Homeowner seeks advice after making concerning discovery in yard: 'Spreads like wildfire'

A Florida Redditor discovered a surprise guest in their mulch and turned to "r/whatsthisplant" for advice.

"This just popped out of my yard. I have lived here several years I never planted anything in this area," wrote the original poster.

The community quickly identified it as Eulophia graminea, commonly known as the Chinese crown orchid. The orchid thrives within a novel symbiotic relationship with fungi in the soil and has shown a strong resistance to pathogenic fungi. It's considered invasive in Florida, which is bad news for the original poster. The Chinese crown orchid had been found in 13 Florida counties as of 2019.

Florida has dealt with a wide range of invasive plants, including Brazilian peppertree, Australian pine, and purple yam.

When taken from its native habitat and relocated to another, an animal or plant is free from the natural checks and balances with which it evolved. In a new home, an invasive species can quickly outcompete native species for food, water, and space.

Over time, this can lead to native species being displaced from an area, resulting in a decline in biodiversity. Unfortunately, this shock to an ecosystem also impacts people in nearby communities. One estimate suggests that invasive species incur hundreds of billions of dollars in economic costs annually.

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Like many invasive plants, the most effective method for removing the Chinese crown orchid is mechanical. Redditors offered the OP plenty of advice on what to do.

"It is invasive so you should carefully remove it, put it in a plastic bag, seal the bag and throw it in the garbage," replied one user.

"It's an invasive terrestrial orchid from Asia that spreads like wildfire through wood mulch distribution," said one community member. "However, I live up north where it can't live outside. If you want to send it to me for a houseplant."

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