Parents aren't always right — and one person is learning this the hard way in a gardening dispute with their parents. The cause of tension? An invasive plant species.
In a recent Reddit post, the original poster lamented that their parents recently returned home to New Jersey from their vacation with a non-native burning bush plant. Though undoubtedly beautiful and vibrant, burning bush plants are only native to central and northern China, Japan, and Korea. And it's also incredibly invasive.
The Redditor sought advice on convincing their stubborn dad not to introduce the plant into the family yard.
"I was considering trying to get him to bring it inside as a houseplant, but I'm concerned he won't relent," they wrote.
Many commenters advocated for sneakily killing the plant while the parents were none the wiser. That tactic, however, could result in a family dispute — and ignores the opportunity for an educational moment.
Invasive plants, like burning bush plants, often devastate local ecosystems. When introduced into non-native areas, invasive plant species overtake pollinator-supporting plants and disrupt native ecosystems. Burning bush plants are notorious for reproducing incredibly easily because of birds eating and spreading the seeds, making them especially concerning non-native plants.
"Once established, these plants will form a dense thicket capable of outcompeting almost any native plant," the Brandywine Conservancy said. Burning bush plants are actually banned in several states, including Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Maine, and Delaware, with Pennsylvania set to ban the sale of the plant starting in 2025.
Some Reddit commenters said moving the plant indoors may be a good compromise — or a good way to eliminate the invasive plant species indirectly.
"Growing it indoors is a great idea. In part because it probably won't survive," one commenter wrote.
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Others recommended buying the dad a similar-looking native plant that can better fit the local environment. Native plants are adapted to live in harmony with local wildlife and plant life, supporting local pollinators and boosting the entire ecosystem. Burning bush plants, however, do none of this.
"Buy him a plant that he would like even better. Or bribe him in some other way," one commenter advised. "There's gotta be something he likes more than burning bush! Give him that thing in exchange."
Another commenter asked: "Can you buy them an equivalent priced plant as a replacement?"
Though there were varying opinions on dealing with the unwelcome plant, all commenters agreed on one point. As one Redditor put it: "His decisions don't just affect him. The plant needs to go."
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