Jezebel Plants
Jezebel plants. They are out there. Just waiting to break your heart, try your patience, and wreck your once peaceful life. These plants are invasive with a self-absorbed urgency that is unrelenting. The worst thing about Jezebel plants is, they are gorgeous. Truth be told, whenever we get a little weak in the knees, our rational brains tend to fail us. At least the first time around the block. So, for all of the uninitiated, please pay attention. There is a first time for everything in this life. There is the first time that someone glances up and catches their breath because – oh my goodness – stuff that looks like Pink Wisteria is growing from a tree!
Mavens of desire, they sneak in amongst all the other offerings at specialty plant sales. Or worse; the local retail nursery. Tossing their spectacular blooming panicles about, they KNOW you want them. Its called working the room. These plants dazzle you with their beauty. Your heart skips a beat. Sure, you may have heard the rumors. This particular species can be a 'problem'. But you don't want to hear it. You rationalize. It will be different in your yard, you can handle it, the others just didn't understand the situation like you will. I mean really, look how pretty...
You fall in love and make plans for a beautiful future. You get home, unpack and send down roots. Then one day, maybe a year or two or five later, you wake up and realize your life has become a living hell. The plant that won’t leave. You push, you shove, but there it is, invading everything. Disrespecting boundaries. That gorgeous blossom that once captured your heart is now less appealing as it creeps, leaps, re-seeds and bounds unwelcome through the rest of the garden and more than likely, your neighbors garden as well.
Heads up: its not worth it. I’m pointing fingers and naming names.
#1 - Robinia 'Purple Robe' is a Locust, and although that may work metaphorically, I mean that Locust is the common name of this heart-breaker. There is a good place for this tree somewhere on the planet I am sure, but it probably is not your backyard. Not based on my experience in the inland empire.
Robinia pseudoacacia ‘Purple Robe’ reasons NOT to plant. Weak wood that breaks. Invasive re-seeding and roots that run.
A number of years ago I walked every single block of a huge development off of Temescal Canyon Rd. in Corona. The HOA was suing the developer for damages. I was with a landscape architectural firm at the time and it was our job to assess the health and condition of hundreds of trees. This tree: Robinia pseudoacacia (Locust) 'Purple Robe' was planted extensively in the front yard parkways. All of these trees had split trunks, broken branches and aggressive, invasive roots. A gorgeous hot mess. Red Flag. Walk away. A tree is a long time commitment. Be smart and choose well. Robinia 'Purple Robe' is NOT the thing to do.
#2 - IPOMOEA indica (acuminata) Perennial Blue Morning Glory 'Blue Dawn'
There is a Perennial Blue Morning Glory at my house that persists. The botanical name of this evergreen vine is Ipomoea indica. The species name is the second word in botanical Latin and is most often descriptive. The species name for this evergreen vine throughout most of my years as a landscape designer was: acuminata. Ipomoea acuminata. As in: accumulate. Endlessly. Incessantly. Accumulate.
When I began complaining about it's invasive persistent habits, my mom said: “ yes, I wondered why you planted that “. And when I asked her why she didn’t warn me? she said:
"I assumed you knew better".
Never assume.
We all know about making an ass out of you + me thing with assume - don't we?
It has been 20 years since I planted that vine. We have an uneasy truce these days. I credit this only to my husband’s abatement cocktail that includes empty beer cans, zip ties and full strength RoundUp – don’t ask, its probably environmentaly incorrect. It also is only keeping this plant at bay...
#3 - Mexican Evening Primrose - Oenothera berlandieri
The pale pink blossoms of Oenothera berlandieri - Mexican Evening Primrose. Absolutly go everywhere and are next to impossible to control. Best left to run in a large wild unattended area - NOT - your garden. The blue flowering ground-cover in the foreground however, is a very well behaved Convolvulus sabatius.
Then there is Mexican Evening Primrose: Oenothera berlandieri.
Lovely. Enchanting. Invasive, misery. And the garden designer that said "why not?" only because the owner was a long time client and a talented gardener and well it is awfully pretty, So lets go ahead.
But where the rubber meets the road? This plant simply proved over again its unbelievable ability to jump 3 ft wide sidewalks. It just runs everywhere. Everywhere. And it won't leave.
One way or the other, they bite you in the butt. Jezebel plants. Just say no. Trust me. It is not worth it.
