Hey flower gardeners! Do you know…

[MEmama]

…what kind of flower this is?

It's growing wild along our fence line and the bees **love** it. I’d like to transfer some into a proper garden bed but first I’d like to know what it is. Any thoughts?

Location: coastal Maine, zone 5 but I think becoming 6

[Jean in Newcastle]

Tansy. It’s considered an invasive species in my area. 

[MEmama]

1 minute ago, Jean in Newcastle said:

Tansy. It’s considered an invasive species in my area. 

Oh, yikes. I’ll check to see if it’s invasive here, too. I’d really hate to rip it out— the flowers are covered in bees all day long. 

[MEmama]

Well darn, it’s invasive here too. But apparently it not only attracts a bazillion bees, it repels Japanese beetles! 
 

I probably have to rip it out though, right? 😞 

[Jean in Newcastle]

1 minute ago, MEmama said:

Well darn, it’s invasive here too. But apparently it not only attracts a bazillion bees, it repels Japanese beetles! 
 

I probably have to rip it out though, right? 😞 

I have some in my yard right now but haven’t gotten around to ripping it out. I will before it goes to seed. 

[MercyA]

I wouldn't, if the bees love it so much. But I'm soft like that. 

[MEmama]

7 minutes ago, MercyA said:

I wouldn't, if the bees love it so much. But I'm soft like that. 

Yeah me too. My MIL was just visiting from Oklahoma and couldn’t believe how many bees I have in my garden. It’s been a good bee year, which makes my heart happy. 🙂 

 

[Carrie12345]

22 minutes ago, MEmama said:

Well darn, it’s invasive here too. But apparently it not only attracts a bazillion bees, it repels Japanese beetles! 
 

I probably have to rip it out though, right? 😞 

Is there a list of drawbacks specific to this plant? That’d help me decide.  I tend to leave invasive stuff alone unless it’s really bad... like the Japanese stiltweed that will probably someday creep into my house and strangle me in my sleep despite my best efforts to mitigate. It’s still worth the battle to me, because it’s a terrible fire hazard and wants to swallow the earth.

[Jean in Newcastle]

1 hour ago, Carrie12345 said:

Is there a list of drawbacks specific to this plant? That’d help me decide.  I tend to leave invasive stuff alone unless it’s really bad... like the Japanese stiltweed that will probably someday creep into my house and strangle me in my sleep despite my best efforts to mitigate. It’s still worth the battle to me, because it’s a terrible fire hazard and wants to swallow the earth.

The main drawbacks that I could find listed were that they crowd out native plants and harm biodiversity. 

[happi duck]

2 hours ago, MercyA said:

I wouldn't, if the bees love it so much. But I'm soft like that. 

Same!

I'd definitely leave it until I planted a native substitute that they loved as much.

[Melissa in Australia]

It spreads by runners. But if you were to keep it contained… or in a container…. It is a beneficial to insects herb

[Spy Car]

3 hours ago, MEmama said:

Oh, yikes. I’ll check to see if it’s invasive here, too. I’d really hate to rip it out— the flowers are covered in bees all day long. 

Could you just deadhead the flowers to prevent them from reseeding.

Some invasive species are almost uncontrollable and hard to destroy, like plants that send runners underground. Those plants need to go.

Others can be tamed by preventing them from seeding.

I don't know what category Tansy falls into. 

Bill

 

[Spy Car]

Quick Google searches (no experience) confirms that Tansy is considered a noxious weed and is considered invasive in many places. But it has its upsides.

Tansy does spread from rhizomes, but my impression is that the "invasive" spread comes from seeds. There is nothing worse than an invasive plant with invasive rhizome growth. So I'd double check it, but I get the sense if you were careful to deadhead, clean up, and remove any beginning to grow in risky/unwelcome places that you probably could contain it.

Maybe better to find something native that could fill the same role?

Bill

 

[Spy Car]

When you crush the leaves do you get  nice aroma?

Bill

 

[MEmama]

1 hour ago, Melissa in Australia said:

It spreads by runners. But if you were to keep it contained… or in a container…. It is a beneficial to insects herb

Yeah, a container could work. 

[MEmama]

1 hour ago, Spy Car said:

Could you just deadhead the flowers to prevent them from reseeding.

Some invasive species are almost uncontrollable and hard to destroy, like plants that send runners underground. Those plants need to go.

Others can be tamed by preventing them from seeding.

I don't know what category Tansy falls into. 

Bill

 

Deadheading would be easy. So if it’s in a container so it can’t spread underground, and I deadhead regularly I might be able to justify it? 

53 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

Quick Google searches (no experience) confirms that Tansy is considered a noxious weed and is considered invasive in many places. But it has its upsides.

Tansy does spread from rhizomes, but my impression is that the "invasive" spread comes from seeds. There is nothing worse than an invasive plant with invasive rhizome growth. So I'd double check it, but I get the sense if you were careful to deadhead, clean up, and remove any beginning to grow in risky/unwelcome places that you probably could contain it.

Maybe better to find something native that could fill the same role?

Bill

 

51 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

When you crush the leaves do you get  nice aroma?

Bill

 

It smells amazing! Kinda sweet, a little minty…hard to describe but really nice.

 

[bibiche]

Apparently there is a native tansy, but way up north. https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/tanacetum/bipinnatum/
Tansy doesn’t spread aggressively by rhizome, so it should be fine in the ground as long as you keep an eye on it.  If you make sure it doesn’t go to seed it should be okay. Apparently the pilgrims brought (the non-native) tansy over with them. 

