‘World’s Worst Invasive Weed’ Sold at Many U.S. Garden Centers
Banned by federal and state regulators, many invasive plants are still being sold at garden centers, nurseries and online retailers nationwide
Homeowners head to the garden center to buy ornamental grass for the yard. They plant it, thinking it is a good way to green things up—only to find the new variety soon takes over the garden bed and spreads to other yards.
It’s a common problem with cogongrass—labeled one of “the world’s worst invasive weeds” by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and banned by federal legislation. It’s also a growing issue, reports a new study by the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Researchers discovered that cogongrass and nearly 1,300 other invasive plants are currently being sold in nurseries, garden centers and online retailers around the country. A number of these species are banned by the Federal Noxious Weed Act, as well as by state regulations.
Cogongrass is by far “the most concerning case of federally designated noxious weed sales,” lead author Evelyn M. Beaury, a graduate student in organismic and evolutionary biology at UMass, says in a statement. She and her colleagues found that Imperata cylindrica was being sold by 33 vendors in 17 states.
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Does not happen so much in the UK. Though in the past we introduced Himalayan Balsam and Japanes Knot Weed, which are still big problems, and now illegal. While the Romans left us Ground Elder which is a perfect pain, and I do occasionally get asked if I stock the quite illegal, though native, Bracken. Do you have problems with these in the States ?
Fernapple
Level 9
Aug 26, 2021
0
Chinese Wisteria is something I was surprised to find on an invasive species list. I think of that now when I see them for sale at the Home and Garden store.
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RussRAB
Level 8
Aug 25, 2021
1
Why are the vendors not prosecuted & fined out of the practice?
FrayedBear
Level 9
Aug 25, 2021
2
Some time back I received a notice from my HOA telling me I had a weed growing in my front lawn . Originally from Maryland , I was somewhat confused . In Maryland , crab grass is considered a highly invasive weed , and the only other thing , at least the only green thing in my yard was clover . Clover puts nitrogin into the soil and is planted as a cash crop by farmers . But I had noticed that the crab grass was grown evrywhere as lawns in Texas . I wrote back , although it was brown and ugly , if I removed the crab grass , the soil would wash away , as it seemed to be the only thing holding it in place . She responded that clover was highly invasive and I needed to remove it .
Cast1es
Level 9
Aug 25, 2021
0
Oh my, A government agency actually was dispatched to look for clover in people's lawns... holy cow, what a job description to apply for. When I had my farm in upstate New York the front lawn was one acre of mixed wildflowers and many different clovers. I would let it grow till everything had finished flowering just so I could look at it and smell it too. Then after mowing I'd rake it up and give it to my goats and donkeys and chickens.
I didn't know that clover was invasive, I thought it was a good weed.
I think the HOA people are confused.
@OldGoat43 I'm going to toss some clover in my lawn to improve the clay soil a bit.
@itsmedammit . Me too, thanks.
HOAs are pure evil. They care nothing about ecology and only about upholding arbitrary community convention. Yes, clover is not native, but neither are a third of weeds growing "wild" all over the place. But clover has come to fill an important ecological function, both for soil and for pollinators. Honeybees, btw, are not native. Neither are earthworms. HOAs couldn't care less. I will never even consider buying a house in an HOA.
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