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ken_adrian

what plants are impossible to kill

at least so far anyway.. lol ..

boy i made a mistake .. ONCE ... of thinking violets were so cute ...

and as it grew.. i noticed it sprouted in spring to a seed pod.. then flowered.. then seeded again.. not to mention growing underground and clumping ...

then when i pulled them out.. and as i worked.. threw them in the grass.. lo and behold.. they were in the grass ..

crimminey.. i moved .. lol ...

and then the new house.. its all over the 5 acres.. and frankly.. one of the few things in the meadow [i dont really call it grass or a lawn out here] .. the only thing that stays green when everything else browns out 7/1 to 9/1 ... at 400 feet.. it looks like a nice green lawn .. lol

that is the long way of saying i went zen on violets in the lawn.. lol ...

what other things took you years to eradicate from your garden.. or are you still working on eradicating ...

oh.. 3 years to kill an underground poison ivy vine ...

ken

Comments (86)

  • hostaholic2 z 4, MN
    11 years ago

    If we don't hear from you for awhile, we'll send out a search party and tell them to check the 7ft. tall ostrich fern.

  • Barbara Meli
    11 years ago

    Ivy which is not only in my garden but I am surrounded by it in neighbors gardens. Catbrier, not impossible but it takes it toll in blood. Lesser celandine. God I hate this stuff

  • vetivert8
    11 years ago

    Calystegia, Tradescantia fluminensis, Hydrocotyle (yes. I planted it...) Ranunculus repens. Geranium robertianum. Any Oxalis with bulbs. Up there with Ornithogalum for pest value - even if the flowers are pleasant.

    Strangely enough I don't have a problem with Convallaria. It's been biding its time for years, now, and rarely flowers. Held in check by the Camellia hedge and the Dicksonia antarctica, I suspect.

    Yarrow is another struggler, for me. It doesn't like heavy applications of compost or mulch. Tends to rot out after a while.

  • docmom_gw
    11 years ago

    I bought a house about 18months ago. It was late fall when we moved in. Spring came and we found we have multiple large beds full of mixed Lilly of the Valley, English Ivy, Latium, and vinca minor. I started methodically digging, but I may have to retire before I'll have enough time to get ahead. Fortunately, they are at least attractive, so I don't hate the yard. Actually, the LOV smells heavenly in the spring. We probably have about 1/4 acre of solid LOV, so when a little breeze drifts by the fragrance is amazing. Happy weeding!

  • wellspring
    11 years ago

    Ken-
    For some reason I thought this thread might go along a different stray path ... the path of zen violets.

    On the violet front I had my epiphany in November.
    I had carefully dug violets out of cracks, crevices, crannies, and crab shells. Okay, there weren't any crab shells in my garden. I just went a little overboard with the alliteration.
    The violets that had me assuming the ancient garden weeder position -- head down, tail up -- were enjoying a gravel path along the side of my house.
    One of these days I might hit the jack pot and re-do this path "properly". (um, doubt it.) In the meantime it's a national weed preserve. Then the light bulb went off. The violets ... oh, yes, the Garden Club sells them every year and so does the Native Plant society chapter. I mean, come on, these are plants people buy and I'm pulling them up when they are doing a job I had just started contemplating buying something else to do, i.e. ground cover. They do a reasonably good job of smothering out weeds that are way uglier.

    And, since violets aren't among the so-called steppables, as soon as I re-do this path with violets filling in here and there, they will probably keel over and die. Guaranteed eradication technique. Breathe in, breathe out, visualize the path with violets handling a tricky situation in a special spot. The violets will immediately begin to look peeky, leaves limp, yellow, croak.

    Either way, dead or alive, I'll be happy.

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    11 years ago

    Wellspring, I've used violets in a path before too. In general, they don't transplant well, but once established, don't mind being stepped on - moderately. I'll never stop thinking it's ridiculous that people "go along" when they're told it's a failure if these weeds native flowers are growing in one's lawn.

    Smilax vine in the midst of a clumpy shrub!

  • Barbara Meli
    11 years ago

    Trade Lilly of the valley for violets.....;0)

  • lceh
    10 years ago

    Just came in from digging up a huge wandering patch of physostegia virginiana "Vivid". The seed packet said it was a less invasive variety- HA! It's a nightmare. Ditto anemone tomentosa "Robustissima" (grapeleaf anemone). I was a new gardener and thought "It's robust! That's what I need, I can't kill that!" Sadly I was right. It's awfully pretty in the spring though.

