A Redditor in the Cowichan Valley of British Columbia, Canada, posted pictures of yellow flowering plants, questioning whether the species was invasive. While focused on supporting a native garden in the midst of heat and drought, the original poster asked the community to help identify the plant.
As someone committed to cultivating a garden of indigenous plants, the OP made the right choice to identify potential invasive species. According to the United States Forest Service, such plants have "contributed to the decline of 42% of U.S. endangered and threatened species" while being the main cause behind the decline of 18% of such species.
Reaching out to your community to crowdsource information can be helpful. But other ways to check for invasive species can include taking a photo of the plant and contacting a professional at your local extension office for advice, using apps, or reviewing online fact sheets for identifying characteristics.
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Should homeowners associations be able to determine what you grow in your garden?
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Yes 💯 A few respondents agreed that the plant is invasive, identifying it as tansy. One person said, "[It's] invasive in BC. I'd double check to be sure. Now would be the best time to remove it before it goes to seed." After removing known invasive elements, a gardener can continue the rewilding process by adding native seeds and mulching, which helps suppress more weeds and fertilizes the soil.
Your garden and lawn will thrive in a natural setting as they won't have to compete against invasive species that suck nutrients from the soil. Some species grow long enough to climb and are strong enough to strangle a tree — hello, Japanese knotweed!
Natural lawns have several pros, including reduced maintenance costs as the plants need less water. Property owners won't have a cookie-cutter lawn and can avoid noise and air pollution associated with too much mowing and leaf blowing — those leaves can stay put to provide natural mulching during season change.
Such spaces attract friendly pollinators that bring color and even sound in addition to supporting biodiversity and reducing the likelihood of food shortage. Pollinators need a home to rest and raise the offspring that will continue to keep the food chain alive. Unfortunately, some bee species and the Monarch butterfly face endangerment due to habitat loss and pollution from toxic herbicides.
Upon learning that tansy is indeed invasive in the region, one person responded, "That stuff is so widespread I thought it was a native part of our ecosystem. Glad I always kicked them to launch them with my foot as a kid."
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