{
  "id": 15543694,
  "title": "After arriving in India as a garden shrub in the 1800s, American lantana now covers over 13 million hectares, spreading through forest ecosystems",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/19/after-arriving-in-india-as-a-garden-shrub-in-the-1800s-american",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-19T02:36:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hindustan Times - World News",
    "slug": "hindustan-times-world-news",
    "url": "https://www.hindustantimes.com/world-news/after-arriving-in-india-as-a-garden-shrub-in-the-1800s-american-lantana-now-covers-over-13-million-hectares-spreading-through-forest-ecosystems-101791621541300.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the 1800s, lantana camara began its journey as an ornamental shrub in India, much like a garden plant. However, it has since transformed into a significant threat to India's forest ecosystems. A study published in 2025 revealed that lantana now covers over 13 million hectares of forest in the country, threatening 44% of India's forest cover. Native to tropical Central and South America, lantana was first introduced to India as an ornamental plant. Its spread has been attributed to its ability to thrive in stressed forest areas, its seed dispersal by birds, and the chemicals it emits to inhibit the growth of other plants. Despite extensive control efforts, lantana continues to expand, even under the influence of climate change. The study, which took place in three forest sites in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, found that lantana sites had fewer plant species and less carbon stored in the top 50 centimeters of soil compared to areas without lantana. While efforts to eliminate lantana have been largely unsuccessful, researchers suggest that a combination of management strategies, such as chemical control, planting native species, and controlled burns, may be necessary to mitigate the impact of this invasive plant.",
  "summary": "Lantana reached India as a garden plant after 1800. It now covers over 13 million hectares, and a 2025 study found fewer plant species in invaded dry forests.",
  "key_points": [
    "Lantana camara arrived in India as garden shrub in 1800s",
    "Covers over 13 million hectares of Indian forest ecosystems",
    "Threatens 44% of India's forest cover despite control efforts"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The rapid expansion of this invasive shrub signals a growing ecological crisis that degrades soil carbon and displaces native biodiversity across nearly half of India's forest cover.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}