Oh no. I think I made a terrible mistake.

I bought 3 pretty pink plants at a local gardening center. They weren't labeled, but I thought they were beautiful. I had no idea what they were, but thought they'd look pretty in a strip of dirt that is directly across our swimming pool from my perennial garden. I planted them among salvia, digitalis grandiflora, knockout roses, and a new climbing rose.

After doing some research online, I think I planted Oenothera speciosa. Is this the dreaded invasive plant that I read about everywhere online? Should I rip them out now, and just eat the cost of the plants? Do any of you have this in your garden?

here's a closer picture. (I had originally taken the other picture for a question about the climbing rose on the rose forum). Is this pretty pink flower going to kill my other plants?

Looks like it, I had got rid of mine. They won't smother and suffocate other plants - they will spread into open areas for sure.

I have the yellow version and I rip it out whenever I see it coming.

Bummer. Okay. Anybody looking for some Oenothera speciosa? If there aren't any takers, I think I'll add it to my compost bin (or is that too dangerous, should I burn it?).

Any ideas for pretty light pink replacements?

How about a peony? There are some beauties.

I put them back in their pots this morning, and took them to the garden center where I bought them. They let me trade them in for some phlox. I thought that was so nice of them to allow me to do that. They had "franz schubert" and "laura", so that's what I bought. I figure that if I don't end up liking them in place of the Oenothera speciosa, I can always move them into my other perennial garden (from the pictures they both look like they are a shade of pink). Anyway, at least I didn't have to eat the cost of the Oenothera speciosa. I was having nightmares last night of that plant taking over my whole property. Now I can sleep again. (If I can stop worrying about my kids, too).

pgt - Nice that the garden center let you trade them in. It's sad that such a pretty plant has to be an invasive bully. It looks so nice where you planted it, too. :(

Great choice, phlox are wonderful.

RIP IT OUT!!! It's that evil also known as PRIMROSE. lol

It may be a bully but it does make a beautiful display.
This is at a garden I care for.

gardengus,
Your primrose is so pretty in that spot. It makes me a little sad that I got rid of mine.

In a well tended garden I could see it taking over.
This garden has No water source so things there have to be able to fend for themselves.
There are other''bullies like gooseneck loostrife and obedient plant.

They do spread but in a heavenly way. I have never known them to choke out anything. You can shear them down to a shorter height and they will bloom again. They are easy enough to rip out. Enjoy!

Glad you decided to get rid of the Oenothera speciosa. One year I planted a gallon sized pot of them in the center of an Iris bed. By fall they had covered an area 11'X11' and I had to shift through the soil and dig up all the Iris to get all the roots out. Plus they had a rather short bloom period. Phlox will be much better.

Susan

I had the yellow Oenothera primrose in Dayton, Ohio. When I was digging up a section, it seemed that the birds had already dropped the seed behind me and those were growing!!! I could not keep up with this variety in my demolition activity. It was everywhere, everywhere!!! First class THUG I'll call it. 8-((

Karin ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have grown both the pink and the yellow ones and the pink seemed to be the worst of the two.

Susan

The pink ones have spread along miles and miles of Interstate 20 going through Vicksburg. The were not deliberately planted by the state or city--most likely by birds.

I planted some in my yard, and have been able to keep it in check for the last 5 years. After it blooms, I yank out as many plants as I can see. I don't let it go to seed (not sure if they do seed), and maybe about a dozen plants come back every year. They do make a lovely display, so I have kept them.