Homeowner horrified after discovering truth about seemingly innocuous plant in yard: 'Severe skin irritation, illness, or death'

Survival of the fittest has a different meaning in the plant world, especially when the invader hides in plain sight. Saanich, British Columbia, resident Terry Smollett learned this the hard way after a startling backyard discovery.

What he thought was a pretty, harmless addition to his garden turned out to be a toxic and highly invasive weed. The plant in question? Italian arum (Arum italicum), which is so aggressive and hazardous that it's said to "cause severe skin irritation, illness, or death," according to the Vancouver Island Free Daily.

What's happening?

Smollett made the discovery by accident while browsing the Saanich news. Flipping through articles, he stumbled across a photo of the all-too-familiar plant. "I had some in my garden and I didn't realize it was a noxious weed," he said.

Italian arum is deceptively attractive, with waxy green foliage and bright orange-red berries. But its beauty masks a dangerous truth. The plant spreads underground via bulb-like corms and by seed, making it nearly impossible to fully remove once established.

Smollett's efforts to pull it out by hand proved futile. "Since then, any part of the plant that was left behind has grown," he said. Now, it's popping up in neighboring yards in a clear sign of how quickly invasive plants can spread through communities.

Why is this plant important?

Invasive species such as Italian arum don't just disrupt gardens; they devastate entire ecosystems. By outcompeting native plants for light, nutrients, and space, they reduce biodiversity and destabilize habitats that pollinators and wildlife depend on.

That imbalance has ripple effects. Fewer pollinators mean greater threats to our food systems. Toxic plants such as Italian arum also pose risks to children and pets, contaminate green waste, and spread to new areas.

This isn't an isolated case. One Indianapolis homeowner unknowingly planted English ivy, only to watch it overtake their property. Another found Japanese knotweed, a notoriously difficult plant to remove, creeping across their yard.

What's being done about it?

Saanich is currently managing 16 sites affected by Italian arum, according to its website. Some herbicide treatments have failed, so crews are now being sent to physically dig out the plants — roots and all.

Italian arum isn't the district's top priority, but officials are taking its potential spread seriously. The municipality manages about 30 invasive plants and urges residents to act early.

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For homeowners, that means digging up the entire plant, including all root material. Bag everything, including attached soil, and clearly label it before taking it to the landfill, not the compost.

To help stop the spread of plants such as Italian arum, consider rewilding your yard, which is a simple yet powerful way to support local biodiversity. That means prioritizing native plants, avoiding invasive species, and creating green spaces that are friendly to pollinators and wildlife.

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