Invasive plants
 

There are some plants that just get too happy for their own good. I planted some mint one time and it took over, it took about two years to get it all pulled out. Verbena, Homestead Purple, spreads really quickly for me also but it is so beautiful I have not completely banished it. Primrose, also, takes over in the spring for a while.

What do you have, or have you had in the past, that is just too enthusiastic as a plant?

Well, they're not *truly* invasive, but they're vivcacious enough to pose a problem in my rather specialized collection: Cape sundews. Great little carnivores, but they spread like weeds.

General rule: There is no such thing as bare, moist peat moss if you have Cape sundews anywhere near it. I started with one, now I have a dozen, and *none* of the new ones were intentional. Forked sundews do the same, but nowhere near as rapidly as Cape sundews. If you slice them up, and just leave the bits on peat, each bit will become a new one. They're like the rabbits of carnivorous plants.

Mokele

Do NOT plant Cherokee Rose unless you are willing to surrender your yard to it. It's a climbing rose with vicious thorns. But if you want a natural defensive fence line around your property, there probably is nothing better. But be CERTAIN you want it there, because getting it out after it is established will draw blood for certain.

And a word to the wise.... If you DO tackle it, make sure you have someone else at home at the time. Otherwise you may find yourself hung up in the stuff until your significant other happens to come home and frees you..... :rolleyes: Even the cut branches can and WILL fight back!

Some of the ivy out there just won't quit. I actually had some work it's way through the block walls and into my basement. It popped out about 1 foot from the ceiling and down to the floor before I came across it. It also grows up and under my vinyl siding.

Out here of course, we have little problem with things growing too well...but there is that lovely little mongolian weed that seems to crop up on every patch of dust and dirt that gets more than a spit of water...yep, the good old Tumbleweed...everywhere.

greg

Kudzoo!!! The problem plant of the south! One of the fastest growing plants I've seen, grows on and over anything! Almost impossible to kill. This was introduced years and years ago to try and help control erosion problems, but it has overtaken a lot of the south. I don't know how many road signs I've seen that are no longer readable from this stuff covering it.

I haven't planted anything that's horrible to control--yet! I would like something that does well in partial shade, full sun, and not a lot of water, and looks nice in front of a house!! Seriously, it's hard to keep grass growing on the hill in front of the house, and we want some sort of groundcover if anyone has any recommendations...

I didn't even know this forum existed hee hee. Jenn I should have read your question before I started that other thread, oops :( as I have the same exact question!

That's ok Danni--I probably should have started a new thread anyway since my question was sort of off topic...