Horticulturists warn about plants that are garden mistakes
Garden centers are now filling with a variety of plants, making shopping a colorful and enticing experience for gardeners. For beginning landscape gardeners, as well as those looking to branch out into new choices, local horticulturists have identified a short list of plants that can become garden missteps due to their vigorous, unlimited growth.
John Farfaglia, horticulturist for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Niagara County, immediately named the garden’s biggest nightmare: gout.
“It was a very common problem that people would call me about,” Farfaglia said of this low-growing pale green and white spreader. “People bought it thinking it was a good ground cover for tough spots.”
Gout (Aegopodium podagraria) can thrive in dry places under trees, he explained, spreading numerous underground stems that can sprout from the smallest pieces left after digging. Farfaglia said it often pushes its way through cracks in the pavement, creating a grassy appearance.
Farfaglia said another world-class runner, sold as a potted plant to put in ponds, is the lizard tail or chameleon plant (Houttuynia cordata). The attractive foliage, which can be streaked with green, yellow, white and pink, betrays its owners as soon as it hits the ground. Thriving in damp locations, Houttuynia planted near gutters and faucets will establish a colony and fill every space possible.
“Once you have it, it’s really hard to get rid of it,” he said. “Lamium can also get out of control, probably in wetter, more fertile soils.”
Also known as dead nettle, Lamium is a ground cover with various leaf color combinations. This shows that it is a member of the mint family by spreading and regrowing from the smallest fragment.
But it’s not just the ground covers’ fault. Chives and wild garlic can be one of the most persistent invaders of lawns and flower beds and are not affected by Roundup.
“They are difficult to control because of the bulb, Farfaglia said. “You can try to dig it up and use mulch to slow it down. The best advice is not to introduce it. Place it in a container and out of the ground.
Some homeowners are frustrated with the expansion of thrush colonies.
“Lily of the valley has a split personality,” Farfaglia said. “The flowers are great, the scent is great. If you plant it in a free-standing location, like between a house and a driveway, where it’s not going to drip, I think it’s an interesting plant. It doesn’t have a long flowering period. When you see it in a garden catalog, you’re drawn to it. You have to be very careful about where you plant it.”
Carolyn Stanko, professor and coordinator of horticulture and biology at SUNY Niagara, agrees about lily of the valley.
“If you want to get space back, you have to move. It’s not going to go away.”
Stanko was personally haunted by the Mexican pink evening primrose, Oenothera speciosa.
“I had used it a lot in Arizona with no problems,” she said. “I moved to Buffalo, I planted it in the front yard and it was a big mistake. It goes over everything. It burrows into the grass.” The plant also disperses fine seeds that may end up in other flower beds or gravel paths.
Stanko also warns against Houttuynia and adds bugle (Ajuga) to the list of ground covers without good manners. She said each plant should be considered based on how it grows in certain soil conditions. Those who prefer moist soils can take advantage of seasonal flooding, frequent irrigation and microclimates to their greatest benefit.
