Gardener concerned after receiving warnings about photos of completed landscaping project: 'Remove and replace'

A home gardener has turned to the internet for help over concerns that they unknowingly planted an invasive species in their yard. 

Posting to the r/NativePlantGardening subreddit, the Redditor shared a photo of their beautifully landscaped garden, complete with monarch butterfly in flight. 

"Hello, some kind people in r/nolawns pointed out that my butterfly bushes are actually invasive and could possibly be damaging the butterfly population," the original poster wrote in the caption. "Should I remove them?"

Knowledgeable Redditors swarmed to the comments to help out OP, explaining that the name "butterfly bush" refers to over 100 different species of plants belonging to the genus Buddleja, facts confirmed by Britannica. 

The butterfly bush species Buddleja davidii is native to China but now is considered an invasive species along the U.S. West Coast and Pacific Northwest. Identifiable by its pink-to-purple flowers and narrow leaves, it favors coastal regions and other wet areas, according to the California Invasive Plant Council.

Despite its beautiful appearance and attractiveness to pollinators, butterfly bush is incredibly destructive to non-native ecosystems.

Each flower of the butterfly bush contains a capsule of tiny seeds that can travel great distances by air or water, allowing the plants to quickly spread far and wide, according to the University of Maryland. 

Butterfly bush also is highly regenerative and can even spread in garden waste, per the CIPC.

As it spreads, butterfly bush outcompetes native species like willows, growing into dense thickets that block the light from reaching other plants. While butterfly bush serves as a pollination source, this prevents native plants from being pollinated, according to the Washington Invasive Species Council.

Commenters were quick to chime in with their opinions on what the OP should do with their butterfly bushes. 

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.

"Remove and replace," advised one Redditor. 

"There's definitely a better native shrub, so maybe consider phasing out your butterfly bushes gradually," suggested another. 

Butterfly bush is just one example of how invasive species can spread across new ecosystems, wreaking havoc on their delicate balance. As global temperatures increase, the problem of invasive species is only getting worse. 

Rising temperatures make available new habitats where it was once too cold for certain species to survive, while melting sea ice opens up new shipping lanes and new avenues for spreading invasive species. Changing weather patterns also are making previous invasive-species-control tools, such as water barriers, less effective, according to the USGS.

Thankfully, there are ways that you can combat invasive species right in your own backyard. By choosing native plants, upgrading to a natural lawn, or rewilding your yard altogether, you can help pollinators and other local wildlife while saving money on water and landscaping costs.

You can also help by spreading the word about the hazards of invasive species and the benefits of native plants.

"Thank you for the feedback!" the OP responded in the comments. "I'm going to yank these out and replace with a native plant." 

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.