Tennessee’s beautiful landscapes are under threat from plants that may look pretty in garden centers but become nightmares once planted. Many nurseries across the state still sell aggressive species that can quickly escape your yard and damage local ecosystems.
The problem is so widespread that even experienced gardeners accidentally purchase these troublemakers. I learned this lesson the hard way after buying an innocent-looking vine at a Memphis garden center.
Within months, it had climbed my fence, invaded my neighbor’s yard, and was choking out native wildflowers. Now I carefully research before bringing any plant home, and I’m sharing what I’ve discovered about Tennessee’s most problematic invasive species.
1. Japanese Honeysuckle
This seemingly charming vine becomes a monster in Tennessee’s humid climate. Once established, it forms dense mats that smother native vegetation and climb up trees, sometimes killing them by blocking sunlight…