Hedera helix (English Ivy)

16 Invasive Species Sold at Garden Centers You Should Never Buy by Kevin of Epic Gardening (www.epicgardening.com)

These plants are attractive and, "Wow! They grow great!" But that's the problem. Because these plants are colorful and attractive they sell like hotcakes. Because they are invasive and non-native they reproduce quickly, spreading (escaping) and overwhelming local plant species. The problem with this is that our local insects and birds can feed and reproduce only on the plants they evolved with in their native habitat - where we live now. By replacing native plant species with non-native and invasive species we are not doing our part to protect and enhance our local environment. So what? Degrading our local environment means fewer native birds and other wildlife, more pesticide use, and makes it harder to grow the local foods we all enjoy