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Georgia Gardener

I wish someone had told me.....

17 years ago

Last spring, I built several raised flowerbeds in my front yard. One of the plants that I planted in one of them was Pink Evening Primrose -- Oenothera speciosa. I had no idea how invasive it could be. I just remembered seeing it as wildflower-like patches from my childhood. This year, it is everywhere. I will forever be pulling it up. Live and learn, I guess!

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Comments (8)

quirkyquercus
17 years ago
That is why before I buy anything new I come home and google the botanical name + the word invasive and see if it's invasive.
wildflower
17 years ago
Mine would be 'Chameleon plant' Houttuynia cordata. This is some horrible stuff:

{{gwi:807091}}
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Good responses and help here. First, you have convinced me to have a neurosurgeon, if I decide to have the surgery. The PM doctor mentioned the name of a doctor that he is well acquainted with and worked with when he was doing his residency. Problem there is he is not local, maybe 50 miles away. After your surgery did you need to go back to see your surgeon? I'm thinking that riding that distance could be a problem. Also, did you have MRIs before the surgery, or were CT scans sufficient? I have to admit my wimpiness here, because I don't like the idea of the MRI, and have never had one. I think I would feel claustrophobic. I know they use sedation, and the PM doctor said he would suggest Valium. I have never had Valium for anything. Hi, chemocurl, aka the other Sue. Your description of the disc bursting is how the PM doctor described it to me. He demonstrated it by putting his thumb and finger together and slowly tightening it. The idea of a treadmill is good especially considering bad weather. Wanda, when the problem hit me this time, the pain was like you said, worse than childbirth. I realized I had a problem one day when I was trying to get into a line of traffic from a parking lot, and I could not move my foot from the brake to the gas pedal. I had to wait it out til I finally got it done, and went straight home. Haven't driven since that day. (That was a "revolting development!") Haven't been able to walk much since then either. The odd thing though was that pain was in my right hip. It seems like all of you have had good results, and that is encouraging. I'm really "tough" when it comes to surgeries, which I've had several of, and have never needed help at home afterwards. I think the MRI thing is the problem I need to work on. Thanks to all of you. Any more suggestions will be welcome. (this) Sue
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butterflylion
17 years ago
I saw several places selling 'Chameleon plant' Houttuynia cordata last year. (I did think it might work in a container mixed with other plants though.)
georgiagirl
17 years ago
Chameleon plant works well in containers. If it gets enough sun, the leaves are very attractive.
yama
17 years ago
Hi all
You have good medicinal plants. It is one of top ten plants Japanese health Department recognize as medicinal plants. we make herb tea,eat young rhizome, make wine, cosmetic lotion, treating baby's skin problems
treating light headache, atopy, high blood presure,helps to bowle movement etc.
You should look good side of the plants.
oops, I almost gorget.
One old Japanese man made wine out of houttuynia, he said his spring came back after drink the wine ^^.
The plant clear sinese very well.
If you are metro Atlanta area I would like to have the plants
yama
wildflower
17 years ago
I've jokingly said before that if anyone is tempted to buy this they are welcome to come here and dig all of it they want. Truth is, I really don't want to contribute to the spread of this highly invasive plant in our area. Lowe's, Home Depot, Pike's, and many other places sell it if you feel you must have it. It might be fine in a pot if you're able to keep it from escaping, but then again, the stuff probably reseeds so you might want to think twice about doing that. In my yard it has spread throughout a very large area by underground runners. I have it coming up over 20 feet from where I originally planted it...The runners go deep and the roots break off easily so for me it's been impossible to try and control it by digging. Round-up and brush killer will not phase it either.

Vsjo, sorry for highjacking your thread! I looked up the Oenothera speciosa. A beautiful plant that I will make sure and keep out of my yard.
yama
17 years ago
Hi wildflwer
I am sorry to hear your trouble.but I am going to get it anyway and grow. The plants cannot reseed.Normaly the plans can not produce seeds because of numbers of chromosme.
Try to understand mode of action of each herbicides,you should able to kill with Roundup pro. (premixed roundup won't work well)

We know it is hard to controle once it is spread, There for, we go to field to pick up to make herb tea.
Chameleon plants also grow in water.
yama
mid12nt
17 years ago
I have a wet slope for which I desperately want a thick groundcover that will crowd out weeds (especially chamberbitter) I've tried 'Chameleon plant' Houttuynia cordata, but guess what? It died!!! So this year I'm trying vinca, wish me luck.

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