If you want a garden that looks nice and stays healthy, it’s important to know which plants can cause problems. Some plants might seem attractive but can take over your yard, crowd out other plants, or even harm your pets.
Knowing which common plants to avoid can save you time, money, and a lot of frustration. This article will help you spot those troublemakers and keep your garden safe and beautiful.
Butterfly Bush
If you plant butterfly bush, it might spread quickly and take over your garden. This plant can crowd out native plants you want to grow.
You might think it helps butterflies, but it can actually harm them by outcompeting better food plants. So, it’s better to choose native plants that support local butterflies instead.
English Ivy
If you have English ivy in your yard, it can cause problems. This vine climbs trees and walls, which can harm them over time. It also spreads quickly and is hard to control.
You might try planting something else, but ivy tends to take over. It’s best to remove it if you want to keep your garden healthy.
Wisteria
If you plant wisteria, be ready for a fast grower. It spreads quickly and can take over your garden space.
Wisteria can crowd out other plants and even harm young trees by blocking sunlight. It looks nice but can be tough to control.
If you want flowers without the hassle, consider native vines that don’t spread as wildly as wisteria.
Bee Balm
Bee balm can quickly spread and take over parts of your garden you didn’t plan for. It sends out runners that sneak into other flower beds, making it hard to control.
You might also notice bugs like aphids or spider mites eating your plants. Keeping an eye on your bee balm and cleaning up regularly helps keep these pests manageable.
Cherry Bell Campanula
If you plant Cherry Bell Campanula, be ready for it to spread fast. It looks nice but can take over flower beds quickly.
You might think it’s just a pretty groundcover, but it can crowd out other plants. It’s tough to control once it gets started. Keep an eye on it if you want to avoid problems in your garden.
Agastache
If you plant Agastache, be ready for it to come and go. These plants don’t usually live very long and often die off after a few years.
You might see new seedlings pop up, but it can make your garden look untidy. So, if you want something more stable, this might not be the best choice for your space.
Trumpet Vine
Trumpet vine looks great and attracts butterflies, but it can quickly take over your yard. Once it spreads, it’s hard to stop because it grows deep roots. If you want to control it, you’ll need to dig out the roots carefully. Otherwise, it may pop up everywhere and crowd out other plants you care about.
Virginia Creeper
Virginia creeper grows fast and can spread a lot in your garden. You might like it because it helps wildlife.
But it can get out of control if you don’t keep an eye on it. It won’t choke plants like some other vines, but it can cover walls and fences quickly.
If you want to use it, be ready to prune and manage it regularly.
Bamboo
Bamboo looks nice, but it can quickly take over your garden. It spreads fast through underground roots, making it hard to control.
If you don’t keep it in check, bamboo can crowd out other plants. You might end up spending a lot of time trying to dig it all out.
Consider planting bamboo in a pot or a barrier to stop it from spreading.
Mint
If you plant mint in your garden, be ready for it to spread fast. It sends out roots that can take over nearby plants.
Mint likes to grow quickly and can become hard to control. If you want to keep it, use containers to stop it from running wild.
Otherwise, it can ruin the space for other plants you want to grow.
Callery Pear
If you’re thinking about planting Callery Pear, you might want to reconsider. This tree spreads quickly and can take over your garden space. It was popular before, but now many places ban it because it harms native plants.
You could end up with a yard full of these trees, making it hard for other plants to grow. It’s better to choose something less invasive for your garden.
Burning Bush
If you have a burning bush in your yard, you might want to think twice about keeping it. This plant spreads its seeds easily, and birds help carry them to nearby woods.
Once it starts growing, it can form thick patches that take over other plants. It also does well in shade and different types of soil, making it hard to control.