With the warm weather favouring the East Kootenay’s backyard gardeners and water garden enthusiasts, the East Kootenay Invasive Species Council (EKISC) is reminding the public to be careful when selecting plants and animals for their ponds and gardens.

“Many of our most noxious invasive plant species were, and are, spread through the sale and trade of plants. Garden enthusiasts and landowners are often misled in thinking that garden centres are legally responsible to not to sell invasive plants,” said Jessie Paloposki, Education and Communications Manager, EKISC.

“Actually, it’s a buyer-beware type of situation when considering what plants to use in your garden. EKISC encourages consumers to purchase plants from companies who have joined the PlantWise program; if that’s not possible, do your research, ask questions, and encourage these businesses to get on board.”

Some species listed on the provincial noxious weed list, such as flowering rush, can sometimes be found in retail garden centres. Flowering rush is regarded as one of the top five worst invasive alien plants in Canada due to its major ecological impact on natural ecosystems.

Flowering rush is an alert species as it has already been found in British Columbia but is not yet established. The public is asked to help prevent the spread of this high priority plant by reporting any sightings and by never planting flowering rush in water gardens.

Other common garden and water garden species that are considered invasive and should be avoided include periwinkle, English ivy, yellow archangel, mountain bluet, goldfish, red-eared slider turtle, and yellow flag iris.

Following the Invasive Species Council of BC’s popular PlantWise and Don’t Let It Loose programs, EKISC urges the public to garden using only non-invasive species to prevent the spread of unwanted and invasive plants and animals into the environment.

More information on choosing non-invasive plants can be found by visiting www.ekisc.com or www.beplantwise.ca.

The cost of invasive species to Canada is between $16.6 billion and $34.5 billion per year. In British Columbia, just six invasive plants caused an estimated combined damage of at least $65 million in 2008. With further spread, impacts will more than double to $139 million by 2020.

The East Kootenay Invasive Species Council is a non-profit organization that builds partnerships and supports collaborative projects in natural and applied science, policy research, outreach and education to protect our forests, fields, gardens, waterways and cities from the damaging effects of invasive species. www.ekisc.com ​

Lead image: Flowering rush. Invasive Species Council of BC image

East Kootenay Invasive Species Council 

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