Bunnings urged to ban potentially ‘disastrous’ garden plant

Bunnings has been urged to stop selling a popular garden item that could permanently damage native Australian landscapes.

English Ivy, or Hedera Helix, has fast-growing roots that can easily clog waterways and strangle native trees and bushland.

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The Invasive Species Council said escaped garden plants have already contributed to at least four Australian plant extinctions and cost the agriculture industry over $4.3 billion to manage each year.

Invasive Species Council CEO Jack Gough said it was “disappointing” to see retailers like Bunnings sell the plant.

“I think most Australians would be horrified to know that the plants that they could go and pick up (from a nursery) could actually be an environmental disaster,” Gough said.

The council are calling for Australians to sign a petition to ban destructive weeds.

English ivy and gazania are listed as ‘highly invasive’ on the Victorian government’s advisory list of environmental weeds.

Both non-native plants are readily available at nurseries across the country, for as little as $5.50.

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