A native plant that blooms at the same time and in the same color is solidago. There are about a zillion varieties. You could also show the monarchs some love and plant asclepias tuberosa aka butterfly weed. It blooms earlier than tansy, but is still in bloom when tansy flowers. It’s orange rather than yellow.

Heres a link to some other native plants: https://wildseedproject.net/2016/03/monarchs-and-milkweed/

 

[Spy Car]

52 minutes ago, MEmama said:

Deadheading would be easy. So if it’s in a container so it can’t spread underground, and I deadhead regularly I might be able to justify it? 

It smells amazing! Kinda sweet, a little minty…hard to describe but really nice.

 

I'm kind of a native plants/no invasive species type person myself, but if you scrupulously deadheaded the plant and grew this in a container. I think you'd be safe.  But I'm no authority on this plant.

I ask about the smell as there is similar looking plant that is sometimes called Tansy (Tansy ragweed) from my reading, and you have the better plant.

Perhaps the pleasure of growing this will make you want to explore other native pollinating plants that bring in the bees and butterflies?

Bill

 

[ktgrok]

2 hours ago, MEmama said:

Deadheading would be easy. So if it’s in a container so it can’t spread underground, and I deadhead regularly I might be able to justify it? 

It smells amazing! Kinda sweet, a little minty…hard to describe but really nice.

 

Just don't post about it on facebook! I swear the invasive plant police probably will kill you in your sleep if they find out. I've gotten more crap over any photo that shows my mexican petunia than I can explain - EVEN AFTER I explain it is a special NON invasive subspecies developed by the University of Florida to be safe to grow in Florida!!! They just keep on ranting about how maybe that one isn't evil and killing the state but someone may see it and think all of them are okay and then the entire state will be covered in Mexican Petunias and it will be all my fault for my 3 totally not invasive plants. UGH. 

[MEmama]

11 hours ago, Spy Car said:

I'm kind of a native plants/no invasive species type person myself, but if you scrupulously deadheaded the plant and grew this in a container. I think you'd be safe.  But I'm no authority on this plant.

I ask about the smell as there is similar looking plant that is sometimes called Tansy (Tansy ragweed) from my reading, and you have the better plant.

Perhaps the pleasure of growing this will make you want to explore other native pollinating plants that bring in the bees and butterflies?

Bill

 

Oh, I’m a native plant person, too. Thus, a garden full of bees. 🙂 

As pretty as this tansy is, in reality I don’t think I can justify propagating in my garden beds if it’s invasive. Boo. 

[MEmama]

9 hours ago, ktgrok said:

Just don't post about it on facebook! I swear the invasive plant police probably will kill you in your sleep if they find out. I've gotten more crap over any photo that shows my mexican petunia than I can explain - EVEN AFTER I explain it is a special NON invasive subspecies developed by the University of Florida to be safe to grow in Florida!!! They just keep on ranting about how maybe that one isn't evil and killing the state but someone may see it and think all of them are okay and then the entire state will be covered in Mexican Petunias and it will be all my fault for my 3 totally not invasive plants. UGH. 

Glad I came here instead! Lol

(actually I don’t even have FB. It sounds like crazy land).

Picture of your SAFE Mexican petunia? I’ve never heard of it— are they perennial for you? 

[MEmama]

11 hours ago, bibiche said:

Apparently there is a native tansy, but way up north. https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/tanacetum/bipinnatum/
Tansy doesn’t spread aggressively by rhizome, so it should be fine in the ground as long as you keep an eye on it.  If you make sure it doesn’t go to seed it should be okay. Apparently the pilgrims brought (the non-native) tansy over with them. 

A native plant that blooms at the same time and in the same color is solidago. There are about a zillion varieties. You could also show the monarchs some love and plant asclepias tuberosa aka butterfly weed. It blooms earlier than tansy, but is still in bloom when tansy flowers. It’s orange rather than yellow.

Heres a link to some other native plants: https://wildseedproject.net/2016/03/monarchs-and-milkweed/

 

Ooohhh—-thanks! 🙂 

[ktgrok]

Yes, it seems to bloom constantly - each bloom lasts one day then falls off. https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/care/weeds-and-invasive-plants/mexican-petunia.html

[MEmama]

Oooh, that’s pretty! I've never seen a petunia like that—here they are all low to the ground and annuals, of course.

One of the few (sorry!) things I've enjoyed about trips to Florida are the plants and flowers. It’s like a different world than any of the (northern) places I’ve lived.

[ktgrok]

28 minutes ago, MEmama said:

Oooh, that’s pretty! I've never seen a petunia like that—here they are all low to the ground and annuals, of course.

One of the few (sorry!) things I've enjoyed about trips to Florida are the plants and flowers. It’s like a different world than any of the (northern) places I’ve lived.

It is - and gardeners that move here often have a hard time adjusting. Our soil is actually sand in most places, so things that grew well up north just don't here - you really do have to lean into natives or stuff dies, lol. And the growing season is totally different here - especially for veggies. What you would grow in the summer up north will die here in the summer - have to grow early spring or in fall. Summer has only a few things that grow, and even those it is a miserable ordeal due to bugs, fungus from daily rain and high humidity. And we can't plant fall annuals here till winter.