Once in demand, now unwanted: reflections on changed attitudes towards plants introduced to Norway 1750–1900

Among plant species introduced to Norway, several are naturalising and spreading in the landscape in an aggressive way. There is an ongoing debate between professionals in nature management and cultural heritage. Policy-makers have selected the year 1800 as a time delimitation: the use of plant species introduced later is to be regulated or even forbidden. Looking back in history, the perception of the introduction of plants between 1750 and 1900 differs from present attitudes. Introduced plants were once regarded as positive contributions that could be used to demonstrate botanic skills and wealth, as well as garden owners’ skills in cultivating them. At present, many of the plant species that were once desirable are now regarded as threatening ‘aliens’. This article examines changed attitudes towards introduced plants, with an emphasis on the period 1750–1900, when the majority of new plants arrived.