Invasive Spreading Herbs

Welcome to the enchanting world of garden herbs that not only thrive but also have an adventurous spirit, spreading their green glory far and wide.  While these plants bring joy to gardeners with their resilience and abundance, their enthusiastic growth can sometimes lead to unintended consequences.  Lets explore a selection of garden herbs that have a penchant for spreading and being invasive; uncovering their beauty, culinary delights, and how to embrace their vigour responsibly.

 

Chives - Allium schoenoprasum:
Chives, with their slender green stems, beautiful purple flower heads which can be added to salads plus their delightful onion-like taste, form charming clumps in the garden. Over time, these alliums can expand and fill in garden beds. Simply divide the clumps every few years to create more planting opportunities while ensuring their growth remains manageable. Celebrate the loyalty of chives, providing you with a continuous harvest of onion flavoured goodness.  

 

Comfrey - Symphytum officinale:
Comfrey, known for its traditional medicinal uses, possesses an extensive root system that enables it to spread efficiently. As a responsible gardener, be mindful when planting comfrey, as it can become invasive in some regions. Create designated spaces for comfrey in your garden and benefit from its generous contributions to compost and herbal remedies.

 

Evening Primrose: Oenothera biennis:
Evening primrose is wonderful to have in the garden.  It produces large, showy yellow flowers that turn into long, slender seed capsules.  As the capsules dry and split open, they release numerous small seeds, which can be carried away by the wind or animals and definitely self seeds in the garden, so be wary!

 

Lemon Balm - Melissa officinalis:
The delicate lemon-scented leaves of lemon balm make it a cherished addition to gardens and teacups alike. But beware, this perennial herb loves to self-seed and spread it root system. Keep an eye on its flowering heads, and with a quick pinch, prevent an overabundance of seedlings. Embrace lemon balm's prolific nature by dividing the plant if it gets too big and sharing these seedlings with friends and fellow gardeners, spreading not only the herb but also the joy of gardening.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lemon Verbena - Aloysia triphylla:
Lemon verbena's heavenly lemon scent and delicate leaves add a touch of magic to any garden. This herb can spread and grow into a large shrubby wonder, so you will need to cut it back to stop it taking over and growing spindly.  Best to plant where is has room to spread its leaves but don’t be frightened occasionally prune back its growth.  The pruning can be dried and used as a herbal tea.

 

Mint - Mentha:
Mint, with its refreshing aroma and versatile flavours, is a staple in many herb gardens.  However, gardeners soon learn that this herb is a master of expansion. Its root system venture forth into the soil, popping up in unexpected places. Yet, don't let its enthusiastic nature deter you!  Either feel free to chop back into its root system to contain it or plant in containers or confined areas to control its spread.

Oregano & Marjoram - Origanum/Origanum marjorana:
Oregano's delightful aroma and robust flavour make it a must-have herb in any culinary garden. Its tenacity knows no bounds, as it spreads through underground runners. To tame its wanderlust, feel free to cut into the root system and remove what you don’t want or if you are happy to let it do its own thing, give oregano/marjoram enough space to grow freely or plant it in containers. Regularly trim back the spreading shoots to keep its growth in check and enjoy an abundant supply of aromatic leaves.

 

St Johns Wort - Hypericum:

A herbaceous perennial with an erect stem and pale green leaves.  It produces bright yellow flowers which have black dots which act also oil glands and when crushed red pigment comes out of the flower petals so when making infusions the mixture turns red.  It has spreading runners as a root system so again can easily spread itself, so just keep them in check and cut into them if it starts taking over!

 

Valerian - Valeriana officinalis:

Valerian has beautiful, delicate white flowers on tall stems. Like Evening Primrose, the seeds fall from the flower heads after they have died off.  Since Valerian is so tall (about 6 feet!) the seeds will scatter in a pretty large area. 

Whilst Valerian seeds don't normally germinate very easily. However, when you look at the hundreds of seeds produced by a few blooms, it makes sense that some will grow! 

 

Conclusion:
In the garden, we find beauty in balance, and the herbs that spread exemplify nature's tenacity and abundance. As we welcome these spirited plants into our growing spaces, we must also embrace our role as caretakers and guardians of the environment.  By understanding the unique qualities of each spreading herb and employing responsible gardening practices, we can relish in their vitality while preserving the harmony of our garden ecosystems.  So, venture forth with these lively herbs, cherish their exuberance, and let them inspire you on a journey of sustainable gardening and appreciation for the wonders of nature.