A savvy plant shopper, while perusing Facebook Marketplace, noticed that somebody had listed a geographically invasive species for sale.
They posted photos of the listing, which they labeled "Facebook Marketplace Mess," on the subreddit r/invasivespecies.
"The amount of people selling invasive plants on Facebook is ridiculous, but this listing in particular drives me insane," they complained. "They're selling invasive Chamberbitter (Phyllanthus urinaria) as the invasive Mimosa tree!"
While the irony of mislabeling the plant as a different — yet equally invasive — species is amusing, it's also worrying that somebody could knowingly sell an invasive species to another member of their community.
Invasive plants aren't just a nuisance. They can quickly take over entire ecosystems, depriving beneficial native species of the sunlight, soil space, water, and nutrients that they need to survive.
Not only does this harm an ecosystem's entire food chain — starting with pollinators, who need native plants to survive — but overgrown invasives can destroy infrastructure too. In some extreme cases, invasive plants have burst through cement walls or consumed entire homes from the outside.
Yet despite these threats, other commenters had also witnessed similarly frustrating things on Marketplace.
"I've seen people selling mugwort on facebook," one person shared. "I have almost messaged them on a couple occasions but figure they won't listen." (Mugwort is invasive in North America.)
Another person suggested sending the mimosa tree seller a message in case they didn't realize their error. "I do it when I see people selling non natives," they said.
While it's understandable that the average person may not know every plant species and their invasive statuses, this phenomenon has also been witnessed at major retailers. For example, Home Depot has been repeatedly called out for selling geographically invasive species like English ivy, even prompting a petition on Change.org that's garnered over 80,000 signatures.
Instead, whether you're looking to rewild your yard or simply buy a nice house plant or two, make sure to consult your state's invasive species list so that you can grow guilt-free.
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