Gardener baffled by dangerous installation at local park: 'Terrible stuff'

A plant installation at Assiniboine Park in Manitoba, Canada, looked beautiful but posed a problem, as noted in a video by TikToker Derek Yarnell (@astudentgardener). An invasive plant, goutweed, was among the mix.

Yarnell wrote, "Surely, a noninvasive option could have been selected." The highly invasive species is problematic since it produces leaves earlier than native plants, allowing them to even quickly take over tree fields. The plant also produces flowers that attract pollinators, further making it easier to propagate.

@astudentgardener Replying to @OffkeyBanshee #invasiveplants #invasiveplant #invasiveplantspecies #invasivespecies #invasivespeciesawareness #goutweed #assiniboinepark #wpgmbca #astudentgardener #gardenfail #gardenthoughts #gardentok #ecotok #publicgarden #publicgardens #plantselection #plantchoices ♬ Hit The Road Jack - Ray Charles

Making eradication more difficult is the existence of rhizomes extending up to 70 centimeters annually from its parent plant. The best way to remove it is mowing "early in the year (April-May) when the plant has grown mature leaves but not yet gone to seed," per Invasive Species Centre. Covering it in a dark tarp can also work. Once infestation hits, a multiyear effort to rewild the space may be required for full removal.

Invasive plant species are not something to treat lightly, as they can throw off and destroy a healthy ecosystem. Some even strangle trees slowly and destroy pavement, such as Japanese knotweed, tree of heaven, and Bermuda grass.

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Homes, businesses, and open fields with native landscapes can host biodiverse spaces that produce healthy and strong plants that clean the air by soaking up carbon and reducing emission-producing maintenance techniques like mowing, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. These plants attract and protect friendly pollinators essential to food chain security. People also conserve water and its associated costs since these native species require less.

Enjoy native plants and prevent weeds from invading through groundcovers like wild ginger, xeriscaping in arid spaces, perennial flowers, and more. See what native seeds you can plant by consulting the Xerces Society, local university extension offices, and the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map or Canada's Plant Hardiness Zone.

Watch now: Giant snails invading New York City?

Other TikTokers shared Yarnell's frustration over the invasive plant. "Omg, that stuff will be everywhere — wonder if the gardeners had any say in it?" exclaimed one commenter.

How did this invasive plant make it into a professionally managed park? "Terrible stuff pops up exactly where you don't want it," one person remarked.

Yarnell noted: "I almost bent to pull it out, then realized the scale and that it's part of the design."

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