  • lceh
    10 years ago

    Oops, meant to say the grapeleaf anemone was pretty in the fall, not spring. Digging out obedient plant has addled my brain!

  • lola-lemon
    10 years ago

    Creeping bellflower-is-IMPOSSIBLE. Glyphosate only slows it momentarily. digging it out it will regrow from root bits, andit sets tons of seeds. plus it invades your shrubs.
    .....because your neighbors dont know what it is -even if you sift all your dirt and work 6 years to keep it gone, when you turn your back it creeps right back. Takes over lawns, beds everything.

  • ashley05
    10 years ago

    I agree with violets. My neighbor has some in her garden and I have it everywhere. So far, it's staying out of the gardens for the most part, so I'm just going to leave it.

    I've also been fighting with milkweed. I don't know if the people who lived in our house before us planted it or if it just took off from neglect, but I had stalks almost three feet tall in the back of my house. I'm *very* allergic. Last summer, we screened the dirt down a bit more than a shovelfull deep and it still came back. Hopefully our cold winter killed it (ha, ha).

  • TNflowerlover Zone 7a
    10 years ago

    We actually managed to get rid of my parents yucca/century plant (I was never sure, but it may be the latter). I coated the roots/tubers with straight Round Up. It still grew back a little, but dad's friend dug it out with a pick axe. It hasn't come back. Yay! Unfortunately, it did kill a tree that dad really likes. :(

    I cannot seem to grow lily of the valley well...at least, it is not poking up yet this year. (Crosses fingers)

    I have yarrow paprika seeds that I have not started yet. Is all yarrow invasive?

  • Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
    10 years ago

    Bermuda grass. It's the official winner every year.

  • sugeysgranny
    10 years ago

    I made the mistake of planting northern sea oats under a shade tree. It was beautiful and not a problem until the tree died and the area became sunny. The sea oats started sprouting up everywhere. It would come up all around and intertwine the roots of shrubs. It was impossible to pull and hard to get with Roundup. I had to cut the seed heads as soon as they appeared and no longer got to enjoy the plant. Sure glad I moved from that property!

  • eclecticcottage
    10 years ago

    Lily of the valley. It's been here a LONG time and I imagine despite my best efforts, will continue to be. The wisteria won't go away, even though we cut it down last spring (and mow over it every week in spring/summer/fall), it's still sending up volunteeers. Quince. I'd trade more creeping charlie to have that thing behave.

    Field mice tend to take care of obedient plant-I have yet to see it make it to flowering. They mow it every year. I've decided to leave some, so they eat that and leave my other things alone!

  • domino123
    10 years ago

    Queen Anne's Lace. A neighbor planted this kiddie corner from us, and from there myself and another neighbor next to her have been battling this for years. HATE IT.

  • david883
    10 years ago

    VIolets. I have no problem with their appearance... if they would just learn to stay put. But they don't - they pop up EVERY WHERE! I seriously do strongly believe that in the event of nuclear holocaust... violets will still survive and flourish.
    Lemon balm is becoming another one for me, which is really sad because I love it :(

  • dspen
    10 years ago

    For me it has been dill. I planted it by my back door with other herbs. I failed to keep it from going to seed. Well its everywhere this spring. It just keeps popping up. At least its easy to pull. No one could use all of the dill I have growing!

    Lola-lemon you mention creeping bellflower. I received one from a plant swap this year. It sure looks innocent enough. Should I rethink this? They never mentioned that it was a bully in the garden.

  • lam702
    10 years ago

    Well, I have the violets but they are so pretty I don't mind. For me, nicotiana and larkspur, yes, they are both lovely but I have not planted them in a few years and yet I always find many, many seedlings. Rudbeckia goldsturm, I tried to remake the bed these were in, every year keep pulling out bits that I missed and they still come up. Again, I do like them but getting rid of them is not easy. And most of all, yes, scilla is bane of my garden! I planted some 20 years ago, every year I pull out more and more it just never stops coming. I do like my lily of the valley, they do spread but not too much for me.

  • lam702
    10 years ago

    Well, I have the violets but they are so pretty I don't mind. For me, nicotiana and larkspur, yes, they are both lovely but I have not planted them in a few years and yet I always find many, many seedlings. Rudbeckia goldsturm, I tried to remake the bed these were in, every year keep pulling out bits that I missed and they still come up. Again, I do like them but getting rid of them is not easy. And most of all, yes, scilla is bane of my garden! I planted some 20 years ago, every year I pull out more and more it just never stops coming. I do like my lily of the valley, they do spread but not too much for me.

