Two nonprofit volunteers from the Sea to Sky Invasives (@ssinvasives) group in British Columbia, Canada, spotted a common invasive plant species while walking on a trail. They decided it'd be a great teaching moment to show others how to combat the invasive plant in an educational TikTok video.
"Periwinkle is a trailing ground cover with shiny, dark leaves. Later in the spring, it'll produce distinct, purple pinwheel-like flowers," one of the volunteers described.
@ssinvasives Have you seen this plant lurking around your neighbourhood? Common periwinkle is an invasive plant that is sold as an ornamental groundcover for gardens. Unfortunately, it has a tendency to escape gardens and spread into nearby natural areas, just like we've shown today. Want to do your part and help remove periwinkle? Follow these easy steps: 1. Know whose land you're on. If you're on private property, you'll need permission from the owner or manager before getting to work! 2. Remove as much of the plant parts as you can – periwinkle spreads vegetatively, so leftover pieces of stems or roots could continue to spread if left behind. 3. Place all plant material in the garbage – we don't recommend composting invasive plants in the Sea to Sky. For more information about common periwinkle, visit our species profile page on our website: ssisc.ca/common-periwinkle (🔗 in bio)! #CommonPeriwinkle #InvasiveSpeciesRemoval #WhistlerBC #Gardening #VideoDescription: Two women are outside on a sunny day. They introduce a plant with glossy, green elliptical leaves and show how to remove the plant. At the end, they place the plant material in a black garbage bag.
♬ original sound - Sea to Sky Invasives
Common periwinkle is a plant native to Europe and the Caucasus, and it tends to creep and spread densely, overtaking the land, according to the North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.
While common periwinkle produces beautiful purple flowers to landscape with, it is an invasive species that will outcompete native plants for water and nutrients, threatening native plants and the local ecosystem.
Removing invasive species helps support native plant growth. Native plants attract and support pollinators, whose cross-pollination efforts help crops and plants reproduce, ultimately protecting the human food supply.
To remove the invasive species you've found, "follow these easy steps," the video's description reads.
"Make sure you have permission and you know whose land you're on," one of the SS Invasives volunteers warned. In the TikTok video, the volunteers clarified that they were on public land.
To tackle the invasive periwinkle, remove as much of the plant material from the ground as possible. Leftover stems could continue growing if not removed, and the invasive plant could continue spreading.
When you've gathered all the invasive plant material, throw it away in a garbage bag. Keep it out of your compost material, as the invasive species could contaminate the new soil and grow aggressively again.
You can build a happy environment for pollinators and local wildlife on your lawn while saving time and money on lawn maintenance and water bills by installing native plants.
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Should we be actively working to kill invasive species? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Absolutely 💯 Upgrading to a native plant lawn — filled with pollinator-loving native plants — or eco-friendly lawn replacement options such as buffalo grass or clover, can help reduce the amount of water your lawn needs, compared to traditional lawns, saving money on your water bills.
Even a partial lawn replacement can allow homeowners to reap these benefits. Native lawn replacement options also tend to grow slower than invasive species, which means you can take longer between mowing sessions to maintain your yard.
"Why is it so bad to have some of it growing for the public?" one commenter asked on the TikTok post. "Bc it's invasive and it damages the local ecosystem," another commenter replied.
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