Capitol Corridor
Capitol Corridor
Capitol Corridor
University of California
Capitol Corridor

An Invasive Plant to Avoid

Do you remember when you were a child and you had to help in your mother’s garden. I do and it seems she always had a plant that you loved maybe because of the color or shape of the flower and thought when I have “my own place” I will have that plant.

Sad to say I did just that, the plant I choose that my mother had growing in a container. I always wondered why when her others were growing in the soil, but as a child I never asked. But years later I found out why when mine out grew the container I had it in and violets started showing up all over my yard.  Maybe the only nice thing I can say about this violet is it blooms late winter, early spring with just the flowers and no leaves when most things are still dormant. After the violet colored flowers fade, the heart-shaped leaves start to appear and stay and multiply and grow larger each day until late fall early winter when they die back, only to return the next winter with many more.

These violet are all over my yard, sun or shade-makes no difference to them they will grow and multiply.  You pull them out thinking you have got all parts of the rhizome, only to turn your back and they are back again!

This plant has to be on the most invasive plant list; maybe even in the top group, if not I am going to start a campaign to have it added.  Maybe the only way I can get rid of them is to move, but knowing how much of pest they are they probably will find a way to follow me.

 

violets 001
violets 001

Posted on Thursday, August 30, 2012 at 8:31 AM

Comments:

1.
Mint is similarly invasive. Sounds nice to have some tasty fragrant mint in the garden or landscape just waiting for the time it is needed for teas or cocktails (mint julep anyone?), or whatever.  
 
Belive me though, you will rue the day you plant it outside of a container. Once it gets going it is difficult to stop and will sprout everywhere that conditions allow.  
 
Plant that mint in the pot now matter what!!

Posted by Ken on August 30, 2012 at 10:27 AM

2.
Bamboo is also very invasive and it literally will grow an inch and spread overnight rain or shine. Also bamboo can service frost for quite some time.

Posted by Jessica Finley on June 10, 2022 at 12:17 PM

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