Do so-called "invasive plants" get a bum rap? Is it fair to say that what draws down our ire upon them is their success? Invasive plants, such as the Japanese knotweed pictured at right, do receive our attention precisely because they outperform other species. They are often alien intruders who compete so successfully against native flora as to threaten the latter's survival. But as this introduction to invasive plants reveals, the success of the aliens is tainted, because they exploit an unfair advantage. In addition to their harmful impact upon native ecosystems, maybe that's why there's such a fuss about alien invasive plants: nobody likes a cheater!