While enjoying the wafting scent of the tea-olives, my youngest garden helper and I began pulling out Wedelia trilobata from the circular bed surrounding the big oak tree in the back garden.
This ground cover is now considered a category II invasive for the central Florida area. Even though I've always liked the cheery yellow flowers, I decided it was time for this pest plant to go.
Since the Wedelia was brown and crispy after our winter freezes, it was pretty easy to pull up. This job needed to be done before warm temperatures and spring rains brought it back to life. Even so, I'm sure I'll be pulling sprigs out all through the spring and summer.
When the Wedelia was originally planted, it was not considered an invasive. In fact, it was recommended to me by a landscaper. Part of the problem with this plant is the ease with which any part of it will root. So, as I was keeping my patch trimmed up and disposing of the trimmings in the yard waste, I was contributing to the spread of a pest plant. All the ground cover we pulled up this time was disposed of in the trash not the recycled yard waste.
The now blank area was filled with a few newly purchased plants such as Holly Fern and Indian Hawthorn. These particular plants were chosen for their cold hardiness. Other plants were divided from existing clumps growing in other areas around My Garden Path. The pink edging will be pulled out as it is no longer needed to contain the Wedelia.
Bromeliads, Flax Lily, and Flowering Maple were some of the plants added from existing sources in other parts of the garden. Caladium bulbs will be planted later this month to fill out the area.
(The plants which are designated as invasive in Florida can be found here. This is an ever changing list so it is a good place to check periodically.)
