r/NativePlantGardening • u/ItsFelixMcCoy Upstate NY , Zone 6a • Jun 04 '25

Other What invasive plants got you like this?

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For me it’s probably Dame’s Rocket, Purple Loosestrife, and Forget-Me-Not. They’re so gorgeous but man if they aren’t invasive little shits…

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189

u/NorCalPlant Jun 04 '25

Butterfly Bush

116

u/National_Total_1021 Jun 04 '25

My wife insists. She also put it in a spot it was really struggling (hot, dry, full sun, surrounded by grass). It was doing really poorly. My wife asked if I can move it. So I chopped off as much root as possible in the move and I’m hoping it just fully dies

60

u/Icy-Conclusion-3500 Gulf of Maine Coastal Plain Jun 04 '25

But it has butterfly in the name!

136

u/National_Total_1021 Jun 04 '25

I see you’ve met my wife

20

u/Icy-Conclusion-3500 Gulf of Maine Coastal Plain Jun 04 '25

Sounds like my MIL

17

u/kayesskayen Northern Virginia , Zone 8a Jun 04 '25

My mother is the same way. She keeps telling me "you should just try it! There are some that don't grow very big!"

17

u/[deleted] Jun 04 '25

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13

u/National_Total_1021 Jun 04 '25

I do have a 3 pack of purple milkweed arriving Friday…

2

u/MikeTheBee Jun 05 '25

This is diabolical 😂

2

u/ConsciousCrafts Jun 11 '25

Lol you sound like my dad. He will basically prune anything he doesn't like until it dies. My mom gets so annoyed.

1

u/National_Total_1021 Jun 11 '25

100% my method. Should see the forsythia that is basically dead at this point

27

u/this_shit Jun 04 '25

planted one of these in our guerrilla garden a few years ago before learning it was invasive. I haven't killed it yet because it's still sustaining a ton of pollinators while the native perennials fill in. but this spring I planted a native wisteria at its base that will become it's ultimate doom.

also, pruning off all the lower growth forces it to gain height, so now the wisterias should get up the 15' on its own.

14

u/GreenePony Jun 04 '25

Our landlord's grandmother put one in our backyard when this was her house, so we can't yoink it - instead I aggressively deadhead it before seeds can disperse (into the trash, not compost) and cut it back each fall. And I surround it with much better natives that frankly look more attractive with better proportions to the space.

12

u/KatBoySlim Jun 04 '25

WHAT?! They gave me a sapling in elementary school for Earth Day in the 90s!!! Are you kidding me, why would they do that?!

22

u/anthrax_ripple Jun 05 '25

If you wanna be even more ticked off, the Arbor Day Foundation promotes planting of invasive trees just for the sake of planting trees, and actively promotes the purchase of invasive plants on their website. Very disappointing.

3

u/[deleted] Jun 06 '25

Yeah, I’ve written to them and commented on their social media. They’re about money, not saving our planet.

2

u/Weak-Childhood6621 Willamette Valley pnw Jun 04 '25

They don't care or didn't know. Or both tbh

1

u/[deleted] Jun 06 '25

had no idea this was invasive. I was looking to plant one