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Turn your yard into a beachhead! Try one of these
beauties, all proven invaders in the Pacific Northwest.
GOLDEN BAMBOO (Phyllostachys aurea)
Find out what everyone’s been complaining about! This
ideal hedge plant will grow fast enough to screen out the world in
just one year. Whack it, burn it, douse it with herbicide . .
. . It takes a mowing and keeps on growing!
BUTTERFLY BUSH (Buddleja)
AKA butterfly slayer! If you’ve had it up to here with
swallowtails, mourning cloaks, and other fluttery showoffs, this is
the shrub for you. Butterflies love the flowers, but their
caterpillars can’t eat the leaves. No food—-no
caterpillars—-butterflies gone. Problem solved!
WHITE BRYONY (Bryonia alba)
Who says gardeners in dry climates have to do without? This
stunning climber has already earned the honorary title “kudzu of
the inland northwest.” Plant now, and in a few years reap the
bonus, as dead trees draped in bryony vines add visual interest to
your winter landscape.
LANTANA (Lantana)
What more can we say about the plant that has taken over
much of India, Australia, and Indonesia? Lantana’s glossy leaves
and showy flower clusters offer all the botanical beauty you’ll
ever need—-a good thing, since you’ll never have to plant anything
else once this vigorous grower stakes a claim in your yard!
ENGLISH IVY, IRISH IVY (Hedera helix, Hedera
hibernica)
Either one of these lovely vines will convert your home into a
charming, English-style cottage AND save you from the
chore of pruning. Just let the heavy vines and thick leaves engulf
your trees, and the merest whisper of wind will snap their branches
like toothpicks. Ivy is also the perfect way to smother any
new tree seedlings that might intrude on your cozy scene.
SILVER (or Chinese) LACE VINE (Polygonum auberti)
Have a race with your neighbor—-Whose shed will disappear first?
Lace vine is the top climber we’ve ever carried, absolutely the
champion at gobbling up trellises, fences, and structures up to the
size of a 1-1/2 story house. Want a little shade on your patio?
Plant one of these, sit back, and listen to it grow.
TAMARISK or SALT CEDAR (Tamarix)
This beauty is also a beast!! Ideal for displacing pesky native
plants from streamsides and riverbanks, tamarisk is
absolutely essential for owners of waterfront properties who are
tired of living on the beach. Its coarse roots loosen the sand and
hasten erosion, giving you the chance to test whether your
homeowner’s policy really does cover damage from wave action.
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