Flowers are usually a welcome sight in the garden, unless they're the result of an invasive plant species.
Unfortunately, one Reddit poster is going through this issue as invasive flowers keep returning stronger each season, even after they ripped out the bulbs.
The post displays four photos of a shrub-like plant with large dark green leaves featuring yellow and magenta petaled flowers — later identified in the comments as four o'clocks. While the blossoms appear beautiful, their behavior isn't — they're taking over the garden and covering existing plants.
As the Redditor laments, "I believe they have bulbs in the ground. I've ripped out the bulbs every fall and they just come back stronger than ever the next year. … I want to get rid of them without bothering the surrounding plants."
Taking matters into their own hands by pulling out visible bulbs wasn't enough to solve the problem. Manual removal can work when the invasion is small with a shallow visible root system. However, it's labor-intensive and can take years to eradicate the problem.
Another option is to cut the pests down and apply heavy organic mulch or a tarp over the area to block sunlight, if you can do so without harming other plants.
You can also dig the plant up from the root and establish native plants in its place. Some popular and suitable ground cover options native to parts of the U.S. include wild ginger, strawberry bush, and bush honeysuckle.
Removing invasive plants and adding native species is the first step in rewilding your space, making it less effort to care for and more cost-effective. Why? These plants are stronger and establish deep roots quicker since they are in tune with the local environment. You can water them less than non-native ones, which saves money. Switching to native plants helped one Colorado neighborhood save 15 million gallons of water in a year, according to the National Audubon Society.
Do you enjoy seeing butterflies and colorful ladybugs or hearing hummingbirds in the morning? Those cute and friendly pollinators are four times more attractive to native plants than non-native ones, according to Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences. Don't forget they play an invaluable role in the food supply.
🗣️ Should we be actively working to kill invasive species?
🔘 Absolutely 💯
🔘 It depends on the species 🤔
🔘 I don't know 🤷
🔘 No — leave nature alone 🙅
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
One commenter wrote of the four o'clocks, "They grow from tubers. Really need to dig out 3-foot by 3-foot patch and repeat."
Another stated how "They look so nice!" The Redditor agreed but noted, "I just wish they'd stay small and give the other flowers a chance lol."
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