Ohio gardener Megan (@megan.corwin) was feeling rather proud of removing an invasive plant from her yard and took to TikTok to share the win.
"It's a start, I guess. One less bed of invasive species vinca," she wrote in the video caption. "Now, what native plant to put in its place....."
@megan.corwin It's a start, i guess. One less bed of invasive species vinca. Now, what native plant to put in its place….. #invasivespecies #nativeplants #gardening #gardentok #landscapedesign ♬ original sound - Sugg.ting
Vinca is better known as periwinkle. While the name is cute and the flower colorful, it's on the verge of invasive status in Ohio.
When a plant or animal is moved from its native habitat, it's also removed from the checks and balances it evolved with. In a new environment, a species may rapidly outcompete natives for vital resources such as space and food.
If an invasive species takes over, it can push out native species and lead to a decline in local biodiversity. Along with that drop comes a loss of ecosystem services that people depend on. In fact, one study suggests that invasive species cause hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of economic damage every year.
In order to avoid the spread of invasive species, consider converting to a wild yard. When populated with native species, a wild yard needs very little maintenance since its plants have adapted to the local climate and it's cheap to water. Once mature, a wild yard acts as a biodiversity hub, especially for pollinators. As an added bonus, gardening is great for both mental and physical health.
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Removing periwinkle is a great start, but it's not the only threat in the area. Ohio is also fending off invasions of spotted lanternfly, autumn olives, and Callery pear trees. Viewers congratulated Megan on the noble work.
"That vinca is so hard to get rid of. My mom had it in her rock garden, and those roots are strong!" one said.
"I know how much work that is! Congrats and good luck with the spot you missed (because there's always at least one!)," another wrote.
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