Homeowner horrified after discovering unexpected takeover in yard: 'I battled this ... for years'

A Redditor was recently concerned about a plant growing on their property and checked in with r/whatsthisplant for help in figuring out if it was invasive.

The top commenter identified it as creeping Charlie, or ground ivy, in flower. It is indeed invasive, but it can be ripped up with relative ease since it travels along the ground.

Invasive species are a challenge because they can spread quickly and choke out resources for native plants in an area. This is more than just bad news for neighboring gardens. Ecosystems can be put under significant strain when a single species dominates a landscape.

Species are classified as invasive when they successfully endure somewhere other than their original habitat (usually thanks to human transportation). If these new areas have few checks and balances, it is easy for the invasive to spread and threaten local biodiversity.

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Some gardeners actually let creeping Charlie take over since it produces a nice aroma and is lower-maintenance than grass. Many commenters in this Reddit post noticed how bees love creeping Charlie, but it's worth noting that only about 8% of ground ivy flowers actually have a good amount of pollen in them. This means pollinators have to work extra hard for resources that are readily available from native plants.

There are great alternative lawn covers that gardeners can plant that aren't invasive like creeping Charlie. Take a look at our guide to find some options.

Watch now: Could your lawn be tanking your home's resale value?

Reddit commenters mostly suggested aggressive removal.

"I battled this plant for years on the east side of my yard. It's tenacious and kills off everything around it including grass. Unless you want a yard full of it, get rid of it now," one said.

"I have such a hard time telling creeping Charlie and henbit apart. I always have to refer to this guide," another said, sharing a valuable resource from Identify That Plant.

Should we be actively working to kill invasive species?

Absolutely 💯

It depends on the species 🤔

I don't know 🤷

No — leave nature alone 🙅

Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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