If it meant something to me, YES. I do have a Rose of Sharon in my yard. My Sister gave me several babies from Hers. This is the only one that survived the lawn mower. For some reason, I don't get babies from it. Maybe because it is the only one in the area? It's probably a good thing none of the others survived!

We had a Rose of Sharon at the other house, and it was definitely not invasive! Ours was a double...I think I read somewhere those are less invasive than the singles. The first time I heard of RoS referred to as invasive, I was like, "What?" :)

I have another just like the first one at this house. It's a memorial to our dog who passed away.

To answer your question, if it is a source of happy memories for you, I think you should by all means keep it! :)

when i moved.. i killed a number of things in my yard .. so that the next owner wouldnt release the invasives ....

take care of what you grow.. but do NOT leave problems behind ..

ken

Invasive is a dirty word at our house. [g] I am pretty paranoid about plants that have the potential to turn into a problem. I know from experience, that things can get away from you in the blink of an eye, when your attention is by necessity drawn away to other things. Off the top of my head, I can think of two plants that can be invasive that I do keep, but I enjoy them enough that if my whole property was carpeted with them, I would still be pretty happy. lol One is viola labradorica, which is a native that reseeds. I don't find it moves around too quickly, it is very easy to pull out, and it fills in nicely in areas where it is not easy to grow other things. The second, is viola odorata. I usually purchase plants that are at least one zone hardier then my zone 6, but I'm pretty sure viola odorata is only supposed to be hardy to z6. So, it has a built in control. Some year it could be cold enough to kill it all off. I've had it for 3-4 years and so far so good. It started as one small plant, that is still only maybe two feet in diameter now. I did see a seedling under a nearby shrub, but that's it. I already have a ton of nondescript, white violas in the lawn. They were here when we moved in, and I never enjoyed them. The leaves are too large and coarse and I don't like the white color. The viola odorata, has pretty smaller leaves, the flowers are a great deep purple. [There is a white one] And it is really fragrant! That's the reason I keep it around. The more it spreads, the more fragrance we get to enjoy in the spring. :-) If we ever moved, I can't imagine anyone not loving it for the same reasons.

So, in answer to your question....the only invasive I tolerate is one that even considering worse case scenario, I would not regret it. I would not kid myself into thinking that I could always keep it under control. I've had too much experience to convince me otherwise.

I have a huge respect for plants that you can't turn your back on, and I don't want them in my yard. I have enough work to do as it is in the gardens. A couple of winters ago, I had a huge Kerria pulled out because keeping it under control was becoming impossible.

BTW, the Rose of Sharon 'Diana' is sterile, and there may be others as well.

there is difference between aggressive plants and invasive plants IMHO
Aggressive plants are those that have a staying power no matter what kind of season or care you planning to give to them. they spread by rhizomes or reseed easily and you can count that they will be in you garden every year. My garden is full of those. Yes, it takes a little time in the spring to make sure they keep their boundaries but it is usually easy task. If you want your ROS not reseed heavily, remove your seedheads after bloom will probably take all of 20 minutes...
different matter is invasive plants which you plant in one place and find them spread by stolons rhizomes across the street next year. Those I would not put in my garden unless they are so borderline in my zone that it is mere chance they will survive or not. I have healhty yellow varigated dwarf bamboo which is marginally hardy for me- it takes a while to wake up from winter cold, reminds me hakonechloa foliage.
Regarding next owner of this house- have no immediate plans to move so why should I worry about someone not understanding my garden...

There is a difference between invasive and aggressive. Invasive chokes out native species.

We pulled out all of the invasive variegated ligustrum (planted by our landscaper when the house was built). A nursery recommended Love Grass to us, but it has reseeded so much that it should be on the invasive list as I can see this getting out into the wild and choking out the natives.

I have one Rose of Sharon, the Proven Winners Blue Satin. I'll keep watch on it.

Cameron

I agree with Linda that there is a difference between invasive and aggressive. The old Rose of sharon's were aggressive, not invasive.
Invasive as I understand the term are foreign plants that displace native plants, making it impossible for natives to live. For example in my area goose neck and purple loose strife are invasive as well as garlic mustard and stilt grass.
Honeysuckle ivy, trumpet vine and wisteria are invasive in some areas where its growing up the trees and choking them. When you plant these plants its important to keep them from escaping into the wild. Crown vetch in my opinion is invasive because it kills off berries and other natives.
Some places grape vines are invasive, here they are dormant in the winter so they arent a problem.
I have some plants that are definately aggressive and I would never plant again.

The term "invasive" applies to species that are not native to a continent or region and are so aggressive that they escape cultivation and displace the species that ARE native to that region. In Massachusetts, it's easy to figure out which plants are invasive because the state has a comprehensive list of plants that are prohibited from import or sale.

My yard (1.25 acres) was so neglected and overgrown with invasive plants when I moved here that I've spent 5 years weeding, digging, cutting, and weed-wrenching. I spent $2,000 on tree work to remove Norway maples alone. I wish I could snap my fingers and get rid of every invasive plant on this lot but it is a slow process. There is still one enormous Norway maple not removed yet ($$$). And a large multiflora rose in the northwest corner, that for the meantime, acts as a windscreen for fierce winter winds. And tons of invasive seedlings in the wild area out back.

