Homeowner met with warnings after sharing pictures of mysterious new growth invading backyard: 'Good luck'

When searching for a new place to live, you might want to check local schools, amenities, and transport links before you decide on the property you want to buy or rent. 

It might be worth adding a check for invasive plant species to that list.

One new householder had only just moved in when they found a mysterious plant in their overgrown yard. They said it was "everywhere," but they had been unable to identify it.

That's why they sought the help of the r/landscaping Reddit community, who cracked the case in an instant. 

"That is Asian Jasmine," one person said, while another provided the Latin name, "Trachelospermum asiaticum." 

A few commenters detailed their own trials and tribulations when trying to remove the plant, while someone linked to a separate Reddit thread that described how to get rid of it. 

"I need to get rid of them before they completely take over my house," the original poster said, and comments on both posts suggested a herbicide product called "Clear Pasture."

It contains triclopyr, a human-made substance that can pose some potential risks. According to the National Pesticide Information Center, the salt form of triclopyr can cause "permanent eye damage," while in ester form, it can cause eye irritation.

Fortunately, though, it has so far been found to be low in toxicity. However, more study needs to be done to analyze its effects on the human body, while long-term exposure in animals has been linked to kidney damage. 

Should homeowners associations be able to determine what you grow in your garden? Yes 💯 Only if it impacts your neighbors 🏘️ Depends on what you're growing 🌼 Heck no 🙅 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Even so, you might want to avoid any kind of chemical being applied to your yard in case it destroys the plants you actually want to keep. 

If that's the case, it's perhaps wise to look into natural weed killers or prevention methods. Just be prepared to do a little bit of extra work, and remember that landscaping fabric will probably not solve the problem and prove to be a waste of money.

"My wife spent the better part of today pulling that stuff up in the lower garden," one Redditor said. "She ended up with a huge pile, but it always comes back from the roots that remain. Good luck."

"I had that all over part of my backyard in Maryland," another added. "It had roots all over the place. I used a machete to separate it from the roots and then literally rolled it up like a rug. That worked for the most part. Had a few spots I had to deal with again." 

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