Why is it allowed for garden centres/nurseries to sell highly invasive plants?

[marigoldflower]

I've been to reputable garden centres (mainly in London) and I've seen that they sell plants like Kalanchoe Mother of Millions or Tillansia Zerographica (air plant)

Why is this allowed?

I try to be meticulous when buying plants as I unknowingly purchased an invasive plant in the past, though thankfully I managed to get rid of it before it took hold

I've also seen the damage air plants can do to pine trees (in a whole neighbourhood) for instance, and they are virtually impossible to eradicate. They can grow on phone lines, lamp posts, etc

So I was quite shocked when I saw this

Are you serious?? Neither of those plants would survive outside in a British winter - the Tillandsia is native to Mexico, and the Kalanchoe is native to Madagascar.
Both are decorative plants popular with houseplant growers, and the chances of either becoming invasive is precisely Zero.

I agree with the previous poster... I don't think it's an issue if the plants don't stand a chance of being invasive in this country!

Another example - verbena bonariensis is considered invasive in some overseas countries, but isn't invasive in Britain, presumably due to climate.

Neither of those plants would survive outside in a British winter

Thanks for the responses.

I was asking because I don't know. I had such bad experiences with air plants (granted, not in the UK) that I was horrified to see them and the kalanchoes being sold here.

Personally, I think bowlocataris allumjruia grasduri should be completely banned. I mean, imagine if it escaped from a garden centre.

@marigoldflower

Neither of those plants would survive outside in a British winter

Thanks for the responses.

I was asking because I don't know. I had such bad experiences with air plants (granted, not in the UK) that I was horrified to see them and the kalanchoes being sold here.

Then perhaps educate yourself about plants. AFAIK Tillandsias don’t cause problems in their native habitats - although they can grow prolifically on phone lines and trees, but you may know different.

Garden centres best not sell mint then.

Have to admit, I think it's ridiculous garden centres sell ivy.

Ivy is a useful plant and many people buy it

Agreed about the Ivy! Local garden centre selling small pots for a fiver......on that basis the value of Ivy in my garden is running into £1000's. Wouldn't hesitate on removing it if it was practical to replace the boundary it forms part of!

I've read that periwinkle, balloon flower, malva and yarrow can be invasive. A shame as they're lovely.

Perhaps it's assumed that people who buy plants will check out what they are buying and its suitability for they site and location they intend to grow it in? We are, after all, talking about adults and not children. I am pretty sure that few people in the UK have seen air plants growing on pine trees or phone lines; or suffered a case of invasive Kalanchoe - although I am now deeply disturbed by the fact that the Russians sent one into space in 1979, and expecting to hear that it's taken over Mars any day now

@Poppins2016 That Verbena is currently taking over my garden. It's filling up the beds, coming out of the walls and pushing up through the paths. I had no idea it was such a beast.

There are Regulations (possibly will be fewer in the future now the UK has left the EU if you are based in the UK, OP) for example, difficult to buy invasive non-native aquatic plants like Cabomba? As PPs have said, I'd be astonished if Tilandsia airplants could survive the winter in the UK at least until climate change progresses (much) further. Am unfamiliar with Kalanchoe.

To be fair, as PPs have said, mint and ivy have vigour. Perhaps for those, it's a little like the definition of a weed. A plant in the wrong place.

Oh for heavens sake...

If you'd said russian vine and leylandii I'd think you'd have a point...

Yeah previous posters are right, the plants you are talking about are popular houseplants but they aren't hardy. They won't be taking over the UK anytime soon.

Some states in USA ban buddleia!

The idea of tillandsia invading the U.K. is quite cute no they’re RHS hardiness H1C - they can go out in the garden for a few months for their summer holiday, but otherwise are indoors only kept above 10°C

I always think this about rhododendrons!

Ivy is an arsehole. Completely impossible to remove without an inferno.

@TheDogsMother I'm jealous! I struggle to get it to thrive in my preferred quantities (i.e. lots) in my north facing back garden... But it's doing brilliantly in my south facing front garden and is even growing in cracks in the path... definitely a sun/heat lover! Certainly proves the point about environment... 🙂

Yeah my neighbours planted Russian vine, the gits…

This thread is bonkers. Rhododendron are beautiful shrubs which enhance most gardens. They’re only “invasive” to the extent that they were left decades ago to run free in ancient woodland, and even then I’d argue (as someone who lives in ancient woodland that was rhododendron cleared in the 80s) that the woodland is the sadder for having them removed. I spend time adding them back in!

In our area it’s centranthus (pink valerian). Wall-wrecking, garden-swamping monster. Freely for sale, though!

AFAIK Tillandsias don’t cause problems in their native habitats - although they can grow prolifically on phone lines and trees, but you may know different

I don't know about Mexico, but I developed an aversion to these plants after I've seen them 'strangle' and kill numerous 50+ year old pines and cypresses (besides other bushy plants). I think what I saw is referred to as 'ball moss' Also, they can attach themselves so high up that they are impossible to remove without hiring something like a crane.

It's true that this was all in more temperate climates in the southern hemisphere, not in the UK