A homeowner sought help on Reddit to identify a couple of potentially problematic plants sprouting in their front yard.
The pictures were posted to r/GardeningAustralia, with the original poster requesting a plant identification and inquiring whether the spotted sprouts were weeds.
The top comment offered a couple of answers: "First pic is some sort of tree seedling, likely from a tree nearby - an Acer like a box elder would be my guess. The second is a wood sorrel." This prompted a response offering more information about the former, "Acer negundo (box elder maple) is (and should be considered) an invasive weed."
The box elder is native to North America and was brought to Australia for its ornamental qualities, but soon became a problem. Unfortunately, it thrives in southeast Australia's climate and crowds out native flora, especially around waterways. This weakens the aquatic food web of rivers and diminishes water quality. Rivers of Carbon describes the box elder as "a highly problematic invasive species."
The creeping yellow wood sorrel is a pretty common weed found throughout Australia whose origins are disputed. If left untreated, it can spread very quickly and form dense mats that choke out other plants.
Upgrading to a natural lawn offers an eco-friendly way to avoid the hassle of managing pesky invasives. By gardening with native plants, homeowners can create a welcoming habitat for pollinators while cutting down on the time and effort needed for maintenance. Rewilding a yard means less water and no need for harmful chemical fertilizers or pest control.
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Additional comments were concerned with when to designate a plant a weed and what to do about them. One response offered a straightforward maxim:
"My rule of thumb is that if it looks like a sapling, wasn't planted by you, and you didn't have any recent fires nearby, good chance it is a weed."
"I'd be yanking them all out, not doing yourself any favours leaving them in." Another user advised.
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