Gardener’s urgent warning over ‘awful’ invasive plant in Aussie backyards
The problematic plant is present in many gardens across the country, but they can be highly destructive.
In most cases, a young plant newly established in a garden beneath a window might not be cause for concern. In fact, it's often a welcome sight in an Aussie garden. But for one resident, it could very well end in disaster if it's not "removed immediately", they've been warned.
The small yucca, while harmless to look at, has the potential to "destroy its surroundings", including the nearby house beside it — as well as fences, drains, concrete and more. Knowing this, the resident questioned, "am I right to worry about this yucca so close to the house?"
The image was shared on social media this week by the concerned homeowner, with Steven from Zani’s Gardening confirming to Yahoo News they should remove it as soon as possible to avoid trouble later on.
"Eventually it will get tall enough to hit the drain pipe," the gardener said, adding they're "absolutely not" suitable around homes. The resilient plants, which are native to Mexico, have "wild" roots which often grow out of control.
Yuccas, many varieties of which are known to have invasive root systems, were once planted along poolsides and fence lines in Australia "by the millions between 2000 and 2010" because of their "modern" appearance, Steven said. But now he's urging Aussies to immediately "cut up and burn" them and never plant them.
Steven said they're often fine in "open farms" where the roots have room to grow, or contained in a pot where they're restricted.
Aussies warn against 'hideous' yucca plants
Responding to the homeowner's fears, comments flooded in encouraging the poster to remove them.
"Yes, remove. They are truly awful plants," said one. "Horrible plants, so spiky and hideous," another hit out.
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Others shared their own horror stories with the problematic yucca plants. Previously, a frustrated Aussie claimed a yucca plant grew too close to their home and had broken the structure’s brick and gutters.
"There was one this size at my place when I moved in three years ago. I cut and dug it out straight away but must have left tiny fragments. To this day it's still coming up in that place every 6 months or so," another explained in response to the post.
Yuccas plants cause spike in injuries
What's more, the plants can also be a serious hazard with one warning they're a "great way to lose an eye" thanks to the spikey nature of their leaves.
In 2018, research revealed the yucca plant’s signature spike was the reason for an increase in gardening-related ear injuries. Over a five-year period, 28 people presented to the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital in Melbourne with ear injuries, a study published in the UK journal Clinical Otolaryngology claimed.
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