A homeowner in British Columbia posted in the r/penticton community on Reddit, advising people to be on the lookout for the tree of heaven, an invasive species that can grow quickly and outcompete local plants if left unchecked.
"Getting them early is the key," the original poster wrote in a comment.
The OP urged people to get rid of the invasive species early if they find the shoots starting to grow in their yards, sharing news about a notice from Summerland reminding residents to watch out for invasive trees.
Also known as the stinking sumac or Chinese sumac, the tree of heaven is an aggressive invasive species that can threaten ecosystems. It's capable of producing up to 300,000 seeds per tree annually, according to Okanagan Invasive Species Online.
It resembles some native species like black walnut. However, the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources shared that the tree of heaven is easy to spot with its clusters of winged, light-green seed pods and its fuzzy, reddish-brown twigs.
The Nature Conservancy noted that its dense thickets can crowd out local plants and secrete chemicals that are toxic to surrounding plants. There are many ways to remove it, but the most effective solution is to pull its seedlings by hand before the taproot grows.
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Once invasive species establish themselves in residential areas, they become much harder to control, creating a major headache for homeowners. Removing them early is a good landscaping practice that can prevent a bigger problem later on.
Homeowners can protect their home landscapes from invasive plants by planting native species. Local plants don't need excess fertilizer and irrigation to thrive, so homeowners can save time and money on lawn maintenance, conserve water, and cut their water bills.
Native plants also support biodiversity by creating a healthier habitat for pollinators like birds and insects. Pollinators protect and sustain the food supply, ultimately benefiting humans. Even a partial lawn replacement with plants like clover or buffalo grass can make a difference.
Commenters shared their experiences with encountering the tree of heaven.
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Mowing the grass 🌱 "We've had these growing in our yard. We've removed them several times but they kept coming back," a Reddit user said.
"The bulb roots they grow can get stupidly big. We had an acre of them on our property up on Westbench, needed a backhoe to dig the roots out," another commenter shared.
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