  • carol_in_california
    10 years ago

    Sweet alyssum.....

  • carol_in_california
    10 years ago

    Sweet alyssum.....

  • gardenweed_z6a
    10 years ago

    Ditto the violets--even heavy cardboard topped with several inches of bark mulch doesn't begin to slow them down. I've spent the past seven years trying to eradicate them--even painted the individual plants with vinegar and they still come back the next year. Vinegar generally kills everything but it hasn't killed the violets.

    Lily of the valley is another thug--I actually asked my neighbor to come with his backhoe and dig them out so they're mostly gone now. Do I think they won't show up again? I'm I a gardener... I KNOW they will...it's only a matter of time.

  • north53 Z2b MB
    10 years ago

    I'm curious about the violets everyone is talking about. I have Canada violet that I let be. It has filled in in spaces where I don't mind it growing, like under the deck and under the rose bush. Right now it is blooming and looks very peaceful to me. It is a wildflower or weed depending on your point of view. I have had it for many years and it has spread, but not to the point where I'd consider getting rid of it. If is seeds into the patio stone spaces I give it a squirt of round-up if I'm so inclined.
    But don't get me started on creeping charlie and ox-eye daisy!

  • donna_in_sask
    10 years ago

    dspen,

    Creeping bellflower is a horrible plant; you can never get rid of it. I didn't even buy this plant, it just appeared one day and grew into my daylilies. When digging it out, you need to sift through the soil and get rid of any traces of roots because those pieces will become a new plant.

    Clustered bellflower is not much better. I do have the peach-leaved, which self seeds like crazy but seems easier to pull out. There are some really nice, well-behaved, bellflowers but you really need to do your research.

  • donna_in_sask
    10 years ago

    double post

    This post was edited by Donna.in.Sask on Sun, Jun 16, 13 at 2:38

  • dspen
    10 years ago

    Thanks Donna, I may just move this plant to another location, or put it in a pot.

    I just love all of the information one can get on this forum!

    Diane

  • spedigrees z4VT
    10 years ago

    I agree with you, mxk3, violets and dandelions are lovely beneficial plants. I cannot understand why anyone would want to be ridded of them. Both make our lawn and meadow look like a magical paradise, and dandelions are nutritious. Our horses grazed the meadow all their lives and benefited from the vitamins, eating foliage and yellow blooms alike. I pick dandelions and add them to salads and stir fries, sometimes cook them like spinach. Get rid of these flowers? I think not!

    Bindweed is a challenge to eradicate as are burdocks and wild (poison) parsnips. All one can do is keep them at bay by cutting and pulling.

    I have a love/hate relationship with blackberry brambles. I let some grow to harvest the fruit, but keeping them from overtaking the whole property is a constant struggle.

  • davidrt28 (zone 7)
    10 years ago

    Here's the thing about violets. IF you just had a lawn, they would be one thing. But, violets in particular, will invade beds in the deepest shade or full sun, around here at least. And both are probably allelopathic, so they are slowly killing your other plants or at least keeping them from growing well. I had an asarum that was surrounded by violets and was barely growing at all until I rooted them out with a fork. (you can't just pull, they snap)
    Judicious use of pesticides can control any serious weed, and I think people's reports of "oh, it's impossible, the thing is resistant to XXX" are often because they aren't formulating or applying them correctly. One of my worst weeds is Smilax, but I've figured out that you can kill it w/glyphosate if you use double the surfactant, add a tablespoon of ammonia, and increase the roundup. (actually, the concentration recommended for brush anyhow, 5 oz per gallon of the standard commercial 40% product)
    The closest to being truly resistant is thistle, not because it has actual resistance per se (though I have no doubt that out in the midwest some clones do) but just because it is tough and taprooted. Still, 3 rounds of anything well applied will get it.
    For vines and trees is far more efficent to cut them at the base and apply a cotton swab, covered in foil, that is dipped in 50% glyphosate/water/few drops of detergent. (so, 20% actual concentration) Never seen anything survive that, though a tree over 1" caliper might need a couple cotton balls and you should use a twisting motion with the loppers to loosen the bark. For the same ounces of roundup that would make 2 gallons of spray, you can kill many, many trees seedlings or vines with no overspray, less ugliness of dying foliage, and less waste of chemicals that you otherwise would.

