There are so many options when choosing flowers for the garden, but not all plants are created equal. All of the flowers below are non-native, meaning they are not found naturally in the Okanagan and Similkameen. One of the flowers below is not like the others though! Do you know which is the odd one out?
It's the Marigold! (top left).
Even though none of the above flowers are native to our area, the Marigold is the only one that is not a harmful invasive plant, meaning it can be planted in gardens without any concerns of it escaping and harming local habitats.
The other three flowers are (clockwise from top right): Sulpher Cinquefoil, Dalmatian Toadflax, and Yellow Flag-iris. These plants , along with countless others, have dramatic impacts on local wildlife and their habitats and also impact humans as well. Invasive plant species can decrease yields and productivity in agriculture and forestry, lower property values in a neighborhood, and even cause us physical harm. Not only that, but hundreds of thousands of dollars each year are spent trying to prevent, manage, or remove these plants. When planting your garden this spring, be sure to double-check your plant list and make sure you aren't helping these invaders "dig in" to our province any further!
For information on invasive species, check out our website (www.osstewardship.ca)! You can also go to www.oasiss.com, or search Google to find the local invasive species group in your region.
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