Consider removing these problem plants from your garden
Across Australia, many plants sold (or historically sold) as suitable garden choices can create problems down the track, some of which are hidden. They compact soil, spread prolifically and displace native species in our landscapes.
In many cases, we have no reason to question these plants. They are chosen with good intentions, marketed as reliable, or they appear to have found their place in our environment.
This article focuses on plants that can work against healthy gardens. Removing even one can create room for better outcomes.
Canna lily (Canna indica)
Originates from Central and South America and parts of the Caribbean.
What problems can it cause
Canna lilies spread through thick rhizomes. In home gardens, they dominate moisture and nutrients, limiting what else can grow. In eastern Australia, (particularly coastal NSW and Queensland), they have escaped gardens into drainage and waterways where they push out native vegetation.
How to remove it safely
Cut foliage back to ground level. Use a mattock or sharp spade to lift the entire rhizome system, levering underneath rather than pulling from the stems. Wear gloves and eye protection and ensure no rhizomes are composted, as small pieces can reshoot.
When looking for a native replacement
For subtropical and warm temperate climates, choose native perennials suited to damp soils such as streamside or wet meadow species. In cooler regions, look for moisture-tolerant natives that die back seasonally rather than spreading through persistent rhizomes.
Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)
Originates from eastern and southeastern Asia.
What problems can it cause
Star jasmine is widely planted across eastern and southern Australia and is promoted as a tidy climber or groundcover. When left unchecked in a garden, it can run over trees and shrubs, blocking light and adding significant weight to branches. At ground level, it forms thick mats that suppress regeneration and reduce air and water movement.
How to remove it safely
Wear gloves and an apron, as the milky sap can irritate skin. Cut stems with secateurs in sections, then dig out the base and surface runners using a spade or tough hand fork. Bag all material, as cut stems left on the ground can re-root.
When looking for a native replacement
In warm temperate and subtropical climates, choose native climbers or scramblers that flower without overwhelming trees or forming dense ground mats. Where screening is needed, you could consider native shrubs that provide structure without relying on climbing growth.
Mother of Millions (Kalanchoe delagoensis)
Originates from Madagascar.
What problems can it cause
Mother of Millions spreads by plantlets that root wherever they land. They spread widely and fill every available gap. Other plants in a garden struggle to establish because space, light and moisture are taken immediately. It's toxic to wildlife and spreads rapidly in northern Australia, warm inland regions and parts of Western Australia.
How to remove it safely
Wear long gloves, as sap can irritate skin. Carefully lift the entire plant out with a wide fork taking care to collect all fallen plantlets as even tiny fragments will reshoot. Bag all material immediately and don't place it in your compost.
When looking for a native replacement
In hot dry climates, choose Australian native succulents or rockery plants adapted to shallow soils and heat. These plants tend to establish without spreading aggressively and allow surrounding vegetation to persist.
Blue Periwinkle (Vinca major)
Originates from Europe and western Asia.
What problems can it cause
Periwinkle forms dense mats that seal the soil surface, block regeneration and suppress insects and ground-dwelling plants. From home gardens, it often spreads under fences, along shaded boundaries and into neighbouring beds. It has affected gullies and waterways across southern Australia, particularly Victoria, Tasmania and cooler parts of NSW.
How to remove it safely
Use a tough hand fork or compact rake to lift runners from the soil surface rather than pulling from one point. Wear gloves and work methodically, as broken fragments will re-root if left behind. Periwinkle is difficult to eradicate in one pass, so expect repeated follow-ups.
When looking for a native replacement
For cool temperate and shaded gardens, use native groundcovers that tolerate low light and allow leaf litter, insects and moisture to move through the soil. These plants tend to support regeneration rather than forming dense surface mats.
Mickey Mouse Plant (Ochna serrulata)
Originates from southern Africa.
What problems can it cause
This shrub readily self-seeds in home gardens, often appearing under trees, along fences and in unused corners. Its cute common name helped normalise it as a harmless ornamental. However, it's spread beyond garden boundaries into bushland edges across eastern Australia, particularly in coastal and hinterland areas.
How to remove it safely
Remove plants before berries form to limit bird spread. Use loppers to cut back growth, then dig out the root ball with a spade. Wear gloves and bag all fruiting material, as seed spreads easily.
When looking for a native replacement
In warm temperate and subtropical climates, choose compact native shrubs that provide structure or fruit for birds without self-seeding aggressively. These plants support wildlife while staying within the boundaries of the garden.
Tools for Australian Gardeners
Mexican feather grass (Nassella tenuissima)
Originates from Mexico and parts of the southwestern United States.
What problems can it cause
Mexican feather grass produces large amounts of fine wind-borne seed that easily escapes home gardens. In southern Australia, it spread from ornamental plantings into neighbouring verges, lawns and nearby open space, where it is extremely difficult to eradicate. It is now prohibited, following widespread impacts from earlier nursery sales.
How to remove it safely
Remove plants before seed heads mature, as seed spreads readily on clothing and tools. Wear gloves, long sleeves and enclosed footwear and pull or dig out plants carefully to minimise disturbance. Clean tools afterwards with a brush and oil.