    BTW although selectives appear to kill violet and creeping charlie faster, if you don't have to use a selective, the high strength version of roundup actually kill them more thoroughly. It just takes 2-3 weeks until they finally appear dead, versus 1-2 days with the selectives. Just be sure to add enough surfactant, the leaves of violet have a waxy coating.

  • davidrt28 (zone 7)
    10 years ago

    BTW I planted the variegated lily of the valley specifically with hopes that the weakness caused by variegation will slow it down a bit. We will see.

  • cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
    10 years ago

    I have violets taking over. I thought they were pretty several years ago. Still do, but they are everywhere now and growing huge! I did read that they are the host plant for many Fritillary butterflies, so I plan to leave the ones that aren't in the way of other things.

    From the North America Butterfly Association:
    Importance as a caterpillar food source: Fritillary caterpillars are often divided into two groups; Greater and Lesser. The Greater Fritillary butterflies are larger and the caterpillars feed exclusively on violets. The Lesser Fritillary butterflies tend to be smaller in size and while they use violets as a caterpillar food plant, they also will select other host plants such as passionflower.

    So, that just makes me feel better about having let them all go! I plan to go pull out the Lilies of the Valley that I planted years ago and which are just now looking as if they are starting to spread! Thanks!

  • pam_whitbyon
    10 years ago

    The ones that cause my blood pressure to skyrocket, especially when I see them for SALE at the garden centre are vinca, red-veined sorrel, mint, wild violets and gooseneck loosestrife.

    My battle with mint has calmed down over 4 years. Now there is just enough that pops up for me to actually use in salads etc. The gooseneck is another story and I wish I'd listened to people here. I got completely seduced by their beauty.

    My compost/dumping ground is quite pretty right now with random growths of chives, huskers red penstemons, magenta cranesbill and ... vinca.

  • CaraRose
    10 years ago

    Agreeing with several already mentioned, Yucca, Yarrow, violets. Also bindweed, which is all over our yard, and the orange ditch daylilies, which are very aggressive spreaders.

  • davidrt28 (zone 7)
    10 years ago

    You wouldn't want Vinca anywhere near a perennial bed, but for a shady shrub border, I can think of much worse things to deal with. The competition: ivy, poison ivy, boston ivy, grape vine, Smilax, Lonicera...will all twine up into shrubs. Vinca does not, at least for me.

  • lola-lemon
    10 years ago

    dspen don't do it! It's horrible stuff.
    It is virtually unkillable. I am not kidding. Chemicals just slow it down and because it creeps underground (easily crosses under full sized county sidewalks) and loves to pop up inside mature shrubs (hides its dang roots in good plants root crowns) there is basically no way to remove it without killing everything else (and it'll probably still come back). I dug it out of most of my beds, but there were enough root bits left in the shrubs, that I still have to weed it out twice a week. it makes black medic, bindweed, gout weed all seem like tender annuals.....

    it takes over golf courses- which are heavily sprayed and mowed! My neighbor nuked his whole lawn and had it resodded-- but still the stuff came back.

    If you let it go for a few years, I doubt you will ever get rid of it. Ever. I mean that with total sincerity. And if you don't weed it religiously, it will out compete everything else.

  • dspen
    10 years ago

    lola-lemon,

    Ok, I think you may have convinced me :)

    Diane

  • mzdee
    10 years ago

    Ditch Lillies!!! I hate em!! Everybody in the friggin development has em. Must have been a part of the developers grand landscaping plan. Previous owner even sowed them in the backyard. I had to bring in the pros to get that under control. And still a couple of years later, I have to walk judiciously with my round up paint brush. A whole side of my house is planted with them. And the mailbox. I'm waiting until Fall to take those areas on. I like lilies. Asiatic lilies, really pretty day lilies. But the dreaded ditch lily has got to go......Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    hey.. its august.. anything we forgot... or need to add to teh list ...

    apparently pokeweed is on everyones mind this month ....

    ken

  • flowergirl70ks
    10 years ago

    You betcha-spiderwort!!

