Even the best intentions don't always bring about the best results. And for one well-meaning gardener, an attempt at rewilding their yard accidentally cultivated an invasive species.
The gardener posted a photo of their yard in the subreddit r/WhatIsThisPlant. "I turned my back yard wild," they wrote. "Spread random seeds everywhere as well as letting the natural plants semi take over. [But now] these are everywhere. … What are they?"
A photo they included had commenters slightly divided. The small white flowers look similar to both Queen Anne's lace and poison hemlock, which are invasive in Texas, according to the Texas Invasive Species Institute. Another commenter suggested that the plant might be a different invasive species called beggar's lice.
Either way, the conclusion was universal: The plants needed to go.
"Get rid of that, it's crazy invasive here in Central Texas," another person advised.
Homeowners who accidentally plant invasive species often spend years paying for their mistake. Whether it's English ivy strangling trees, kudzu swallowing entire structures, or even bamboo bursting up through concrete floors, invasive plants are powerful gardening foes.
Instead, gardeners like this one who want a beautiful, wild, natural look for their yard are better off consulting a list of plants that are native to their area, like this one from the National Wildlife Federation.
In addition to being easy and cheap to grow — they have evolved to thrive in the exact ecosystem where they live, after all — native plants are extraordinarily beneficial to the life that surrounds them.
"[Native plants] are the ecological basis upon which life depends, including birds and people," the National Audubon Society wrote. "Without them and the insects that co-evolved with them, local birds cannot survive."
The benefits aren't just limited to birds. All pollinators need native plants to survive. In turn, humans need pollinators — approximately one-third of all food would not exist without pollinators, according to the USDA.
So, if you're tempted to scatter a handful of random seeds in your yard, take five minutes to ensure that they are seeds for native plants and not invasive ones, and save yourself time, money, heartache, and peace of mind.
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