We have an awful problem with English ivy every year. No matter hom much we trim it the ivy just keeps coming back and has taken over one whole side of the house. We have to keep on it every day or it will in a few weeks completely cover our conservatory!

I live in Connecticut. I haven't seen anyone list the bittersweet vine as another invasive plant. You don't seem to notice them in the summer, but once the trees start losing their leaves, you can see the damage they cause. Drive down any country road and you will see them growing up to the tops of the trees and creating a wall of vines all along the roadway, choking out the native species. I know people enjoy the berries as decorations, but someone has to get a grip on these invasives.

Here in Central Texas, the above are also incredibly invasive and can be found even deep into remote greenbelts and along creeks. Also creating problems: Chinaberry, hackberry, vitex, ligustrum, mimosa, paper mulberry, pyracantha, photinia, Russian olive, privet, giant cane, holly fern, elephant ear.. people don't realize how big a problem these can be.

Trumpet Vines are beautiful, but spread like wildfire. Our property was not tended for several decades and in addition to diseased trees and over-sized bushes, which were removed, we have an abundance of Trumpet Vines that have 9, maybe more, lives. They used to grow everywhere along railroad right-of-ways on telephone poles, fences, but today are rare in those environs. But, once established, if they can find a ray of sun they will grow towards it.

The gardener is a man who despises trumpet vines and goes after them with a vengeance. He wins a battle ever so often, but is still losing the war! These vines were/are considered endangered in the state of Illinois, but I think what has happened is that as public habitat has been destroyed they have survived on land that is simply untended, right along with the milkweeds! They just aren't road-side attractions with a huge green and orange ball atop a telephone pole.

As kids we called them, pop flowers, because if you catch the bloom before it opens and smash it top first into the palm of the other hand it makes a very satisfying pop. I still prefer them to the other non-poisonous vines that abound.

I bought my plants from the local Soil Conservation District! Wonder why they sell them if they are so "bad"? Only managed to coax 2 years out of them tho, the cold weather here in upper michigan killed them.

In western NY I have never seen a butterfly bush grow wild either in forests or along streams. I have had them for over 10 years. A few start as seedlings in the garden, which I use to replace expired bushes, but they don't grow in the surrounding lawn or don't survive the lawnmower. The butterfly bush is a consistent bloomer in the summer, unlike most perennials that attract butterflies. It is not unusual to have 15-20 monarch butterflies feeding om the bushes in the late summer. I also have a supply of milkweed growing nearby to supply food for the monarch larvae. If you are a careful gardener, I see no reason why the butterfly bush cannot be controlled and enjoyed by humans and butterflies.

I understand. Thing is if people would manange there own yards we would not have such a mess!!! I have had butterfly weed no thans.Did not attrect butterflies!! Unless your favorite color is orange. I agree english ivy is not good. English ivy can also grow into bricks and mess them up. People need too know there plants befor planting them. I teach herb and flower classes so it is nice to be aware of these things. How about yucca you can not get rid of that either. I sure would not have yucca in my yard with kids because if you accidently bump it it hurts.
L. in Indiana

For shame!! what about the butterflies that feed on them? People should really consider carefully what they plant, but I think Rodale is going a bit too far with this one. I have never seen this plant seed ALL OVER and block water ways. in Wyoming, we are lucky that ANYTHING grows at all

that was supposed to be sterile varieties

Yes, some things like lose strife are an issue, but I haven't seen anything mentioned about Japanese stilt grass which has just been a menace here is the south, or Kudzu. Japanese honeysuckle is way to invasive and should be stopped. It eats up the forests. What about mimosas, they are a nuisance, and don't even get me started English privet, which birds eat it seems and spread them around all over the place, like mulberries or Chinese silver grass.
But butterfly bushes.. ? come on now. Lets keep things in perspective. I know that there are plenty of things that get out of hand, but it is also natural selection when things come in an adapt.. You think Islands just popped up complete with vegetation? In that case I guess it is a good thing bees are deing as they weren't here till the Europeans brought them over, and apple trees- better chop them all down.
the real issue is that the natural balance for many of the native species is out of whack. How much poison ivy is really ok? because I have seen it take over areas also because there is nothing there to eat it, or if deer are in the area they are finding more tasty solutions to their hunger.
but seriously, we should all be careful about what we put in our gardens and lawns because they can no only get out of hand for us but become a problem for others or in public areas. Check with your county extension agency or forestry agency to see what invasive species are in your area or are prone to invasive tendencies and avoid them, or buy serial varieties. ( personally I buy nothing that says growth habit - vigorous). I am not that vigorous to keep it in check.

We have a few as well...
I'm not giving up the Butterfly Bush. I usually do cut off the blooms to keep them coming and have only rarely seen a seedling.
I'd love to see the NY Ironweed, looks promising but not in the garden centers here. Will have to check again.
The Water Hyacinth gets chopped up and composted every fall and is in a small watergarden.
I would NEVER recommend Trumpet vine since it didn't bloom reliably for me and when I tried to get rid of it, I found it travelling ALL over the place and spent several years pulling up bits and pieces regrowing several feet away (even in a crack in the middle of the driveway)
A neighbor's English Ivy is taking over my Mom's sideyard and has been nearly impossible to pull out!
Purple loosestrife is indeed all over the roadside and wetlands here. Makes me both smile with the color and cringe at the knowledge that it is so bad for the environment.

Not good - we have 3 of the five. Looks like my weekend work is planned!