10 Plants You’ll Regret Introducing In Your Yard

2. Boston Fern (Ladder Fern)

Boston fern, also called ladder fern, spreads quickly in Gainesville landscaping. Issues arise when the dense crown of sagging leaves block sunlight and rainfall from reaching ground cover. This type of fern usually spreads from natural spore dispersal and from dumping yard waste. An alternative to Boston or ladder fern is Royal fern. During the spring, Royal fern has a soft pink hue and can reach six feet in height when mature.

3. Chinese & Japanese Wisteria

Chinese and Japanese wisteria are sold at garden centers and nurseries. These invasive types of wisteria grow quickly and smother the other plants it grows around and on. Wisteria is an ornamental vine found along the East Coast, generally east of the Mississippi River. A good alternative is American wisteria which has more compact blooms. Yet, American wisteria also has a fast growth rate and should be planted with care around existing landscaping in Gainesville, FL.

4. Downy Rose Myrtle

Though it can be mistaken for azalea or camellia, downy rose myrtle is an evergreen shrub which forms dense thickets. These thickets have a tendency to change natural fire areas and crowd out native vegetation. Instead, add color and charm with drift roses. These roses come in several fragrant varieties, are low maintenance, and provide continuous blooms.

5. Guava

Guava trees are generally planted as an ornamental and for the edible fruit it produces. However, these trees can reach 30 feet in height and form thickets which seriously impact native forests and woodlands. Guava and the strawberry guava trees can house the naturalized Caribbean fruit fly which can spread to and damage commercial citrus crops.

Alternatives to guava include Dahoon holly and elderberry. Dahoon holly produces bright red berries during the fall and winter that create a food source for wildlife. A member of the honeysuckle family, elderberry is a Florida native that grows in moist and open spaces and produces clusters of fragrant, white flowers.

6. Japanese Climbing Fern

This type of fern earns its name as a climbing fern as it can reach lengths of 90 feet. Japanese climbing fern features finger-like fronds and is usually found in damp areas, whether the area is sunny or shaded. Japanese climbing fern poses a three-fold risk to surrounding vegetation. First, its dense canopy prevents sunlight from reaching underlying plants. Second, because of the vining tendency and thick canopy, it creates a fire threat to trees. Third, Japanese climbing fern is highly aggressive in its growth and can replace native vegetation altogether. Instead, plant clematis or passion vine to liven a landscape Gainesville residents can enjoy.

7. Japanese Honeysuckle

Once used for erosion control, Japanese honeysuckle can quickly oust other plants for every resource needed for growth — light, nutrients, space, and water. The vines can quickly surpass 10 feet long and have large, sweet-smelling flowers that yellow with age, and purple-black berries. Japanese honeysuckle usually grows in sunny locations but can tolerate nearly all light conditions.

If you’re looking for a vining plant that isn’t invasive, consider the trumpet honeysuckle. This twining vine produces scarlet or orange blooms during May and June and grows best in full sun areas.

8. Kudzu

In the early 20th Century, kudzu was used for erosion control and as a livestock forage in Florida. But since then, kudzu has been declared a noxious weed by the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services. A woody vine, kudzu is high-climbing and usually forms an impervious canopy over vegetation, including entire trees which eventually die due to a lack of sunlight. It also adds tremendous weight to trees that can cause branches to break or the entire tree to topple over.

Carolina jessamine is an excellent alternative that can be trained to grow on arbors and trellises and is easy to keep under control.

9. Mimosa (Silk Tree)

Introduced to the United States in the mid-18th century, mimosa — also called silk tree — is a popular ornamental in many landscapes. The tree is a member of the legume family and grows up to 40 feet in height. When in bloom, the ornate flowers of a mimosa tree produce a pleasant fragrance. Yet, these trees muscle out other plants and trees in many different soil types because of the dense stand created. Mimosas produce large amounts of seed and easily regenerate after damage.

If you’re looking for a Florida-friendly alternative to mimosa for Gainesville landscaping, consider flowering dogwood trees or a fringe tree. A flowering dogwood blooms in the spring, producing brilliant white and pink flowers. Fringe trees are native to southern states and attract various species of birds.

10. Paragrass

Also called buffalo or Scotch grass, paragrass is fast-growing and aggressively overtakes native plants and vegetation. It tends to grow in dense patches in wetlands and moist areas, such as lake and river shorelines.

A good alternative to paragrass is muhly grass. A long-lived perennial, muhly grass features purple-pink heads on the canopy. Individual plants can reach three feet in height and width.