  • emmarene9
    10 years ago

    Algerian Ivy and Acanthus Molis. Each took a number of
    years to vanquish. I finally rid my garden of both but as far as killing them? Digging out is all that worked.
    I am in my second year in my campaign against bindweed. I am happy with my progress but I expect it will be a few more years before I declare victory.
    I gathered seeds travelling through Nevada and planted them when I returned to California. It was the invasive Saponaria you speak of. Luckily a veteran gardener I know told me it was a bully and I got rid of them in time

  • david883
    10 years ago

    Just reading mzdee's post about ditch lilies makes me laugh. There used to be a landscaper in the suite next to the office where I work and last summer he had a full truck load of ditch lilies, ready to take off to a job. I just thought "really?". Someone obviously didn't realize you can pull on up off the side of the road, throw it in the yard and you'll have an endless supply in no time. I have a ton in my back yard (came with the house). There's on particular patch that gets abused to no end... the dogs trample them, role in them, dig at them... And I have two pits and a husky so when the dig, run and role they REALLY go for it lol. These things barely even notice lol

    False lamium... I have it creeping under the privacy fence from the little woodsy area behind the house. It looks pretty in the pure-shade corner with the lemon balm. I just sigh when I look at it all in all its thug-glory

  • audrey_gw
    10 years ago

    Hops vine and bindweed are my big banes. You never, ever want to plant a hops vine near a garden. Trust me on this! The wild scentless violets are getting a bit thuggish too. I've also spent a lot of time recently cleaning wild blackberry vines out of my day lilies, though I must admit that I left the ones that actually had berries on them.

  • monarda_gw
    6 years ago

    Violets are a bad weed in the garden but they are the host plant for the magnificent great spangled fritillaries, which we ought to cherish. Milkweed is a pest in the garden, too -- but essential to the monarchs. So look with a kind eye on these butterfly-nourishing "weeds".

    http://nababutterfly.com/violet.html 

  • vesfl (zone 5b/6a, Western NY)
    6 years ago

    Houttuynia cordata (chameleon plant). It's even sold at some nurseries because it looks a bit ornamental and attractive - my strong advice is NOT to buy or plant it. It somehow got into my garden as a weed and now virtually impossible to eradicate it.

    From the Global Invasive Species Database:

    http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/species.php?sc=854

  • sunnyborders
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Had problems with that one (already planted) too, Vestfl.

    Personally, I like the look of mixed perennial beds which are subject to some degree of ongoing manicuring/grooming. I particularly dislike plants that spread in a spotty manner; OK, that then fill in, but then spread spottily to the next area. In the mean time, such plants undermine the maintenance of plant diversity. Personally, I particularly hate the extremely invasive spring bulb Chionodoxa, which spreads by bulblet offsets, but very notably also by seeding. I do find the grape hyacinths that Ken mentions quite manageable.

    Once had the job of restoring the rose garden of a large property in which all the borders had been edged with goutweed/bishop's weed (which had already begun to bleed into the lawn). Never use herbicides. Would have had to walk away from anything else.

  • spedigrees z4VT
    6 years ago

    Personally, in most instances, I seek out plants that are impossible to kill. I adore violets and they are welcome to grow anywhere in my lawns and gardens. Ditto with dandelions. I detest the term "ditch lilies." These are day lilies, the original day lilies in fact. I have newer cultivars of daylilies in some of my gardens but the original orange daylilies out number them and remain my favorite. Their hardiness is one of their best attributes.

    As to wildflowers which sustain butterflies and other pollinators, I leave a number of unmowed areas which are home to milkweed, goldenrod, jewelweed, daisies, black-eyed susans, even some stinging nettles (caterpillar food for black swallowtail butterflies) among others.

  • sunnyborders
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Spedigrees, sounds good, but I do take the "my" in my lawns and gardens to be relevant. Sounds like you may have a large property away from neighbours who also like their garden.

  • spedigrees z4VT
    6 years ago

    Well Sunnyborders, these wildflowers have been around for longer than you or I, and they serve an ecological niche. The same cannot be said of Monsanto's pesticides. I know which kind of gardening neighbor I would prefer.

  • sunnyborders
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    I wasn't talking about the wild flowers and neither were you when you mentioned " ------welcome to grow anywhere in my lawns and gardens".

    But I also am not happy about some herbicide use. Home owners and landscape maintenance companies here, however, are quite restricted in what chemicals they can use. Still, people who own golf courses and farms don't have the same restrictions.

  • flowergirl70ks
    6 years ago

    Spedigrees would fit right in with my neighborhood. I thank the Lord that at last I have 2 neighbors that seem to care about their yards. It has been dandelion heaven around here for the last 20 years or more, and one fellow that lives behind me is raising bindweed for a cash crop. I have now been blessed with red oxyllis. I didn't think there could be anything worse than SOB (stars of bethlehem). I don't like to spray anything, but this has me defeated. Please excuse the mispelled words, to lazy to look them up.

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