in large quantities, causes death in cattle. Economic losses related to cattle farming, were estimated in 1994 to approach 120 million annually for the Dakotas, Montana, and Wyoming. What is the name of this plant, which greatly reduces the quality and productivity of foraging grounds?

Answer: Leafy Spurge

Leafy spurge has been recorded in 35 states in the United States, and is most common in the northern Rocky Mountain and Great Plains states.
8. This plant has a strong odor, which some people think smells like cashews or peanuts. It grows rapidly, forming thick stands, and colonizes by root sprouts and seeds spread by both wind and water. A plant only needs to be 2 or 3 years old to produce viable seed. What is the name of this plant, that was introduced in 1784 from Europe, and is originally from Eastern China?

Answer: Tree of Heaven

The tree of heaven is also called the Chinese sumac, stinking sumac, and paradise tree.
9. All of the following are characteristics of invasive plants except:

Answer: Require a very specific type of environment with little deviation

Invasive plants are generally able to tolerate many types of soil and weather conditions.
10. Are invasive plants the same as exotic plants?

Answer: no

An exotic plant is a plant that is not native to the area. An invasive species is a non-native species that aggressively spreads and displaces native vegetation. So while all invasive plants are exotic, not all exotic plants are invasive.
Source: Author Janelle205

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor crisw before going online.
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