When you care about using native plants, getting the wrong one can be devastating.
TikToker JennieGardens (@texasgardening) points this out when she warns people about planting wisteria. There are a couple of different types, she explains, and it can be hard to figure out which one you're getting. Sometimes, they are even mislabeled when you buy them, which can cause more confusion. Asian Wisteria is invasive and aggressive, to the point where it can kill other species.
@texasgardening #stitch with @Speaking for the Trees American / Texas Wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) is a "lovely, aromatic Wisteria native to eastern North American that is less aggressive and less damaging to buildings than the Asian species, but has equally lovely flowers. Can be trained on arbors, walls, and columns. Prefers a good loamy soil in a sunny south or southwest facing position, sheltered from cold winds and from early morning sun on frosty mornings. Plants can become chlorotic on alkaline soils. Prefers a rich soil, but some gardeners feel too rich a soil results in too much leaf growth. Tolerates seasonal flooding."- The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at Wildflower.org Attracts: Butterflies Larval Host: Marine Blue, Zarucco Duskywing, and skippers Nectar Source: yes Deer Resistant: High #gardening101 #gardening #centraltexasgardener #landscapedesign #texasgardener #nativeplants #wisteria ♬ original sound - JennieGardens
"It can take down a tree," she said. Wisterias that are native to Texas are still aggressive, but they work better in the environment because they are integrated into the ecosystem.
Asian Wisteria and the damage it can do is only one example of how invasive species can do damage. The City of Portland explains how these species can crowd out other species and reduce overall biodiversity in an area.
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If you want to take a stand against the damage invasive species can do, try rewilding your yard. If that won't work for you because of HOA laws or other issues, you can install native species instead. Things like clover or buffalo grass, if they are native to your area, will look great and not damage the earth. They'll save you money because they don't need as much water and fertilizer, and they protect the pollinators that protect our food chain, per the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Other TikTokers agreed with her warnings about these plants.
"It's like kudzu. beautiful but greedy for space," one said. "I have been fighting wisteria for over 10 years. The main plant isn't even on my property. It's 30 ft away on the other side of the fence," someone else shared.
"I supposedly bought a native species … and it turns out it was not," another added.
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