My hope is to remove the invasives before I move - but that won't stop seeds in the seedbank from sprouting, or birds from bringing new seeds in!

regards to Rose of Sharon I planted a row of them along the edge of our yard close to a road so to block view to our yard-house years ago and so far I have not seen any seedlings.

I agree that it is important to maintain a distinction between aggressive garden spreaders and true invasive species. Many common garden plants can be extremely aggressive - garden thugs - and still are not considered invasive in the ecological definition of the term. True invasives are non-native species that invade natural areas and outcompete native plants, altering ecosystems. And these vary widely from location to location and from one section of the country to another.

One can easily justify the inclusion of aggressive plants in your garden if one is inclined or able to devote the time and effort to keep them in check. That is a matter of personal choice :-) But it is much harder to justify the inclusion and maintenance of species known to be invasive in your area - that is less a matter of personal choice and more of an issue of being a responsible gardener and land steward.

And its very important to know exactly which is which and differences between them. Most states have invasive species councils and listings outlining those plants which are recognized as posing ecological threats in that specifc area. As an example, 'loosestrife' is a common name applied to several plants, some invasive, others not. Purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria, is an acknowledged and recognized invasive species in most areas of the country. Gooseneck loosestrife, Lysimachia clethroides, is an aggressive garden spreader that to my knowledge is not currently on any invasive species listing. Rose of Sharon, Hibiscus syriacus, is noted as being potentially invasive in several states, including Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia and Connecticut.

I also have a Norway maple that came with the house and I would love to get rid of it. Nothing can grow under it, it seeds like crazy and the fall color is not that outstanding. However, at over 60 feet tall, I just don't have to money to have it taken down.

As far as agressive plant, it depends on how agressive. Campanula Cherry Bells, for example, is way too rambunctious for me to deal with. I have no problem with Monarda, although I know some people have found it taking over.

"Invasive" and "aggressive" are rather fluid definitions that have different meanings for different people, vary over time, according to locale etc. I'm not sure that "native" species that take over an area are necessarily any more wonderful for their impact on diversity than "exotic" species. However...

I started some years ago with a single Joe-pye weed plant purchased from an herb nursery. Now I have about a 20 by 8 foot solid mass of Joe-pye that seeds around the garden and is threatening to choke out neighboring plants if I don't keep an eye (and shovel) on it. Very nice in a mass of full bloom, but not for the non-energetic gardener. Eupatorium coelestinum (hardy ageratum) is also an enthusiastic spreader, but easier to keep in bounds and also worth the effort.

Ok, ok I surrender! lol I am very clear now on the difference between invasive and aggressive, thank you all for explaining. :)

Any time I see "prolific", "aggressive", "use for difficult area", I cringe. I am very careful about what I choose to purchase because I see many dangerous trends around here... English Ivy on trees, bamboo, honeysuckle. I'll never forget watching an HGTV show where they used a backhoe to clear an area choked with bamboo. They were leveling a slope anyway and took the dirt with them. And six months later, there were new bamboo shoots coming up!

I wouldn't go that far. But I will consider that I should remove anything troublesome that the next homeowner might not keep on top of.

Thanks! :)

There are some plants that I love to have around because they are aggressive enough to survive and actually look GOOD in some of my "difficult" areas. I don't mind having to pinch them back continually.

But I would never mess around with a confirmed invasive(I live on a farm) because there is too much of a chance that it might get away from me and become the next big bad weed that everybody has to spray for. There are too many other good tough plants out there to bother with invasives anyway.

I'm keeping some aggressives because I can't get rid of the dang thugs......

Squill, Lily of the Valley, Muscari, Lamb's Ears, Sweet Woodruff to name a few

The new varieties of rose of sharon are supposed to be sterile and not spread like the old ones did.
My neighbor has the old fashion variety and they are all over her yard.

Interesting subject.

I have several old varieties of Rose of Sharon, a double white and a double blue...they are agressive in that they spread and have formed a hedge but I like that where they are.
My newer varieties are not, Diana and a double pink, Lady something or the other. I do have a pink one that is a monster, cut it down with a chain saw and it still came back, finally poured diesel oil on top. I think it may be gone, but its seedlings keep popping up.

I have Obedient Plant, but it is confined between the drive and a building in a narrow 18 inch wide bed.

Then there is the lonicera purpurea, aka purple honeysuckle that I planted on the porch to vine up the railings....it has got to go! For one thing, it has maybe 10 tiny blooms that you can barely smell. I will just plant it in a fence row somewhere. It is covering the entire bed and trying to choke out the Jackmanii clematis. I will also move the more restrained red and gold honeysuckle....I have to keep it pruned so you can walk up the steps and that cuts back on the blossoms. I am going to put it on a trellis in full sun because the hummers love it.

Lythrum I love and it certainly isn't even agressive here. I just have one plant of it; wish I had more.

I had a Kolreuteria tree and loved it. Lost them due to an ice storm. They have little lanterns that contain the seeds. Lost the tree a few years ago but they are still coming up everywhere. I am actually letting some grow! I will live to regret it. But you get a nicely shaped 20 foot tree pretty quickly and we have lost so many so I succumbed to temptation.

Cameron, if you are talking about eragrostis, I have it too and agree with you. It reseeds way too much for my taste.

I have two by the front steps and they are going to be relocated out front.

Gldno -- yes, I'm talking about eragrostis! I've come to hate it. Seedlings pop up in the gravel in the driveway, so you can imagine what happens in good gardening soil.

Cameron