Homeowner discovers grave mistake after letting unassuming plant loose in yard: 'Good luck'

Gardening is an enjoyable pastime for many, but there are instances when maintaining a garden can be a chore.

One person on Reddit posted their current gardening challenge in the r/whatsthisplant subreddit, sharing a photo of a purple flower.

The original poster wrote: "Pretty BUT invasive […] Roots spread across the ground everywhere. […] Any tips on getting rid of it? I have quarterly pulls and digging and can't get rid of it."

Many other Redditors replied to let the OP know that the plant was the wildly invasive creeping bellflower, which is incredibly difficult to remove from a garden.

One commenter responded: "Creeping bellflower, digging the root system or cutting it down and covering the area with cardboard might work! Good luck."

"Creeping bellflower. […] They're a huge pain to dig out and can regrow from as little as 1" of root," another person answered.

Invasive plant species, such as the creeping bellflower, might look pretty, but they pose a serious headache to homeowners attempting to remove them. As several in the comments of this post pointed out, this particular invasive plant is nearly impossible to get rid of.

Unfortunately, that's bad news for this Redditor's garden, as invasive plants can destroy the biodiversity of a yard and damage the ecosystem. Some invasive plants can even spread into the walls of houses, resulting in structural damage and costing homeowners a significant amount for removal and repairs.

However, one excellent way to avoid such headaches is by installing a native-plant lawn. Native plants help prevent invasive plants from spreading while saving homeowners time and money on lawn maintenance.

In fact, native plants require far less water than non-native ones, which can lower the cost of water bills. Best of all, native plants create a healthier ecosystem and attract more pollinators, benefiting everyone, as pollinators aid in protecting human food supplies.

What's the hardest thing about taking care of your yard? Mowing the lawn 🏡 Controlling weeds 🌿 Keeping pests at bay 🐿️ I don't have a yard 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

You can start with a small corner of your yard if you're not sure about the process, as even replacing a smaller part is beneficial. Native plants vary by region, but clover and buffalo grass are common and are excellent plants to start with.

As for the OP here, they updated everyone and said: "I think I will need to keep digging out the tubers and leaves. … Warning - Don't plant this stuff!"

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