Historically speaking, plenty of plants were once transported to less-than-suitable habitats before the havoc that invasive species can cause was well understood.
Now, a late-August Instagram post is gaining some attention for highlighting how a major company may be contributing to the spread of invasive plants today.
A short video from the account Cleaning Up Oceanside (@oceansidecleanup) appears to show the garden section of a California-based Lowe's, spotlighting various plants invasive to the state — and on the store's shelves.
"How many invasive plants is the Lowe's Garden Center selling today?" the video asks.
It goes on to feature three plants, identifying one as a species the California Invasive Plant Council has rated as a "Moderate" concern — fountain grass — and two that it has rated as "High" — Algerian ivy and English ivy.
"So Lowe's is selling two of California's most invasive plants," the post poses. "Unbelievable that we still allow this in our state."
Of the "High" designation, Cal-IPC notes, "These species have severe ecological impacts on physical processes, plant and animal communities, and vegetation structure."
Plants invasive to the landscapes into which they are introduced can outcompete native species for food or sunlight, posing threats to the ecosystem and its inhabitants. Perhaps even more worrying, once they've literally and figuratively taken root, invasive plants and trees can be very difficult to remove.
Conservationists can take on the tough job of abatement through thorough and dedicated landscaping efforts. Some chefs, on the other hand, have designed menus around edible invasives for a practical and delicious management solution.
Consumers and gardeners can do their part by researching plants before buying and planting, looking to localized guidance on best practices. Homeowners can also consider rewilding their yards by purposely cultivating locally native plants.
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Definitely 🥰 Already well-adapted to their surroundings, native plants generally thrive with little maintenance, saving gardeners on water use, harsh chemicals, time, and labor. Native lawns also provide excellent homes for the beneficial pollinators that are essential to healthy ecosystems and the global food supply.
Commenters on Cleaning Up Oceanside's post shared their disapproval of the invasive offerings that seemed to be on sale at the garden center.
"This makes us so frustrated and angry! We always try to educate and promote the use of appropriate plants for our climate and region, and this makes it more difficult!" one commenter wrote.
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