When cultivating a garden, sometimes things can start growing that you didn't anticipate. Birds and other creatures can disperse seeds far and wide, and before you know it, you might see a sprout you don't recognize.
One Philadelphia resident experienced this firsthand. After receiving warnings from a community member about an unexpected garden growth, they asked Reddit for additional advice.
"Neighbor keeps telling me this is an invasive Philly weed & I should cut it down," they captioned an image of the mysterious plant. "Looks like a tree to me?"
In similar fashion to the shrub, it didn't take long before comments started to pop up — and they heralded bad news for the original poster.
"Tree of heaven," one Redditor said, quickly identifying the plant. "I had 2 and thought they were just trees. Not so much. Very invasive, and their root system extends to Narnia."
As The Nature Conservancy detailed, a tree of heaven is a "rapidly growing deciduous tree native to China" that has taken root in the United States. Known by other flattering names like "stinking sumac, Chinese sumac, varnish tree, and stink tree," it can crowd out native plants, which could wreak havoc on the local ecosystem.
There's another problem, too. "Those things spread and attract the worst kinds of pests," another Redditor observed.
Those pests? Spotted lanternflies.
This invasive bug is a particular problem in Pennsylvania, and like the tree of heaven, it is native to Asia. While the spotted lanternfly might not be a direct threat to humans, they suck sap from tree trunks and stems, which can stunt plant growth and reduce crop yields, as the Maryland Department of Agriculture observed.
That's why most areas that have experienced a spotted lanternfly invasion have advised residents to literally stamp them out if they can.
The original poster has two problems to deal with, but that might not be the end of their horticultural horrors. Other keen-eyed gardeners also spotted English ivy and mugwort in the image, which are two other invasive species they will want to get under control.
For the tree of heaven, Redditors advised cutting it down and applying weed-killer to the stump. While it's best to avoid toxic garden control products if possible — as they can kill other plants in your garden, affect soil quality, and even have human health repercussions — sometimes you need to call in the big guns.
In other cases, there are plenty of nontoxic, planet-friendly methods of getting weeds or pests under wraps.
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