When looking for a native replacement
For dry temperate and grassland climates, Australia has many native tussock grasses suited to local conditions. Choose species that stabilise soil and support birds and insects without aggressive seeding.
Scotch Broom (Cytisus scoparius)
Originates from western and central Europe.
What problems can it cause
Scotch broom alters soil nitrogen levels. In home gardens, this can shift soil conditions in ways that disadvantage nearby plants. It closely resembles many Australian pea shrubs, which helped it blend into local landscapes. It has spread widely in southeastern Australia, including in alpine and tableland areas, increasing fire risk.
How to remove it safely
Wear gloves and eye protection, as branches can be stiff and abrasive. Use loppers or a pruning saw to cut plants at the base, then dig out roots where possible to prevent regrowth. Remove plants before seed pods mature, as pods burst and scatter seed when disturbed.
When looking for a native replacement
For cool temperate climates, select native flowering shrubs adapted to low-nutrient soils and seasonal cold. Look for species that maintain stable growth without enriching the soil or out-competing surrounding plants.
Clivia (Clivia miniata)
Originates from southern Africa.
What problems can it cause
Clivia forms dense clumps that exclude leaf litter, insects and understorey plants. In home gardens, this often shows up as bare, compacted ground beneath the plants where little else will grow. In coastal and temperate regions of eastern Australia, it also spreads via dumped plant material, creating solid ground layers.
How to remove it safely
Wear gloves, as sap can irritate skin. Use a spade or mattock to lift entire clumps, working underneath rather than pulling foliage, which often snaps and leaves roots behind. Remove all fleshy roots and dispose of material securely.
When looking for a native replacement
For shaded gardens in temperate and subtropical climates, use native understorey plants that tolerate dry shade and allow soil processes to function. Look for plants that spread lightly or die back seasonally rather than forming dense, permanent clumps.
Clumping Bamboo (Bambusa)
Originates from tropical and subtropical regions of Asia.
What problems can it cause
Even clumping bamboo expands steadily and forms dense root systems that compete heavily for water and nutrients. In suburban Australian gardens it often leads to boundary disputes, drainage issues and long-term maintenance problems.
How to remove it safely
Wear sturdy footwear, gloves and eye protection, as culms can splinter when cut. Use a pruning saw to remove canes, then a mattock to dig out the rhizome mass, section by section. Bamboo is notoriously difficult to remove, so be prepared for repeated efforts.
When looking for a native replacement
For screening in temperate and subtropical climates, choose native shrubs or small trees with fibrous roots and predictable growth rather than plants that expand via rhizomes. This makes screening easier to manage over time.
Ornamental Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)
Originates from East Asia and the Pacific region.
What problems can it cause
Ornamental hibiscus hedges demand high water and nutrients, particularly during hot Australian summers. In home gardens, this can encourage pest cycles and uneven decline, leading to ongoing pruning, feeding and replacement rather than reliable screening.
How to remove it safely
Use loppers or a pruning saw to reduce the plant to manageable size before digging. Wear gloves, as woody stems can snap under pressure. Remove as much of the root system as possible to prevent regrowth.
When looking for a native replacement
In warm temperate and subtropical climates, consider Australian native hibiscus species or other native flowering shrubs that tolerate heat and drought once established. Many native hibiscus offer similar flowers without the high water demand, pest pressure or constant pruning.
Indian Hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis)
Originates from eastern Asia, particularly China, Japan and Korea.
What problems can it cause
In home gardens, Indian hawthorn often becomes woody and bare underneath, contributing little beyond surface greenery and leaving dead space below. In mass plantings across southern and eastern Australia it reduces planting diversity and limits understorey function.
How to remove it safely
If you can, lift plants while they are still relatively young, as older specimens develop dense woody root systems. Use a spade to work around the root ball and lever it out in one piece. Wear gloves to protect against abrasions.
When looking for a native replacement
For temperate climates, use low native shrubs that maintain structure over time and allow layered planting beneath and around them. These plantings adapt better as gardens mature.
Arum Lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica)
Originates from southern Africa.
What problems can it cause
Arum lilies spread via rhizomes and seed and are difficult to contain once established. In home gardens, they commonly reappear in damp areas, drains and lawn edges before escaping into wetlands and creek lines, which has become a significant issue across southwest Western Australia.
How to remove it safely
Wear gloves, as sap can irritate skin and eyes. Removal is brutal: arum lilies have deep, persistent rhizomes that require digging well beyond the visible clump to remove completely. Bag all material securely and expect repeat work, as even small fragments left behind will reshoot.
When looking for a native replacement
For cool temperate and wet areas, including much of southern and southwest Australia, choose native plants adapted to damp soils and seasonal water movement rather than permanent saturation. Look for species with fibrous roots rather than fleshy rhizomes, as they’re far easier to manage over time.
A question worth asking
Why do we keep choosing (or accepting) these plants, even when they can cause so many problems?
Often it’s because we were never given the full picture. These plants are familiar, can come recommended and appear well behaved in the early years, so there’s little reason to question them. The long-term impacts on soil, water and surrounding vegetation aren't part of the conversation enough.
Turning to native and Indigenous plants suited to your region can open up a very different way of gardening, one that works with local conditions and supports the wider landscape.
