Over 50,000 People Tell Home Depot: Stop Selling Invasive Plants!
***Franklin Park resident starts national petition***
Officially listed invasive plants are still sold at Home Depot
When you shop at Home Depot — or any retail store — you expect the items you purchase to be safe when used according to instructions. Yet, one category of items regularly sold at every Home Depot causes immense damage to our environment, harms wildlife, and crowds out our native plants. These are the invasive plants sold to homeowners for ‘beautifying’ their yards, and most purchasers are unaware that some the of plants they may select from the garden center are officially listed as ‘invasive’ by the state they are sold in.
Invasive plants have gotten a lot of negative press lately, and for good reason. “Invasives, such as English Ivy, Wintercreeper, Burning bush, and Japanese barberry, are killing our trees, crowding out native plants, and damaging our wildlife,” says petition author Lauren Taylor, UFA volunteer and resident of Franklin Park. “But these plants are still being sold at garden centers across the country, especially Home Depot.”
When asked what drove her to create this petition, Taylor responded, “I see what is happening in our own neighborhood.” She added, “Once I became aware of the issue, I started to notice that even mature trees were being choked by invasive vines. And certain natural spaces appeared to be dominated by one type of invasive plant. I realized I had to do something.”
Invasive English ivy is killing trees throughout Franklin Park and northern Virginia
According to U.S. law (Executive Order 13112), invasive species are non-native species "whose introduction does or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health." A study published this year in Science of the Total Environment estimated invasive species cost the US $21 billion annually, a ten-fold increase since 1960.
“Invasive species have no natural predators to keep them in check, so they propagate widely. They are out of control, taking over natural spaces. And once you can identify them, you see them everywhere,” Taylor emphasized.
Many organizations, such as the National Wildlife Federation and National Geographic Society, seem to agree and have published articles discussing the impact of non-native invaders as a major threat to US biodiversity. “Asking Home Depot to make this change is a small step that could easily be accomplished...and it could make a huge difference,” Taylor said.
Invasive Japanese barberry harbors the ticks that carry Lyme disease
“Invasive plants threaten the environment in a very real way,” says Taylor. “It’s not just a local problem. It’s throughout the DMV, the eastern seaboard, and the entire country.” In her opinion, the petition gives Home Depot the opportunity to be a leader in the horticulture industry by eliminating the sale of invasives.
Home Depot has already agreed to stop selling invasive plants in California, according to their corporate website. “Gardeners and homeowners trust Home Depot to sell plants that will benefit our environment,” Taylor added, “…but they are still selling 35 species listed as invasive in parts of the U.S., with a destructive impact on our economy, health, and park lands. It’s unconscionable, and we’re asking them to stop.”