Nurse shrubs to mitigate plant invasion along roads of montane Neotropics

•Roads are a major factor in the ongoing spread of invasive plants.•We examine the facilitative effects of nurse shrubs on native vs. exotic species.•Proportion of exotic species was 27% greater in areas without the nurse shrubs.•Probability of nurse shrubs as facilitators was 61% greater for native species.•Nurse shrubs represent an interesting alternative to mitigate exotic plant invasion.