Invasive Herbs

Peachtree City, GA(Zone 8a)

I thought I would do a list of invasive herbs. I'm afraid I learn the hard way when I planted lemon balm. Please add to the list if you have had problems with an herb.
All Mints
Pennyroyal
Comfrey
Lemon Balm
Bee Balm
Artemisia
Costmary
Fennel
Horseradish
St. John's wort
Chamomile

Magnolia, TX(Zone 9a)

Its in the nature of herbs to be weeds, ALL of them somewhere become invasive, borage is invasive for some, and some years herbs do nothing, some years they take over...

Jackson, MO(Zone 6b)

Thanks for the list of invasive herbs.

Boston, MA(Zone 6a)

Interesting. Thanks for the list.
I have bee balm and lemon balm and had fennel for the last 5 yrs and none of them have been invasive. They grew larger and wider but not what I consider invasive. Mint however is HORRID lol. My father brought up a plant that my grandmother ha growing in her yard, tossed a stalk of it in the grass and every single neighbor has it in and outside of their yards too. Been trying to get rid of it for over 12 years.

Seattle, WA(Zone 8b)

"Invasive" is a pretty meaningless word. It basically just means "undesirable" for usually unspecified reasons, and
usually unspecified criteria.

Magnolia, TX(Zone 9a)

I love herbs, the aromas are so awesome.Mint has good years and bad, sometimes it will go along for years, then something changes- the soil gets too crowded, changes and wont support the plants and they die. Clover and legumes change the soil they grow in, and then die because the plant made it too good to do well there. If a plant gets too invasive, it gets mowed out of its place, leaves awesome aromas floating in the air.q

Milton, MA(Zone 6a)

Lovie, where do you live? We (amazingly) were able to get rid of mint, lemon balm and lamiums. Not so much porcelain-berry-vine (not an herb, I know, but OMG it is tough).

I think stuff that is "invasive" in Georgia might be better behaved in Massachusetts. Lantana for instance is horribly invasive in Hawaii and India but dies completely in the winter here.

Houston, TX(Zone 9a)

I have several varieties of mint in my herb garden but I planted them in clay pots & sunk them part way into the ground. Much better behaved that way! I used to have them in hanging baskets but got rid of most of my outdoor potted plants because it's so freaking hot in Houston, I was spending way too much time & energy watering. We also have some mint that rooted in the yard. What a treat when it's time to mow!
Janet

Jackson, MO(Zone 6b)

Janet, Clay pots will break and you will have mint in your flower beds. Also, it will find its way through the drainage hole at the bottom of the plant. Just a warning.

Magnolia, TX(Zone 9a)

For those of us who love mint, and live where every freaking plant has its years to shine, there are MUCH worse plants to fight than mint. Come to Houston and help us fight yaupon, poison ivy, smilax, mosquitoes, Dollar Weeds, and mint will be a blessing.

Peachtree City, GA(Zone 8a)

kittrina we have poison ivy, kudzu, plain ivy, virginia creeper, and I would never plant mint directly in the ground. My sister put some in a pot that she sit on the ground directly outside her apartment. After 3 years the place was covered with mint. The complex had mint everywhere.

Magnolia, TX(Zone 9a)

You are in Ga. Wis has a wild mint they have a love hate thing with too. It only grows well where conditions favor it. Ga is usually a lot dryer, and less humid than Houston area, otherwise, we have the same abilities to grow same plants. Wis mints may grow several years then they move to another place and die where they were 5' high the years before. Kudzu must have been a nurseries escapee, and I dislike that stuff too. Edit to add, at least mint smells good!

This message was edited May 20, 2015 10:53 AM

Thumbnail by kittriana
Peachtree City, GA(Zone 8a)

Kudzu came from Asia and was planted by farmers to stop soil erosion. Little did the know that it would take over the USA.

Desoto, TX(Zone 8a)

My package of Greek Thyme three years ago is trying to eat the world. It has been pulled up, cut down and it only seems to cultivate it more.

Milton, MA(Zone 6a)

I think what we're talking about is invasive herbaceous (not woody) plants that smell or taste good, no?

Magnolia, TX(Zone 9a)

The talk digressed to trying to pinnpoint whats invasive as herbs- some love em, some dont. Some are invasive here, some invasive there. Upon occasion its the conditions that lend to invasiveness in a plant, shake head, its not a subject anyone who has control issues would find comfortable. Have to specify area, plant, conditions, soils and a lot of other stuff to actually claim a plant as invasive. I imagine many herbs can turn woody that many people wouldn't expect to be able to reach such sizes. 2 I can think of would be rosemary and sage off my cuff.

Houston, TX(Zone 9a)

Thanks for the warning, Birder17. I've had them planted about 5 years now & can keep them under control. I really love spearmint & choc. mint.
I just re-read the list at the top of the thread & had to giggle. I couldn't grow lemon balm or bee balm for nothin'!! Maybe too wet or hot? My herb garden gets full west sun in W.Houston. But it's ok because I have tons of other plants/herbs there that love it😃

Anderson, IN(Zone 6a)

You could add Wild Strawberry in the Midwest , Catnip grows when it feels like growing here , grows itself "out" after a couple seasons , then has a slow season , the next after that everywhere it feels like growing ,
at the moment I am learning for a better way to green dry the nip , and mints ,, Wild Carrots , Jerusalem Artichoke , Burdock , are a few more that can be invasive ,
All in where you are ,,
Mustard down Kitt's or Texas way is listed as invasive , If you like Mustard Greens and can eat the wild kind .. it would be a "who Cares ," good munchies ,,, all a matter of preference

Boston, MA(Zone 6a)

carrielamont I'm in Lower Mills (Dorchester)

Milton, MA(Zone 6a)

Wow, very close.

Magnolia, TX(Zone 9a)

Sittin tonite in MASS. Sigh, ummm says Wilmington, but I know I am a bit south of that city.
The mustard in Texas that's invasive is actually bastard cabbage. It was tried as a cover crop and escaped. Never checked edibility... kinda treat it like Texas Bloodweed...and mesquites. Get a chainsaw and burn it.

Milton, MA(Zone 6a)

Burn the chainsaw, tee hee? Welcome to Massachusetts!

Magnolia, TX(Zone 9a)

Chuckl, chainsaws for pruning shears! Not a great week to be here- Mass is as usual, keeping me in trouble. Didn't however, rain on me. After about 15 min of waiting for a lull in traffic so I could pull out- started tootin at the folks trying to run each other over. Big grin here- had quite a musical horn section going for awhile...not that the cars were going to let me out, but some small trucks did a block for me.

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