20 plants that should come with a health warning

Many plants that are widely sold don’t need much encouragement to run amok in the average garden. Forewarned is forearmed, says Ruth Chivers

Apicture of a bamboo that had muscled its way through a living room wall and threatened to engulf the sofa grabbed my attention. That was just an initial flick through a copy of the recently published Invasive Bamboos by Brian Taylor, Jim Glaister and Max Wade (Packard, £35).

But bamboos are not the only garden space invaders. Many other garden plants that are widely sold can become problematic. Some are attractive plants that were originally chosen to fulfil certain roles, but were subsequently found to run amok in average garden conditions. As a cohort of new gardeners – prompted by Covid lockdowns – takes up gardening, now is a good time to look at the garden plants that should come with a health warning. Understanding plant growth habit is key, in addition to following “right plant, right place” principles.

But nature can still outsmart even the most diligent gardener. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow, provided plants are not harming your home or invading your neighbours’ property. Most gardeners have their own list of charming rogue plants that, despite some anti-social habits, they wouldn’t want to be without. I’ve selected 20 real pests (above/above right), and ten nuisance-but-nice plants (right).