Warning: Do Not Grow These Plants in Your Albuquerque Garden

A no-fuss garden is a dream we all share, but unfortunately many plants touted by nurseries as easy to grow are a little too easy to grow! They’re often invasive and don’t help in attracting birds or pollinators either.

So next time you’re at the garden center shelves perusing for new plant life, skip these bad boys: they’re known for botanical misdeeds like sending seeds everywhere instead of rooting them properly, resulting in them appearing where you don’t want them. A native (or just non-invasive) bunch will usually do better with less maintenance required.

Here’s some you should steer well clear of:

English Ivy:  English ivy is the unruly and dark-leafed beauty that it was meant to be. It’s been popularized over a century ago for its wild growth, but what makes this plant so hard isn’t in any way desirable:  it has a mind of its own! English Ivy’s major claim to fame is being found where it doesn’t belong. In order to control it, try cutting back those vines, although better still, don’t plant these pesky plants at all.

“English Ivy,” as some would call it (I prefer “wild vine”) are not only troublemakers with their rampant nature; there can also develop nuisance features such as leafless twigs.

Japanese Barberry:  The big daddy of bad boys, Japanese barberry is just about the worst horticultural invasive that has graced our planet Earth—and that’s not an exaggeration.

Not only does this pesky weed grow outside as well as inside your garden, but it can also be found everywhere.  It spreads its menacing tentacles especially in areas where there are no natural barriers like fences or other plants for protection against it.

It is also a tick magnet, especially near eastern US states. Remember to wear long pants and use repellents on exposed skin to guard again these horrible little suckers. Here are 5 more ways to keep ticks and Lyme disease out of your yard.

Hardy Kiwi: The hardy kiwi is a beautiful and challenging plant to get rid of, but it can easily be defeated with the right plan. The hardy vine has been seen as a major problem in New Zealand – hence the name – where they’ve watched its relatives take over vast forested areas. Due to its aggressive growth habits, it’s been known to topple canopy level trees if not controlled.

Goutweed:  Goutweed is not a pretty sight. It has an unpleasant fat rhizome that grows underground. This makes pulling these plants almost impossible, since any small fragment left in the ground can sprout new goutweeds to replace what you removed. Native alternatives like wild ginger or one of North America’s plentiful fern species are a much better option.

Japanese Spirea:  The Denizen of gas station gardens, Japanese spirea is loved for its tough-as-nails character and pink frothy flowers. The problem? Like all invasives, this plant spreads like wildfire once released into habitats where it poses real problems to native plants.

Russian Olive: A popular shrub in America, but it’s berries are more like junk food for birds who help spread the plant.

Native viburnums come in various sizes that are much better for your garden, and far more nutritious for your feathered friends; and as an added bonus, they will thank you too!

Chinese Silver Grass: Chinese silver grass now covers huge tracts of land across North America—particularly in the mid-Atlantic and Southeastern states. Once this pesky plant takes hold, it’s tough to get rid of. Plentiful deep roots sprout quickly with ample vigor for rapid growth that makes them difficult indeed! Virginia switchgrass Wisteria is an excellent native alternative, also with beautiful diaphanous seed heads and decorated by pretty pink veining on their petals.

Wisteria:  There’s nothing like a springtime arbor heavy with the purple pendant blossoms of wisteria. But did you know there’s an American version?

Wisteria fruticosa, also known as North America native, or “American” wisterias, don’t suffocate and topple large trees like its Asian counterpart; and it’s just as beautiful! Check in at your nursery specialist if they have any. The shorter, more compact blossoms will confirm that you’ve chosen the right one.

Bamboo: Inexperienced gardeners often choose bamboo as a privacy screen, but it’s not worth the hassle long-term. You will have trouble keeping up with this plant because of its aggressive nature and quick growth rate that soon takes over all your beds or lawns – and then some.

Pick instead alternative plants such as inkberry or American holly which are more elegant, yet still low maintenance (though they require occasional trimming).

Burning Bush: Another horticultural miscreant, burning bush creates dense impenetrable swaths in the forest understory once it escapes from the garden. Prized for its bright scarlet foliage during fall season, people tend to overlook an equally beautiful but much more delicious highbush blueberry plant. This grows on high branches of trees, with less shade than other bushes or vines do – meaning they can fruit without having all their energy wasted!

There are so many amazing choices of beautiful, vibrant plants for your Albuquerque garden, it makes sense to steer clear of these nasty bad boys; they just don’t belong!