Resident shares photo of concerning sighting near telephone pole in neighborhood: 'It's like a bomb went off'

A helpful plant in one ecosystem can be a nightmare in another. A Reddit user in Scotland showed how destructive certain plants can be outside of their natural habitat.

The photos were posted to r/NativePlantGardening and show an area completely overrun by Rhododendron ponticum, a species native to the Iberian Peninsula, southern and eastern Europe, and the Caucasus. The Reddit user explains that they were shocked by just how prevalent the plants were and the need for better management of harmful species:

One Reddit user in Scotland showed how destructive Rhododendron ponticum can be outside its natural habitat. — Photo Credit: Reddit

"This is why we need to stop people from planting invasives and plant more natives. The consequences are horrific."

As the National Trust for Scotland notes, it was first introduced to the country during the Victorian era. So many problem plants stem from the 18th and 19th centuries, when the long-term impact of introducing non-native flora wasn't well understood. Choosing a plant for its ornamental qualities rather than its suitability to the ecosystem is a disaster waiting to happen. In Scotland, it was crossbred with other frost-resistant rhododendron species from North America to create a hybrid perfectly suited to Scotland's chilly but overall mild climate.

The pictures are a stark reminder of the immense importance of being mindful of the plants used for gardening. Using native flora makes for a beautiful space conducive to pollinators that doesn't require much to keep in good shape.

The thread's comments were highly receptive to the point raised in the opening post. One mused, "That's so interesting that it thrives too much in Scotland but is my native plant and everyone is always looking to add rhodies to their yards! Native planting is so important!"

A similar post said, "I was shocked when I went to the UK last year and saw how much of the flora was nonnative. It's like a bomb went off, there's so little natural stuff left."

Another lamented how easily invasives can take over in a country that's suffered so much deforestation, especially during the Highland clearances in the aftermath of the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion:

"Scotland has such a degraded landscape. Very little of the temperate rainforest is left and the highlands are barren due to deforestation. That's why these invasives have taken over."

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